Gohan's previous birthday epilogue

Time to tie up a few loose ends. Gohan has, on more than one occassion commented about the fact that even in his own dedicated birthday blogging he's only in the first paragraph. I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise. As stated, I was quite quite drunk during my time there. We would have brought you along if you had not disappeared from sight again, but I have a feeling everyone else was in as bad a state as I. All in all however, it was a thoroughly enjoyable birthday celebration, although I wasn't there for long. I had a better time in that pub than I have on some nights out. I do like a good quiet pub sit down now and again. It was a fantastic gathering of people you'd managed to collect and you should be proud that they all turned up to celebrate with you.

On a related note, there was a mis-quote in that self same thread. It appears I said "urinate" instead of "whoop". The correct phrasing is:

"Can't a man whoop for joy when having a wee? If he can't then when can he?"

Noble visits

Time to catch up on a little of that backlog. Imagine back, way back to the 1st November 2006. As those who attended the Halloween party will I'm sure reiterate, a difficult task indeed considering the night before. I wake up blue, not emotionally I'm pleased to say, but more physically. Luckily, bodypaint washes off easily and somehow doesn't rub off on the sheets.

Late afternoon I'm about awake and then Gohan and I are off to see the magical comedy of Ross Noble. Now I'd not seen much of his work beforehand, but what I had seen I'd liked. What better reason to go? Anyway, so we're sitting on the balcony waiting far too long for the show to start. My mind begins to wander, as it often does, and I got to thinking about the episode of Dr Who I had watched a few days prior (the one with the Devil at the bottom of a well on an asteroid). There was a scene where the Doctor is standing, teetering even, on the edge of the inky black abyss. He stares into the darkness, desperately searching for some sign of life. Some sign that the pit did not last forever. He then said something to the tune of "It's human nature really. That inquisitive mind, always searching. Then need to discover is so primordial that you can't help but want to jump, just to find out what happens."

.....well. Sitting at the edge of that balcony had me feeling like that. I reckon I could have made it. Luckily however Gohan talked me out of it.

Time refused to budge. It sat there staring us in the face, waiting for us to blink first. I refused. In fact, as an act of defiance I created a game. To begin with we started looking for people we know (as we had expected Meadow Vole to also be there). I then realised that I was indeed losing that game rather rapidly. I had no choice but to kick it up a notch. I began looking for people that looked like people we know. I rule at that game.

Having successfully defeating time and making him run home to mamma, the show started. There were so many bizarre and random anacdotes, so many of them ended three jokes later, some not until the encore. It was a great show. Well worth the wait :)

Frankenstiening a puppy

It's starting to look like none of you are going to buy me a dead dog. That's okay, I understand that it's difficult to get ahold of such things. And yes, I understand that breaking you're pets neck just so I can have something interesting laying around the flat may be asking a bit much. So, I've decided to go with plan B. I'm making my own.

Everytime I told someone this they came back with the same response. "What???". That's fair enough. I'll explain 'cos I know you've just said it too. Yesterday I went to B&Q and bought some wire and plyers. No, this isn't some elaborate dog catching device in the making, although in an abstract manner it is. I'm capturing the spirit of a dog using wire and my creative inginuity. It may work, it may be a big pile of dog excrement. So far I've done a bit of work on the head and I must say I'm quite proud. It's looking like the way I sketch. Lots of haphazard lines over each other in an attempt to get a rough shape...only in 3D.

It's been ages since I've done something creative, and it's enjoyable so far. It's far enough along that I've started to look at it like a real being. Stroking it works for me. I'm just pondering how exactly to go about the next bit. I'm either going to leave it abstract and possibly weak, or strong and I might lose some of the uniqueness. It's a toughy.

It's spitting!!!

Why do we feel the need to keep ourselves dry? We're mainly made up of water, so you'd think we'd feel fine about getting a little wet. I guess it varies from person to person, but the human race in general will cover up when the rain starts. Maybe it's a self preservation response to the possibility of reducing your body temperature. Maybe it's the fear that osmosis (the passage of water of varying volumes from one place to another through a membrane, i.e. in this case skin) will somehow either expand you or shrink you. Maybe we're all just so self conscious that we don't want to ruin our makeup/clothes/hair etc. Maybe it our way of defying evolution, of saying "No. I started in the water, I refuse to return".

