The Year in Review

Wow! Here we are, at the end of yet another year. It's hard to believe I've been around for 36 of these things now. I could go into remembering some of the things I've done to celebrate the passing of the old year, but instead, I think I will reminisce on the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2008. Moving chronologically, at the beginning of the year, I lost my condo. I know it was at the biginning of the year, because I was in class for Speedway, learning to become a shift manager, so I missed my court date for the eviction hearing. That, somehow is something you don't really want to hear in person anyway, right? You could, as I did, just receive the eviction notice from a bailiff on a motorcycle.

So, I had to leave the condo and move into a hotel room. Sweet deal, really...(or suite, if you get my drift.) All utilities paid and maid service once a week? You really should consider it for short or even long term housing. Quite nifty indeed. After being there for about four months, Charity called and invited me to move to New Jersey. At the same time, Dana suggested bankruptcy might be an option. And, I moved in with my boss, Lisa. Why not roll all into one? I decided to file and move. Of course, I had to make sure everything was alright (in a manner of speaking) with the filing and process, but once that was cleared, I felt I was free to go. I had the meeting with the bankruptcy trustee and felt everything was in order, so I set my date to move to New Jersey as July 11.

Plans, as usual, have a way of changing, and they did. I was asked by my parents to stay with them for a long weekend and help get an apartment set up for my brother and sister-in-law, who were coming home from Africa. I did and ended up staying with my parents for about 3 weeks. It was a really wonderful opportunity to see them up close and in person for an extended time (the likes of which I haven't seen since I was 18.) It was a neat opportunity to really interact with them adult to adults. No less a blessing was the opportunity to see Nate and Heather and Hayden the day they got to Ohio. It is a bit bittersweet now, because in 8 days, they will be going back to Africa for 2 1/2 years.

August 4, is the day I left Ohio. I actually arrived in New Jersey on the morning of the 5th. Bryan, being the sole provider of that opportunity. The next two months were a whirlwind of applications, resumes, cover letters and disappointments. Just as I was about to throw in the towel and ask Bryan to come and get me, I got a phone call. No, two. Since then, I have been working at UPS part time and Carlton Cards full time. Sure, it's a lot of work, and yeah, I'm tired a lot, but I did it!

Can a price really be put on my experience this year? Nope. I have survived other years, some barely, and some better, but this year I daresay there was some thriving going on. I would say I had a fantastic '08. I hope you did too. And, if not, there's no telling what '09 has in store. Buckle up and hang on!