New Year's Eve is my favorite holiday...and not JUST because it tends to emphasize revelry and overindulgence. Though I will probably be doing some partying later this evening. Possibly to excess. But really, that is not the only reason I love the last day of the year.

I enjoy marking the end of the year and the beginning of another. Looking back at the past twelve months' worth of joys and sorrows, highs and lows. Recalling the milestone events in our lives, whether they were personal moments or newsworthy events that were viewed by millions. Taking stock of the year's best cultural contributions (or guilty pleasures) - music, movies, books, TV shows, celebrity shenanigans, style trends and fashion disasters. For a sentimental soul like me, I quite enjoy having a point in the year where it's appropriate to take a look back at the previous leg of my life's journey and think about what I've seen, learned, felt, and accomplished. This year in particular has had some rough, tragic moments for my family and friends. But also some amazing, joyful ones - new life, new loves, new friendships, new jobs, new stuff.

And as I close the door on another year, I also enjoy looking forward to the next one, a new year full of opportunities and possibilities. I've learned not to set much stock in resolutions per se, but I have a handful of things I hope to accomplish or experience in 2012. Some of these things I have to make the effort to make happen. Others I have little to no control over, and it's up to fortune, or fate, or perhaps some deity, as to whether they occur or not. It's a bit like holding an unscratched lottery ticket in your hand - the fun is not knowing exactly what lies ahead, but just imagining what might be there.

I'll be spending most of today looking over the "Best of" lists all over the Internets, putting the finishing touches on my 2011 mix CD (yeah, I still make mixes!), and wallowing in sentimentality. And then tonight I'll be toasting the new year, hopefully pleasantly tipsy and surrounded by friends. I'll likely be a little sore tomorrow morning, but I'll have all day tomorrow to rest up and consider the year ahead. New Year's Day is all about being happy to have made it to a another year - bumps, bruises, heartbreaks and hangovers be damned.

So for today, December 31, 2011 - enjoy looking back, let your imagination for next year run wild, be safe in your partying, take care of yourself and your companions, and Happy New Year!

I just did a final weigh-in for 2009: 174.2 pounds. Not bad; I was around 185 at the beginning of the summer. I would like to get down to 165 (and stay there) by the end of 2010.

I fully intend to gain a few pounds tonight though...lots of eating and drinking ahead of me!

Happy New Year!

Ok, so I know it's been nearly three years since I last posted...

Anyway, for posterity (and so I can throw out this piece of paper on my desk) here are the results of my latest cholesterol screening.

Total Cholesterol: 179
HDL: 57
LDL: 102
Triglycerides: 121

So all in all, pretty good stuff. Ok, now I shall go back to neglecting this piece of the blogoshpere.

Fuckin' Mets....

Anyone who knows me at all knows I don't pay much attention to sports. Well, I think I've figured out part of the reson why. I couldn't possibly take following a team week in, week out, just to have them lose it all in fuckin' game 7. Or ya know, in the fourth quarter, or third period, or whatever. I prefer fiction. Sure, maybe Spider-Man will get his ass kicked by the Hobgoblin, or Han Solo gets frozen in carbonite, but you know by the next issue or Ehp!isode or whatever the good guys will prevail. I can't wait ten freaking years for a team to have a good season, and then watch them lose in the playoffs. And I can't jump on board with a team that's already winning. That's cheating - especially if they're a big team that buys all the good players. I realize it's a fucked-up mindset I have - I want to root for the underdog, but then I'm bummed when they lose.

So maybe this is one of my life challenges. I could start following a sucky-ass team and learn to accept loss and failure. Or I could just pop in a DVD and know that even though Khan has Kirk's balls to the wall, JT will turn that shit around soon enough with the help of our favorite Vulcan - who will be back again in the next movie despite being all dead and stuff.

Well, I got sucked into MySpace. I've been blogging over there so I've been neglecting this space. We'll se how that goes.

I'm leaving for Mexico on Thursday!

