2009: good so far

My catchphrase of the year is the o-so-clever "doin' fine in 2009," which is my way of saying that I am cautiously optimistic about this year. It's day 2 of 2009, and so far, so good, but considering I'm employed at a struggling company in an industry that appears to be in a death spiral, it is best to be cautious about just about everything. So cautious I will be.

Anyway, NYE 2008 was spent in the best possible way: with friends (although, sigh, not all of them. Why can't everyone I love live in the same city as me? Why don't people realize that they should base all of their life decisions around how they will impact ME?? I mean, c'mon already!), my hubby (who also falls into the "friend" category, happily enough, but who deserves special recognition) and with a 7-year-old girl serving as bartender. No, really. I heard she made great mixed drinks, if a bit too strong. I was on a champers-only bender, so I did not avail myself of her services, however.

So, yes, it was a night that was spent drinking champagne (that, for once, cost more than $4.99--I'm getting classy in my old age), sitting in a smoky room* and debating the merits of using vintage items and thereby contributing to their inevitable ruin, vs. preserving them for others to enjoy in the future**, and watching our hosts take belts of tequila before setting off rather impressive fireworks. No one lost a finger in the revelry, so I consider it a success. And, because I was wise enough to guzzle some water pre-passing-out--and during periodic incidences of wakefulness throughout the night--I managed to do be hangover-free on Jan. 1. My, how I've grown--it must be because I'm 30, AKA old, now. But as long as it means I don't spend the day with my head in the toilet, praying for the sweet, sweet relief of death, that's fine by me.

Later in the day, the hubby and I headed to Dayton, to spend Christmas part Infinity with his mom and brother's family. (Depending on how you count it, we had, at minimum, seven (!!!) family Christmas get-togethers this season. Crikey.) Good times were had by all. A personal highlight was when my 4-year-old niece, Sophie, asked me for a ride on my shoulders. I wasn't sure if I could do it (I realized I'd never given someone a shoulder-ride before), but I gave it a go, and we made several rounds around the first floor before I put her down. I then attempted to convince her that she should reciprocate and give me a ride. At first she argued against it: "You're too big," but agreed to try, and wouldn't let go of the leg I'd wrapped around her shoulder until I convinced her that in all actuality, were she to try, I'd smash her like a bug.

As you imagine, that--along with the kids trying on the fake moustaches we bought them -- made my ovaries ache more than a little. Later though, trying to sleep last night, I dreamed of leaving my 8-year-old nephew by himself at the beach while I ran errands and of foolishly bringing our cat to a department store changing room (where she promptly ran away), so I'm pretty sure my subconscious is sending me a message about the wisdom of that at this point in my life.

Up next: I head out to the eye doctor's this afternoon for a "teach" on how to insert, wear and remove contacts. I'm pretty sure this whole thing will end in tears (I imagine my optometrist will be weeping in frustration by the end), but hey, I really want a spend a Halloween where I can be _____, not _____-with-glasses. Perhaps the dream will live in 2009.


*Ahem.
**My philosophy is that these items were meant to be used, and it sort of denies them their, I dunno, significance if we just use them as art objects alone. That said, if something I love is nearing falling-apart-ness, I will stop using it so that I can extend its life.