Or maybe it's just the fact that we don't want to sit around all day in wet clothes.....but then that begs further questions, like, Do nudists cover up in the rain?

On a sad note

Whilst recently I've been keeping work talk to a minimum, I'd just like to take this opportunity to say how sad I am that current events have unfolded the way they have. Those affected, please know that we all feel for you and that we'd do something if we could. Things just aren't going to be the same.

Grapes of wrath

Now this may be a really really bad idea, but I'll let you in on a secret.

*Looks around suspiciously and leans forward*

I think I'm allergic to grapes. It hasn't always been this way. I used to eat them by the bowl full. In fact it is on one of these occassions that I discovered such a genetic flaw. I say genetic, but it's more complicated than that. Have a look at the paragraph from Wikipedia below:

"There is much evidence to support the genetic basis of allergy, as allergic parents are more likely to have allergic children, and their allergies are likely to be stronger than those from non-allergic parents. However some allergies are not consistent along genealogies with parents being allergic to peanuts, but having children allergic to ragweed, or siblings not sharing the same allergens"

That's all well and good, but neither my parents or Brother suffer from such a reaction. It's all very odd. So I've decided to look further. It appears that I have Oral Allergy Syndrome (although admittedly this is self diagnosed). Have a look at the following research, again from Wikipedia (and yes I know I'm breaking the true academic rule that you should always seek confirmation of a theory from more than one source, but I'm lazy and I'm sure it will bore you. Trust me, it'll probably get better. Well, it's fascinating me at least:

"Oral Allergy Syndrome or OAS is an allergic reaction to certain (usually fresh) fruits, nuts, and vegetables. The allergy is not actually an allergy to food but a syndrome that develops in hay fever sufferers. The immune system mistakes the food proteins for the pollen proteins and causes an allergic reaction."

This sounds more like it. It cuts out the genetics question and I do sometimes suffer from Hayfever. Below are the symptoms (yet again the same source):

"OAS sufferers may have a number of reactions that usually occur very rapidly, within minutes of eating a trigger food. The most common reaction is an itching or burning sensation in the lips, mouth, and/or throat."

That's all well and good. In fact I tested my immune system today. I've had all of the above symptoms before. I figured it may have lessened. I was wrong. I tried some red (instead of the usual green) grapes and minutes later I felt itchy and sore around the eyes. I felt weak at the knees too. In a way I was lucky, because as you see, the list of symptoms continues below:

"Sometimes other reactions can be triggered in the eyes, nose, and skin. The most severe reactions can result in asthma problems or anaphylaxis. If a sufferer is able to swallow the food, there is a good chance that there will be a reaction later in the gastrointestinal tract. Vomiting, diarrhea, severe indigestion, or cramps may occur."

So far my pants are dry and my meal's stayed down. I'm a little worried about the fact that a possible side effect is anaphylactic shock, which could lead to death if untreated.

I believe that Monk already knew all of this. That's why he insisted we test the theory during Christmas. Slowly he'd move the grape closer and closer. I don't know if it was the grape or my mind that made me itch, but I'm sure the Monk was trying to kill me. Trying to take the life that's rightfully mine.

Maybe I should stay away from the grapes.

1st day on the phones (again)

Well (damn it I did it again), first day back on the phones, and you know what? It wasn't too bad. Not that I'm expecting that sort of thing to last, but it's a good start. It's the people that got me through more than anything. God bless the Penguin Rustler, Gohan and the Monk. Okay, maybe God will quibble about blessing the Monk, but don't say I never tried.

The day went really really quick, but I'm just wrecked now. I can barely keep my eyes open and it's not even half 8. Guess an early night's in order so I can recover and have a nice early morning.

I'm beginning to dread it already :/

Back down the ladder (again)

I know I end up (or should it be begin?) starting most posts with "well", but I just can't help it. So...

Well, disappointment strikes again. Yep, back off the emails and onto the phones for me. I really have no idea why I work in a call centre if I hate being on the phone so much. The reasons elude me, they have for the past 12 months. Okay, so the statistical reasons make sense, I can't argue with them. That's why they're there. However, it doesn't make me any happier. In fact I've been a boiling torrent of rage since I found out on Friday and I haven't been able to calm down since then. I'm just sick of the rollercoaster ride that is my "career". The ups are great, the downs make me throw up on my own face with the g-forces. I can never stay in one spot and this whole thing just goes to fuel my theory that I'm one big failure. All the evidence points to that one conclusion. There's no denying it. I'm back where I started a year ago and as it is I'm no better off.