We got a laptop! Technically it's Bethany's, but I get to play with it too. I'm finding it a little difficult to navigate, but I'm sure I'll get used to it. I'm pretty impressed, we actually saved up for it rather than blowing the money on a whim. Yay McFarmisters!

I've been pretty busy lately...taking another Finance course online, running around...actually, I don't know if I've been busy so much as things have just been busy lately. Jules is homeschooling now...I had my doubts, but it's been going well and I really do think he's getting more learning & enrichment done at home than he was at school. The girls are doing great. Emma's starting to think she'd like to homeschool as well, we'll see how that goes. I think at the moment school is going well for her though.

I'm so ready for Spring. The days are warming up, I'm so glad. The winter was pretty mild, but I'm still glad the warmer days are coming. Bring on the Naked Beach!

Yeah, I haven't been posting much lately. I've been busy at work and lethargic at home.

I had my review of my 2005 performance this week. My new boss is a lot more critical than the old boss. Which I don't mind so much, he was trying to present his criticism in a constructive way, but I just hope it doesn't reflect poorly on me in the eyes of upper management. I don't think it will, but I'm torn about being preemptive and talking to the GM about it prior to my hearing about it. My feeling is that if there's an issue, someone's gonna bring it up to me. And I don't wanna be a whiney complainer. On the other hand, maybe I should be proactive or something. Ehp! I dunno. I just wanna get my bonus check and be left alone.

Jules was all sick last night. He still needs some work on the whole hurling thing...you can't leave the seat down when you're gonna spew! Icky. His blood levels were lowish since he didn't eat anything, but he was feeling better by bedtime and preliminary reports are that he's much better this morning.

Oh, so the Super Bowl is this weekend. I'm gonna root for the Steelers, 'cause Dad is a Steelers fan, but to be honest I am so non-sportsy I really don't care that much. Seriously, if you offered me money I couldn't name a player on either team. Except I think maybe there's a guy named like Heffenburger or something on the Steelers. I just remember he has a funny name. I just like watching the game 'cause it's the Super Bowl, and 'cause they have good commercials some years. Unfortunately, it looks like we won't be getting any boobie shots this year. Anyway, I enjoy a good football game (which the Super Bowl usually isn't), especially if there's beer involved, any time. I just can't get into following all the players and stats and shit. If you think that makes me unmanly, well then fuck you! I am totally manly, as my collection of G. I. Joe - Special Missions #s 1-36 proves.

Ehp!!!

I played hookie from work today. Emma had a field trip, so Bethany helped out with that and I hung out with Charlotte. We were talking about me going on the field trip, but I had some stuff I wanted to get done today and plus, the thought of being partly responsible for a group of 20 six year olds kinda freaks me out. I have enough problems keeping control of my three when we're out, and I could legally get away with whacking some sense into them if I really had to.

So anyway, Charlotte and I got my errands done pretty quickly this morning and then got a chance to hang out, play super heroes (her choice!) and do some drawing. It was cool since I don't get to hang with Charlotte one-on-one much.

Of course, I'm a little worried that people have been going through the piles of paper on my desk at work all day, but I gotta get over that.

Bethany's off all this week, so I've been going into work late every day. I love sleeping in, but it sucks staying late at work. I've been missing dinner with the fam! Ehp! I'm done with closing my accounts for the year, but now the work is starting to pile up. I've been feeling really swamped lately, and I'm so easily distracted at work, my productivity hasn't been great. Maybe I should try Ritalin...

I got my grade for my latest course...99.5%! I've got a rockin' the GPA...I'm wondering if anyone taking University of Phoenix courses DOESN'T do well though. I'm being studious and all, but I'm not putting THAT much time into it. I hope it counts for something when I'm finally done with it.

B hooked me up with a cool new site...Pandora.com makes a playlist for you based on the artists you tell it you like. I plugged in Soul Coughing, TMBG, Nirvana, Tori Amos, and NIN and it's been pretty right on with its selections. I've been hearing lots of artists I already like and being turned on to new ones. There have been a few I gave thumbs down to...I'm not too much into the head-banging stuff these days, Primus is about as far as I go near heavy metal, and I can't really get into a whole set of Orgy, KMFDM, and Rammstein without something mellow thrown in the middle. Still, I'm enjoying it.

