Siddity in the City

I choose to say “twenty-ten.” It’s short and sweet.

I welcomed the year in spectacular (or spectacularly dull) fashion: sprawled comfortably in my own rumpled, cozy bed. I had perhaps more opportunities for partying this New Year’s Eve than in any year prior, and instead I spent most of the evening alone in bed.

Now, that wasn’t entirely my choice, or rather it wasn’t my first choice. I’d have loved any of the other options–whooping it up in the ‘zoo with Divine M, crashing the catchy mash-up Girl Talk event KDC was attending, chatting with the many fine attendees of Doc Midnight’s New Years Eve-eve speakeasy-themed shindig. Any of it would have been grand. But I was ill. When I’m ill I become a capital asshole, asocial and charmless and, frequently, rather scuzzy to boot. (The ability to maintain appearances when I feel as though my head is packed with angry drunks and pudding just eludes me.)

So. Home alone. And maybe that was a good thing, a moral for the new year: learn to be at home, and at home with myself. Or maybe it was just a much-needed night in after holidays spent in my grandparents’ crowded house.

In any event, I closed out 2009 with lighter pockets than I’d have liked, but aware and appreciative of my general good fortune. I managed to stay afloat, enjoyed the friendship of some truly inspiring, wonderful people, learned Patience. Dragged my ass on stage in front of a bunch of strangers and played and sang to the best of my stage-frightened, barely mediocre ability. Twice. Got laid, usually a plus. Got my house in order in many respects, experienced necessary upheavals in others. Put the year to bed on a contemplative note.

I expect 2010 will be one of those itchy, sometimes uncomfortable growth years, one of learning. Guitar, Mandarin and web development. Perseverance, patience, and accepting visibility. As KDC beautifully states, risk-taking and magnificent, transformative failure. Maybe, just beyond that, success.

I think I’m ready. I’d better be. Time don’t stop.

Happy New Year. May we all get as much as we need, and a perk or ten besides.