Goodbye 2007 Hello 2008

Ok, I’m a little late. I know I know. The year has started off slightly busy. Not an excuse, mind you, merely a fact. And I know, I’m overdue for some postings, but worry not. The pipeline is currently stocked full, and soon it will begin flowing. Ok, maybe trickling at first, then flowing, then a short dry spell, some trickle, a short flood, another dry spell, and then some normal flow. But I cannot give away the entire year right away!

Anyway, to start off this year, I’ve decided to shuffle out 2007 and welcome in 2008 in one fell swoop. Mostly because I’m lazy, more than two weeks over due, and they actually fly in symmetry with each other. You’ll see why soon enough.

As for 2007, well, it’s over. That’s pretty much all I can say about it. I’m sure I am not the only one with that opinion. All around I think it was a tough year. And thus far 2008 is shaping up to be similar in more than a few aspects.

But what stamp do I want to put on the year? It was not all bad, after all. And I did have some pretty good firsts again, but I doubt it could be considered a year of firsts. However, I do not want to gloss over them, some were quite fun, some were a bit crazy, and all were memorable.


In 2007 I was lucky enough to…

…see the Rose Bowl Parade in person – Plus it had a huge Star Wars theme and George Lucas was in attendance.

…see Carrie Fisher in her one woman show – Slave Girl Leia in person!

…take a trip to the infamous Rainbow Bar and Grill – home of bad service, overcrowding and poorly constructed facilities. I shant elaborate on the overflowing toilets pouring from the ceiling, or getting yelled at by the bouncers for clogging walkways as we attempted to flee the raining waste water.

…see ice in southern California on the ground. – It was a bit cold.

…try haggis – actually, not that bad if you don’t think about it too much

…host a Super Bowl party – a rousing success that will be repeated in the future.

…visit Santa Anita park – the home of Seabiscuit.

…bet on horse racing – Boy is it complicated for a novice.

…visit Denver – Pretty clean for a city, great architecture, clean air, blue skies, fantastic views and lots of golden retrievers. There I saw…
- An anti War protest
- ate at Sonic – overrated but I do like their tater tots
- Pepsi Center
- Coors Field
- Invesco Field
- 16th Street mall
- Federal Reserve Branch
- Steel Pedestrian Bridge built in 1907 by PA Steel Company of Steelton PA
- Union Station
- Colorado Convention Center
- Civic Center
- State Capital Building
- Bagpipe Band
- Colorado History Museum – wish had more time there. Great stuff


…stay in a hotel suite in Vegas – felt like a king

…go to a Star Wars convention – what a blast! Next time, totally in costume!

…spend an evening at the local race track – nothing like high octane horsepower with friends!

…spend Thanksgiving in Vegas – So much fun with some dear friends. Those were 5 days that almost seem surreal at this point. Plus, there’s nothing like a buffet for Thanksgiving dinner

…make friends with a bartender – it sounds silly, but I had never done it before. And boy, they hook you up when you are friendly and nice!



No, the firsts I had for 2007 were great, but the title does not fit. It does not feel right because of a few of the other big things that happened. No, 2007 was the year of decisions. So don’t let those TV ads that say Decision ’08 fool you! Ok, to be more specific, 2007 was a year for life decisions. I only made a few, but they were big.

In 2007, I decided to…

Get married.

Find a new career and a new job.

Move to Pittsburgh, 2007’s most livable city in America.

Start a new life in a new home, close to family, old friends and back where real seasons exist.


Seems like a handful, does it not? But I think the saying goes, go big or go home. I suppose I’m doing a little of both, no?

But that stamp automatically makes 2008 the year of changes. See, I told you 2007 and 2008 roll together. Why with finding the new career, and a new job to go with it and getting married and moving, by the end of the year everything I have known will change. My world will be completely different from all appearances. I look forward to this year. Already some have started. I’ve kept busy with getting in shape (need to look good for those wedding photos), reading career advice books, reading in general, practicing writing (yeah, I know, no one has seen it, it’s coming), researching job markets and residential areas and planning a big party for friends and family.

There will be much more to come later on the progress, success, failure, stress, joy and sadness of all of these changes. Am I ready for everything? Absolutely. Will I really be when things really start hitting and become less theoretical and more actual? That remains to be seen. I do have an image of me frantically trying to pack boxes late into the night and wondering why I'm doing it. Whether that's a vision of the future or and overactive imagination remains to be seen. One thing is for sure; it should be an adventure.