Hey tomorrow's Friday! Hoping to do nothing this weekend but a little house cleaning, reading, and playing Game Cube with the kids. Oh, and I gotta figure out where the leak in the girls' room is coming from. Ehhhhpppity....

Almost time for happy New Year...I'm slackin' at work, when I really should be busting my ass. As soon as I finish one more slice of this Grandma pie I'll get back to work.

I gave blood yesterday. Yay me! I haven't donated in about 10 years. I kept meaning to, and then I had to wait after getting tattooed, but now I'm going to try to donate regularly...at least until the next tat. I don't have as much time and money to donate to worthy causes as I'd like, so at least I can give my vital fluids.

Speaking of vital fluids, I had a nice dream about a couple of people I know last night...I won't say who...but Ms. B. knows...

No big plans for New Years. I wanna try out my new shot glasses, play some games, and maybe see Dick. I don't really wanna drive anywhere.

Ok, back to work...

Urgh, I'm tired. I was up late last night doing an assignment for my online course...Finance is making my brain hurt. So I was up 'til after 1 and I really don't think I did so well on it. Of couse, by the time I posted I was pretty bleary eyed so I'm not even sure what the hell I posted. Now we get a week off for the holidays. This makes little sense to me for an online course. I get a four day weekend this week, so even with the holiday stuff I'll still have more time than usual to do schoolwork. But since I know I have nothing due this week, I'll probably slack.

I did a little holiday shopping this week, and I figure I'll finish up on Friday since I'm off from work. Bethany's already done most of the shopping, so I've mainly just gotta get some more goodies for her. We're going to do some stuff tomorrow for Solstice, and then do the whole Xmas thing this weekend. I hope the kids have fun!

Happy farggin holidays. How's that for a post?

Yeah, yeah, I've been busy. I just got back from making my first holiday purchase. 25 mins, in & out, and I came back with a veggie sub to boot.

Now I only have about 10 more things to buy and I'm set!

I'm looking forward to the four-day weekend. Yay!

Best bet for Yule/Christmaccah/Festivus gifts for Rob : beer or whiskey.

Happy belated Thanksgiving. We spent the day at Steve & Cathy's. It was my second veggie Thanksgiving, and avoiding the dead pig & bird was easier this year than last. Bethany made some really tasty mac & cheese and vegetarian stuffing, so I had some good eats.

I've got some school stuff to do today. Hopefully I can get enough done that I'll be able to relax tonight and the rest of the weekend. I'll still have stuff to do Saturday and Sunday but if I'm productive enough today it'll only be a couple of hours of work. If I slack too much today, I just know I'll be stuck in front of the 'puter all Sunday night. Ehp!

I can't believe that the last day of November is on Wednesday. That means work is gonna suck this week. All the more reason to have my schoolwork done so I can drink my worries away tonight and tomorrow. Time to dive into financial statement analysis. Whee!!!!

I feel like I should have stayed home today. Bethany's came home sick from work last night, and she's still feeling yucky today. I was up late finishing my paper for class, and I had a harder-than-usual time waking up this morning. Plus it's rainy and crappy and cold outside. Unfortunately someone else is in my office is out today, so I'm in charge of doing billing today, plus finding time to train our new temp, plus making up some checks for vendors so we can continue the building of our new plant. For some reason it seems like the guys in charge of the project have to ignore invoices until the workers threaten to stop working. Then I have to go out of my way to get a check ready. Like I don't have enough other stuff to do. Bleah. I don't mind feeling like I'm doing something halfway useful for the company, but I hate the feeling that if I have to stay home for the day that it's a big issue for the other folks at work.

Speaking of which, I should really get back to work. I've been fairly productive so far today.

So, uh, yay...only two more work days this week (including today).