One point keeps coming back to me and repeating itself in my head. Apparently I haven't been focused on the task at hand. This however may have been because people keep asking me to do other things. I guess I could have said no, but I think there's enough people in the world that hate me as it is without adding them to it.

I know it's pointless dwelling on it, but as you probably have figured out by now, that's fine in theory, but for me to put this sort of thing out of my mind, well that's another matter. I know over the next few weeks/months/maybe beyond I'm just going to get more and more angry until I either explode, someone kills me, or I find something that calms me down. The latter however is looking less and less likely.

Over the past 3 days I've been trying the tried and tested formula, drink 'til you're so distracted you'll forget for a bit. This, unfortunately, has not worked. My rage has kept me from being able to get drunk. Maybe if I just keep at it, that might work. Probably not though.

That isn't the only thing I've tried. I've tried watching films and playing games. Sure, they've helped while they were on, but as soon as they were over they stopped working. I've tried walking, but unfortunately my mind wanders into a visualisation mode when I walk usually, and recently the images I've been receiving have been somewhat....bloody. Don't worry, if you're reading this it's not about you. Oh, and when I get enraged I tend to pay less attention to traffic. I say that, I mean I know they're there and that they're coming straight for me, I just don't give a damn.

I've also tried bitching about the fact that I'm not happy. This has not helped in the slightest. So far I haven't gotten anyone to hit me. Maybe that's what I'm missing. If you see me later on (Tuesday 16th Jan) give me a slap, or a full blown punch in the face. Please.

Yeah, I know. It's back. But it's working. I know I should be worried about it, so I did a little research. Unfortunately all I can find are references to "self-harm" and, I may be being arsey here, but technically this is not what this is. But admittedly there are similarities. Self-harmers do it to gain an emotional release (none of the information I found claimed that it was a cry for help). Some feel more alive, others do it so they don't go completely insane. Some of the treatments for this are group therapy and "journalling". I think I've quite adequately combined the two already. Man, think of the state I'd get myself into if I didn't have the blog.

Oooh, there's spots on the back of my hand. Sorry, got a little distracted there. You know those brief moments when you see a collection of spots, or a mark or something and think "Ooh, I wonder if I'll get chicken pox tomorrow." Lets hope. Okay, now I don't know whether that itching is because I'm thinking about itching or not. Are you itching now? Sorry.

Where was I? Hmm, I guess I feel a tad calmer now. I knew blogging was at least a small portion of the key. As to whether this'll last 'til morning is another matter. I guess I'll just have to find someone tomorrow that likes to hit things.

...and yes, I heard the word melodromatic more than once flash through your mind. Hey, I'm just trying to get through the day.

Coach training

I've begun a management course at work as one of my many (possibly futile) attempts to proceed within the company. I've only been on it around a week and a half and I find myself thinking differently. I can see situations from more than my own agent perspective, I can see the bigger picture and I think I can see the solutions to problems combining the two. I've had to contemplate the reasons behind why managers do what they do and their motivation to doing so, and it's fascinating. Being shown the ropes on a different campaign has helpped me with this even more because now I can see the similarities as well as the differences needed to manage a team in different environments. I feel that I really want to do this....although I'm sure at this early stage I've been blinded to the really bad downsides. But, there's always time for that and I more than most know what a rollercoaster working life can be.

Work's new year party

Works new years party was good. It started out a little weird and continued to be so. I saw people I'd never have expected to see again, I literally ran away from the most stalkerific person you could ever meet. I chatted with people I hadn't had a chance to in a social situation before. I displayed an aptitude for taking orders by drinking far too much far too quickly. I also had another opportunity (as a result of the drinking quickly mentality) to mentally stop myself from being sick. As proud as I am, I really am going to have to try it the other way round one of these days.

This was the first time since moving into the flat that I'd actually gone to a social gathering by myself. It's weird how you get used to things. I had decided that I need a little dutch courage and as a result my walk to town was somewhat...lopsided. It did take the nerves off though.

I've noticed something over the past few weeks. The last two times I've gotten drunk I've begun to slur my words pretty badly. I don't know if I've been getting drunker than normal, or this shows some serious degradation of the brain. I guess it makes for interesting conversation either way.

