2008: A Year I Won’t Miss

Goodbye 2008.

No, really. See ya later 2008. Take your musty old robes and make way for the 2009 baby. Git gone. Scram. 2008, you are persona non grata. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

If ever there was a year I wanted to banish into the past and forget it ever happened, 2008 would be it. It feels like a dark cloud has been hanging over our heads for the entire year. I could link up a bunch of posts pointing to a year in review, but I think it would hurt too much to re-read those words.

You probably remember the lowlights, anyway: being laid off, trying to find a job with no success, dealing with a summer of regression from Cordy, losing health insurance, a car that tried to die on us, a relapse into depression for me (can you blame me at this point?), losing my best-paid freelance job, going on assistance for a short time, suffering through serious marriage problems that nearly split us apart, and on and on and on.

As one final parting blow before 2008 was done, we lost our health insurance for the girls due to Aaron’s temporary job paying him too much in a single month, and found out a developer who owns the land behind us is now trying to change it from building very nice single family condo homes to an apartment complex. As if our property values weren’t suffering enough already.

As my friend Erin would say, 2008 can #suckit.

Some good did happen in 2008, though. I don’t think we could have survived an entire year of nothing but being beat down. I started writing a new blog that I love. Cordy has made incredible progress in the last 6 months, tackling many challenges that before were too much for her to handle. Aaron currently has a technical writing contract job that should last through January, and if we have any luck, beyond that. Family and friends continue to offer their support. Blog friends came through for me in spades, helping to fix my car, and giving us a surprise $100 gift at Christmas. I only hope I’ve helped as many people as have helped me.

Lesson: although circumstances have sucked, it’s the people, not objects, that can make things seem better.

So while it’s been a stressful year, it hasn’t been all doom and gloom. But when you combine our personal situation with the global economic, environmental, and social problems of this year, I think you’ll join us in giving 2008 the finger as we boot it out the door.

As for 2009, I can only hope that we’ve satisfied karma’s twisted sense of humor and our fortunes will improve in some way. I’m longing for the Powers That Be to tire of screwing with us. I’d like our financial situation to stabilize, and I hope we’ll all have health insurance again soon. I’ll be finished with school in June, and will then start my search for a job, either part-time or full-time. I’m planning to go to Blissdom 09 and BlogHer 09 this year (still working on the financial details), and expect them to be great events for meeting up with friends and making new contacts.

Personally, I want 2009 to be a year of better health and better parenting. I think I’m an OK parent, but there’s always room for improvement. I’d also like to start sewing again, making clothing for Cordy and Mira instead of buying as much mass-produced clothing. I want to spend more time with friends and family and less time worrying. Also, one way or another I’m going to kick depression’s ass and feel happy again.

C’mon 2009. I’ve got a lot of faith in you. Don’t let me down.

And finally, I hope 2009 is a year full of promise and good fortune for you and your family, too.