auld lang whine.

this year we're heading out of town again to ring in the new year, so we'll do our requisite retrospective a few days early. as you might expect me to say, 08's been a pretty crap year, especially lately, and we're not too sad about waving goodbye to it. which is pretty ironic, considering my mantra last year at this time was 'eight is great' - and being that i'm born on the eighth, i have a good deal of egotistically-driven love for the number, and so went into it with all shades of wondrous expectations. too many, i suppose.

and while it wasn't all gloom and doom - there were, as always, a good number of amazing moments peppered throughout the past twelve months - i think i'll forever associate this past year with crying. i cried on subway platforms, and in cars, and on buses, and in banana republic, and key food, and port authority, and bars, and a restaurant, and all along 48th street; in three different states, and 4 out of the 5 boroughs.

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and while this sounds nothing short of completely pathetic, one of the things i'm most proud of this year stems from this -- and that is that i never cried where it counted. during the most rotten moments of the year, a handful of them, i never lost my composure - they expected me to, and perhaps, in some instances, needed me to - but i held strong, and kept the despair fully in check until i was safely out of sight/earshot (random passersby be damned - i am pretty certain i horrified a good number of fellow new yorkers recently. apologies to all.) and i suppose this might be a dumb little victory to hang on to, but as i explained during a discussion i had about this last month, i feel in some small way that this was a major sign of growing up. at least for me, the sensitive gal who can tear up during gossip girl and californication (mind-boggling, i know). i somehow gained the poise to control the waterworks, and for that i am grateful.

which fits in with the fact that this year was probably my 'saturn return', an interesting phenomenon that dear reader hillary pointed out to me when i was contemplating what a big deal 28 was, at the time, surprisingly, turning out to be. and although in many respects this was a negative year, it was the most change-filled year i've had in quite awhile, and doing some things differently won't necessarily be a bad thing.

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and finally, in completely falling apart i really became aware of the amazing support system i have. my girls - high school, college, and workplace ones - and my family have been so incredible i don't think i can ever properly put in to words how grateful i am for them all. at the risk of giving this post the honor of housing loveandcyanide's sappiest statement - but it will - i honestly am looking back right now not feeling at all bitter, but instead blessed.

alright, enough. considering this was started as a forum for 'high seas adventures' - a purportedly fun place on the internet - we sincerely thank you, you few dear readers, for standing by during these most dour times.

we truly hope that the new year brings about more happy and exciting adventures for us to document...and we wish the same for you all as well.

happy new year.