Thanks to ya'll for a very interesting night.

Wasps shenanigans

For some reason I've been having strange thoughts about wasps. No, not those kinds of thoughts. What would be near impossible....unless they could form some kind of...no stop it. See what you've made me do.

Where was I? Wasps. Now, not being an expert on stinging insects, I'm not entirely sure which are the better team players, bees or wasps. If it's not wasps, then just replace the word with bees and we're sorted.

Anyway, the thoughts are as follows:

If a bunch of wasps worked together, could they build a small boat? This begs the question as to how much can they carry? Could they grasp the concept of what they were doing? Could they put together a rudementary adhesive to keep the bits together and form some sort of buoyant seal? Probably not, but I wouldn't mind seeing it.

Who would win in a fight, an eagle or a wasp? Sorry, I'm just wasting your time with that one. Obviously it's an eagle, and if you disagree I'll see you on the battlefield with said respective combatants...as to how exactly I shall find myself an eagle is another matter.

Do wasps bend their knees when lifting things? As part of health and safety you'd have assumed that they'd have been told to do this. As to whether they listen or not is another matter. I wonder what a wasp could claim as compensation?

Yes, I've been bored.

Wha...huh?

There are a near infinite amount of objects and situations (or a combination thereof) in this universe. That may toy on the side of exaggeration, but until someone can give me a definative figure it'll do. Over the years it's gotten to the stage when very few of these will surprise me. Sure now and again some obscure and unpredictable thing will happen, but never in my wildest dreams could I see this one coming...

On Tuesday we went out, which was nice 'cos we hadn't been out in a while. As soon as I got to the bar I could sense something was wrong. I looked at Spicy, he looked at me, then I realised....I'd forgotten my scarf!!! This must have been the first time I'd left the flat without it since those weird series of events in the Carling academy.

So, I tried to put it to the back of my mind and became convinced that since the scarf wasn't there nothing would happen that night. Later on I'm playing pool and I feel a squeeze on my arse. I jump slightly and slowly turn round (because, knowing the lack of personal space my friends allow other people it could have been anyone) and what do you know? It's a random stranger! True she hadn't stopped walking by since she did it, didn't give me a second glance and was so off her face that she probably couldn't see, but nontheless it makes you think.

If that can happen without the scarf, is it the scarf or somthing else? Maybe the scarf forces verbal transactions and witout it there are physical. Maybe she just wanted me to move and felt that was the easiest way. Maybe, as always, I'm reading far too much into everything :P

Happy new year

Christmas was good. I ate far too much (two helpings of Christmas dinner and 3 puddings!), so much in fact that I couldn't handle the traditional Christmas tea (i.e. forcing finger food down your throat even though you know you're not going to be hungry for a week anyway). Hope yours went well (unless, obviously, you don't deserve that sort of thing from me haha).

Happy new year to you! I set out with every intention of getting incredibly drunk. I think I succeeded quite admirably. More so in fact. If I called you at midnight and spoke jibberish at you I apologise. If I spoke jibberish to you in person, well......you should have been more drunk so you could have understood me.

It's weird, everytime we have a party here the place gets trashed. We went to someone elses party, yet I came back after everyone else and the place was still trashed. Go figure.

Now I know it's not traditional to give presents at new year, but the greatest one I could ever have received is a massive rant from the French DJ. 45 minutes of him trying to convert a room full of people to Brapologoy was comedy gold. Man I love French DJ rants haha.

It is traditional however to look back on the past year and forward to the next. Well, I have no shame in telling you that 2006 was the weirdest, most confusing, funniest, happiest, depressing, frustrating, and just damn strange of my life. To surmise:

3rd January 2006 I get a job, this consumes most of my time, but the benefit has been that I've made the greatest bunch of friends you could ask for. True I'd like to spend more time with them, and lord knows work isn't the easiest place to do this, but we get by. I treasure every opportunity I can get to do this. I love you all. What you may or may not know is that up until 2006 that would have been near impossible for me to come out and say. Not only because I didn't know you (obviously), but because that wasn't the type of person who could say that sort of thing.

