Dang. I had intended to write here on my actual birthday (yesterday), but I think I got too wrapped up in assembling 25 Random Things over at Facebook. AND racing around trying to work up a Plan B after realizing I had left my debit card in the ATM Monday night and that it had already been destroyed, so there would be no treating myself to dinner out or pizza or what-not, and no getting the oil changed in my car. Also, trying to make sure my car doesn't fall apart before I can get the oil changed and get it inspected and stuff.

So now I'm 51. Had a pretty decent year, considering the circumstances -- made some new friends, mostly through my sporadic temp job; made a conscious effort to spend more time among people, specifically helping out at the church cafe one of those friends runs on Sunday mornings, and that has seemed to help my psyche somewhat; and managed (for most of the year, at least) to keep up with rent and the day-to-day. AND, not a small thing, began taking a baby step toward a long-time goal of trying stand-up comedy. Oh yes -- and got music back into my life by joining a community chorus. I have also signed up to sing a SOLO at our fund-raising cabaret, and this past Sunday had a rehearsal for it that floored me. I have no idea where that voice came from. I hope I can find it again. It was the voice I always wanted -- had never been able to project like that before. Publicly, at least. And have reconnected with some folks who have been out of my life for years. So that's the plus column.

In the minus column, of course, there was also losing my glasses in August and being sans heat and power for five days in December, and staying at an emergency shelter for a couple of days. And currently not having any hot water due to water-heater problems that require accessing the unit through the closet IN MY ROOM, a design element that I fail to understand. And the ever-present spectre of my own personal recession, now swallowed up in the larger societal recession.

Life remains sketchy at the moment, as I sit here at a public hotspot watching fluffy snow fall while I watch TV online.

I'm kind of all confessioned out after that Facebook exercise yesterday, but I wanted to take stock and mark the boundary between the old and new ages here as well, where my blogging journey began and, I hope, continues. Jeez, that sounds really sappy.