An open apology to everyone, forever

Dear everyone, forever,

I am a little over a week from the busiest 4 days of the year. I've got to prepare a full presentation for class on that Thursday, the rest of the weekend will be almost totally devoted to WTH?!Con activities, I have to plan an event for first thing Sunday morning, help with Con break-down, and then gear up for the Superbowl. I do not anticipate getting much sleep during or before that weekend. It is very likely that I will not be my normal gregarious (most of the time), charming (I hope), witty (debatable) self unless you are a customer or I am trying to impress you for some reason.

I wish to offer a full apology, in advance, if I am a jerk, a tool, or an angst ridden whine-o-tron to you at any point in the following week and a half. I promise I'll do everything I can to make it up to you after I have a few days to catch up on sleep.

Sincerely,

- - An apologetic redhead

An open letter to modern-day movie producers

Dear Avatar,

Jurassic Park is almost 17 years old, and your special effects are almost as good as its were. I'm just sayin'.

Love,

- -A movie goer.

Prayer of the Idealistic Grad Student

"God grant me the strength to change those things I cannot accept, the serenity to rejoice in those things I do, and the intelligence to heap cultural and literary allusions upon all the rest until they are palatable to my tastes. Amen."

I didn't actually intend to do a 2009 retrospective...

...but I came across some stuff that I hadn't thought about in months, and it made me start thinking about all the things I did in 2009. There are times when I feel like I didn't DO much with the past year, but it turns out I got a lot more accomplished than I was willing to give myself credit for. In 2009 I...

- Started grad school
- worked 3 different jobs (although they were all part-time, and 2 were temporary/contract positions)
- was in a stage performance for the first time since high school.
- Did I mention that this stage performance was a musical?
- THAT MY FATHER WROTE
- I was very proud of my dad, and still am
- I went to go see some of my favorite bands live in concert and some sweet classic rock, too! - Ludo, Styx and REO Speedwagon, Plushgun, Indigo Girls, and Journey.
- I worked my way through some years-old emotional baggage. Well, sort of. Umm...maybe I'm still working on it. [chuckles]
- I went on my first beach vacation in YEARS with "Moms" and "Miss Lady" (my mother and lil sis)
- Also, a trip to the zoo. TWICE. (personal record)
- Speaking of things I haven't done in years, I started writing again. After dealing with burnout and writer's block extending from back when I was a sophomore in college or so, I was able to pick up a pen and write something for my own gratification, and it was a glorious and liberating experience!
- I was mistaken for an English major.
- I LARPed. Two of my most favorite role-playing characters of all time either began or ended their existence in 2009.
- I dressed up as a bard and rapped nursery rhymes (yes, RAPPED) in front of a confused audience.
- Speaking of WTH!?Con, I ran my second "As Inspired by Tracy Hickman: A D&D Killer Breakfast", with more than double attendence from the previous year. Let's keep up the pace, guys!
- I reconnected with some old friends I wasn't expecting, and made new friends as well!
- I went to a club for the first time since I came back from England.

I'm sure there must be more...but my brain is starting to run out of steam. I'm not sayin' that 2009 is the best year I've ever had, but looking back on all the things I actually did accomplish (many of which I didn't intend or expect to do at the beginning of the year!), it makes me feel that maybe the bad rap a lot of people have given 2009 may not be entirely deserved.

2010, let's see if we can't do at least as good! Hopefully I won't pull a Macbeth and succumb to my own "o'erreaching ambition", but maybe I can keep going down this writing path I've been on...