Taking that into mind, over the past year I've changed as a person. For the better I hope. I've allowed myself to feel emotions other than hate. I've had more opportunity to do this because of the company I've kept. I've become more independent than I ever was before, yet I find myself relying on others more at the same time (although in a more moral support sense, not a physical sense). I've become better with my money, even though I never seem to have any. In fact, although I know I'm backtracking a little, I've come to crave the...well attention isn't the word, maybe affection could be better suited, from others. Not only does this go back to the patting a stray dog metaphor, but these days I find that there's nothing better than a hug with just the right amount of pressure. You know what I mean. You're not choking to death, but it's not like your grabbing air. Enough pressure as if they're saying "Hi. I'm here and I'd just like to let you know that." I know it sounds soppy, but well what the hell. What are online diaries for?

There are also elements of me that have probably changed for the worse. Things do get to me easier. I used to be a solid rock of an emotionless void....okay I'm mixing my metaphors really badly there and it doesn't work, but you get the idea. I used to avoid situations that would entale a high chance of rejection. This past year I've just been charging right in there. True it's never ever worked out and I've battered my skull to pieces as a result. But I guess it's something different. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I tend to disagree. If I go through much more rejection (either work-wise or otherwise) I don't think I'll be able to bounce back. Not that I bounce at the moment perse. Sure it was easier to begin with. I could tell myself that "it's okay, you're just trying this trying thing. Give it another go and see what happens." Now I know what happens and I know that each time it's just going to effect me harder.

This year I've also become somewhat odd. Hell, I was indeed odd to begin with, but it shows more readily now. I don't tend to hide it anymore, and I'm sure it's increased a bit. Sure I'm usually alone on this one and no one has a clue what I start to babble on about, but I can't help the way I think. In fact I'd not change it for the world. I like being odd and I don't see how I could go on being any different.

Two oddities come to mind quite readily. Both of which only started this year (or indeed last year) in fact. The urge to have people hit me is, I admit, weird. The theory behind it (physical pain helps distract you from the mental, or indeed thinking at all) works for me in practice and that's great. I haven't felt the urge to do this in a while, and lets face it, that's probably a good thing. That punch to the chest and almost through a wall was a bit much. However, that urge came back last night. I was walking home from work (since the buses stopped early for new year) and things began to knit together to form a conclusion I don't like. I'm a failure. What else is someone who tries at something and doesn't get it? Exactly, and no one wants to be a failure. Yeah, I know the next step should be to fix what the problem is and succeed, but lifes not that easy. There's nothing I could or would do differently, so there's no point. As you may have guessed this put me in a bit of a funk. So much so in fact that I got that urge. I guess later on the look on my face betrayed that and I was asked if I would like a punch in the face (in a kind way). I don't know if it was the severity of my expression that bypassed the whole slapping thing and went straight to the punching, but it did the trick for a while. It also escalated pretty quickly. At one point I had 4 people standing in a row all taking shots at me. It was great, and I thank them for that from the bottom of my heart. However, unlike usual, or because I'm out of practice, my face hurts like buggery. It hurt to eat this morning and now it hurts when I don't eat. Well, at least I still have my teeth. I may have to let the pain subside a little, but I'd really like to go through that again.

The other odd thing is the screaming. There were times before 2006 where I felt like screaming and I'd just bottle it up. Now if something vexes me enough I'll just go into my room and let rip with a deep roar/scream. It kills the throat and I can't speak properly afterwards, but again it does the trick. Handy tip, don't do as I did and do it as the landlord's knocking on your door. I don't think it left a great impression.

I don't quite know if my shyness has changed. I guess it's lessened a little. I used to find new people intimidating. At work I developed a strange customer friendly mentality and that helped me to talk to colleagues, if not for the sheer fact that I had to. Don't get me wrong, not everyone was spoken to 'cos I had to. Stop giving me that look. Sociably the shyness is slightly less I think, but not to any really noticable degree. It's still a big barrier there and self confidence and low self esteem still take their fair share of the digs at me. I don't particularly like myself and to be frank I've never seen why people would like me anyway. It's hard to try and see a third person viewpoint when you're staring at yourself. It doesn't help that I'm one ugly bugger though.

Another thing is that I've always felt like I'm pretending to be clever. Whilst I admit I'm not an idiot (I hope), I'm not what they thought I'd be at school. I don't know, it's just one of those nagging doubts at the back of my mind that twists the knife whenever it can.

It's been said that I tend to live in my head. This is very true. I think about things, everything, too much. I think things to death. I see all the bad points ahead of time instead of the good. I read into things that may or may not be there. But, it has it's advantages. For one it's helped me to write this blog. Without all of these crazy ideas created when I've been sitting there contemplating this would just be your bog-standard crazy persons diary.

