Good Riddance, 2006... For the Most Part

Like most of my life so far, 2006 was a soup of disillusionment occasionally flavored with good moments - the kind that become memories.

It started out with surgery on my spine, surgery I sometimes regret. While the scary 'losing all feeling in my legs' part is gone, my overall back condition is no better and possibly a bit worse. I was on short-term disability for over 5 months, which pays next to nothing. Finally, I was unable to return to the work I had left. Since I missed only the paycheck, the loss wasn't emotionally damaging. But it left a financial void I could not fill because of my physical problems. Finally, at the end of August, I filed for SSD from the government. The case is still pending, but this time around I retained a law firm to help me so maybe the outcome will be positive in the end. Hopefully.

School, such as it is, goes pretty well. I got mostly high Bs and As, with Statistics being the one exception. Fortunately, my GPA allowed me to take one hit. I return to class in March of 2007 to classes I'm capable of getting high marks in, so that bump in the road will be past me soon. Soon, I will be transferring to Hunter, then it's on to either NYU or Columbia. Soon. I did some writing for the school paper, mostly opinion pieces and movie reviews but a few feature articles sprinkled in there too. Got my first official press pass, which lends a bit of legitimacy to the whole thing. Also got a minor award for my contributions. I'm prouder of the gag award I recieved, though: Most Sarcastic Member.

Bubba continues to amaze me on a daily basis. he's starting to become the person he will be, and it takes a lot of what strength I have to keep him on the right path. He's a happy boy, which is great, but too often his moodiness worries me. I will continue to watch him closely. One cool thing is we can almost have a conversation now, even if he is only 3. Soon enough we'll be arguing about free Will and all that.

I gripe about the Mrs. sometimes, and with good reason: regardless of her nationality and upbringing she obsesses too much with what other people think of us, especially her family. Knowing some of the things I do (which I'm sure she doesn't know I know) I can't imagine why. More distressing is her penchant for denying me emotional affection when she's upset with me: you can actually feel the wall come up. I don't like that. it's been happening less in the past 2 months, but for reasons linked to me and not because she's changed her ways.

However, I recognize that I am lucky to have her: I'm sure there are few people on this planet capable of putting up with me on a daily basis, but she seems to manage somehow. For that, I am grateful.

Finally - this relates to what I just finished writing - I've started taking an anti-depressant. It's a fairly new one, the kind that wasn't around back when I could have probably benefitted from it as a younger man, but it's here now and it is working out well for me. I'm less impulsive, less angry and less anxious. Evidence of this is the Mrs. and I haven't had a real yelling match in about 2 months. Proof enough for me that I'm benefitting from it.

On a lighter note, here's some things I've gotten some happiness out of this year: 'Dexter' on Showtime, the giant rocket-shooting insect I got for my birthday, discovering Bubba really likes the science museum (we take him every Sunday, if possible), trading smartass remarks at the Bridge newspaper offices, William Shatner's roast, the South Park episode 'Make love, not Warcraft', My Chemical Romance's 'Welcome to the Black Parade' and kind of overall development between a man and his wife that can only occur when his mother in-law is no longer around the house.

Will 2007 be better? Damned if I know. It will be different, which is, at the least, interesting. Sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad. Some definate changes will be occuring, like us assuming the mortgage of this apartment and getting an equity loan to renovate it which will be cool (and detailed here you can be sure). Also, Bubba will begin pre-K, which promises to lend itself to more comment. And if my SSD comes through... well, can a vacation be far behind? Nope. And more school gripes.

So if you read this, thanks and keep coming back. If you're looking for the first time, welcome and hope to see more of you.

See you next year. Drink 10 for me.

jdk