Cheer

Where on earth did the year go? It seems like five minutes ago 2012 was brand new… I was bidding adieu to one of the worst years of my life and hoping for so many positive things to happen moving forward. Adios, 2011. Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out. What a freaking waste of 12 months that year was. A truly ghastly vintage.

I can’t say that 2012 was really much better. Overall, there was a lot less drama but I didn’t get my sh*t together like I thought I would. I’ve slowly worked toward some goals but I didn’t push myself to get published, which was something I really wanted to do this year. I wrote a lot, but mostly just personal. And that won’t mean anything to anybody until they find my mummified body under a mountain of dirty laundry. Posthumous is, unfortunately, how my work is going to get out there because I’m just not brave enough. I did take a writing workshop, and my work was well received by my instructor, but I’m still too insecure to share it with anyone but him. Honestly, my finger would hover over the “submit” button for long stretches of time because I was terrified to let him read it, too. And while my instructor would often start his critique with a “Wow” I never got up the nerve to share it with the whole class. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I guess I’m just not ready.

This hasn’t exactly been a year of cheer. Then again, it hasn’t been all bad, either. I started a new trend with the kids. We broke the year up into quarters, Ben and Madeline named them: Summer of Fun, Fabulous Fall, Wonderful Winter, and Super Spring. We make a list of things we’d like to do and make sure we do them. Some highlights of 2012 included indoor skydiving, trips to Estes Park, and Glenwood Springs. This week we’ll be skiing and starting a scavenger hunt of Denver points of interest. We WON’T, however, make any more plans to attend movies in our pajamas – especially a midnight showing of Batman. That was way too close for comfort. For those of you who don’t know, we went to the midnight showing of Batman on July 20 (in our PJ’s) at a theater just a few miles away from where the massacre happened. When we exited the theater there were swarms of cops everywhere. I just grabbed Ben and Madeline’s hands and walked quickly to the car. My phone was blowing up from all the calls and texts asking if we were okay, which, fortunately, we were. I would have been pissed had we been killed doing something on our Summer of Fun list. Kinda defeats the purpose.

Anyway, I’m working on getting my groove back. Admittedly, 2012 has been a year of transition, and while it’s been uncomfortable, I am genuinely trying to make the best of it. Being the type of person who is absolutely obsessed with movies, I often think of how my life would play out on the silver screen. Right now is when the sad music plays. The pivotal point where everything looks pretty bleak for the protagonist but there’s something wonderful waiting around the corner. I’ve decided that I don’t want normal. For a long time I’ve wanted NORMAL and now I’ve decided that I’m just too unique to be NORMAL. While I haven’t quite figured out how to fully embrace my personality, I know that I’d be wasting ME to settle for a life that is anything short of extraordinary.

Besides, the end of my movie is going to be filled with hilarious bloopers that will make you fall off your seat with laughter. Even the most tragic stories deserve an ending like that, right?. I mean, wouldn’t our lives be more cheerful if the credits of, oh, say “Das Boot” had a blooper reel? How about “Million Dollar Baby?” Or, perhaps, “Dead Man Walking?” We’d certainly all walk out of the theater in a different frame of mind.

So, my friends, get ready for 2013. I can’t say that I’m going to skyrocket into the greatness that I believe is right around the corner (or at least getting closer to my neighborhood), but I’m sure that I’ll collect more moments of hilarity for all to enjoy. That will be my gift to all of you. Cheer(s).

Scott Foor supplied today’s word. He is one of my inner circle friends and sincerely brings a lot of cheer to my world. We almost lost him a couple of years ago when he decided to slip on some ice and scare the bejeezus out of us. Scott, you didn’t need to suffer a TBI for us to love you more, it’s simply not possible. I love you bunches, my friend, and I appreciate all the cheer you supply in my life.