Talking about the blog, this is one of the greatest things I've done. I know that sounds big headed now that I look again, but bare with me. It started off as a realisation. I was emailing Meadow Vole after he'd started his new job and he's a smart guy. I knew he'd be able to follow the weird twisty, topsy tervy writing style I have, so I just let loose. I threw in a bunch of crazy metaphors, and he replied right back. It made me realise how much I enjoyed writing. So, I thought to myself "How can I do more of this?" Well you're looking at the answer, so thank you Meadow Vole. Thank you so very much.

The blog did start out as a way to write my random thoughts and musings, but it grew. I put more of me in there. And more, and more. Slowly people I knew started to read it and next thing I know I'm posting a topic at night and we're having large discussions about it the next day. It was fantastic. To realise that sure I'd found a way to vent my overflowing mind, but people began to give me feedback. People actually found me funny (and not in the nasty way, although I'm sure that's also true). Going back to what I said before, I don't think much of myself, but knowing I could make people laugh made me feel good.

There were also bad points to the blog. It is indeed the most controvertial thing I have ever done, and because of this I can't actually tell you why it's been so controvertial.....of course if I've spoken to you face to face you'll know why. Friends and family did say that it would be best to delete it and put it to rest to save myself. I could never do that. It provides me my only method of expunging all of this junk in my head, I don't plan these blog posts other than the title, I just write them as they come to me. Hell, I thought this one would take 15 minute. I think it's been 35 so far. I'd go insane without this, or I'd end up screaming a hell of a lot more and permanently black and blue.

The past year I think I've met more people than in my entire life combined. Work people, friends of work people, random acquaintences of people I know. Complete strangers. It's gotten so bad that I can spend a day with a new person and not remember a thing about them the next time I see them. And forget about remembering their names.....'cos I do quite a bit. I don't know who's more embarrassed when that happens, but it happens quite a bit. Sorry.

A big big thing this year has been the whole moving out thing. It's apparently one of the most stressful things a human being can do. Now I know why they say that. Packing, bills, decorating and making it feel like a home, chores, more bills, responsibility. But, I wouldn't change it for the world. I love this flat and although it's a bit of a state most of the time, I'm sure most people who've been here do to. At one time it seemed like it was "THE" place to be. We had people round most nights and it was a blast. Then, as time went on, the flow of traffic throught the flat died down. Hell, when Spicy left it pretty much died. I miss the good old days. They were a laugh a minute. We still see Spicy now and then. He'll come by like a hurricane and leave again, but it's good to see him. We still need to find someone else to move in though. I can't pay for one and a half rooms forever. At this stage we may have to try for a random stranger. I really do not like this prospect. I'm paranoid enough about it, I really don't want to think about it. But it's never going to get sorted if I don't think about it. AARRGGHHH.

There are also the amazing parties we've had here. I can't believe how great they've been. It's a really good feeling to know that the greatest part you've ever been to was you're own. The housewarming was indeed the one. Spicy's birthday was good too. Halloween was a great laugh and I got to personify my love of 80's cartoons. The smaller gathers of friends have also been a highlight of my year. There's little better than a gathering of close friends.

So yeah, I guess now you know why it's been such a weird year for me. I guess I better do that whole looking to the future thing too. Unfortunately I can't time travel very far but I do have hopes for the coming year. I hope to rebuild my self esteem and confidence to the same height as I managed to get them earlier in the year. I hope to be able to keep them higher for longer too. Dunno how exactly I'm going to pull that one off, but I've got a year to figure it out. I want to be able to claim the year as my own. I want to be able to sit here (or wherever I am) on 1st January 2008 and write "Well I did it. I made 2007 my own." I guess we'll just wait and see.

I'd also like to meet someone. That would be nice. Hell, of course it would. It's not necessarily going to happen, but as I said, I can hope.

Well, I hope your year was a good one and I hope that 2007 will be even better. I'll leave you with the speech on the text Johnson sent me. I really like this:

"A new year, a new day, a new beginning. Put away past experiences that made life dull and dim. Don't gloat over yesterday, for what lies ahead is greater. Just welcome the new year (2007), for it is here. May you achieve all your heartfelt desires. Have a glorious year."