Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock + 1

This, my last post for 2009... A winter post of some kind...

What a year, huh?

Since my last visit to On My Sleeve, it has snowed on us on a couple of occasions. The snow on Christmas Eve was amazing to watch. I thought it was beautiful. For the first time in a long, long time, we had a white Christmas. As a result, I left Santa 3 more cookies than usual as a sign of "thanks." He gobbled them all up leaving 2 with a note, "1 for you, 1 for Charles."

It's perfectly normal to keep the spirit alive inside. It will always be okay. If you lost it or let it go somewhere along the way, make a special effort to retrieve it in 2010 and believe that it can make the impact you might need to get by... Certain things work in mysterious ways. Just believe.

2009. How was it for you? Did you accomplish what you set out to accomplish? Did you light it up? Did you make a difference? Did you do the right things? Did you set yourself up for an amazing 2010? Did you find something new? Did you forget about you found in 2008? Did you learn something about yourself? Did you grow? Did you say everything you needed to say? Did you laugh enough?

My year flew by... As I write to you, there are so many areas that I can dive into to describe my year. You've seen some of my year through On My Sleeve and like everyone, it can only tell some of the tale. To say that I am anxious for 2010 to begin would be an understatement. I'm ready. And I'm smiling...

Hope your year was good-to-great. Yes? No? There's always next year, right? Stay positive.

We're approaching an end of a decade and all I've seen (as of late) are lists of the best and worst of everything... The past 10 years have produced so many things to recall and remember... I wonder what our decade will come to represent when it's being compared to other decades at the dinner table over the next few years. I like to make lists. Not today, however.

I will say this about music... Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot might by my album of the decade. Yesterday, it was Takk... by Sigur Ros (really, any one of their efforts could be #1). On Christmas Day, it was Death Cab For Cutie's Transatlanticism. On 12/15, it was Boxer by The National. But on Thanksgiving, Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams was on top. Sometime during the days leading up to Christmas, Explosions In The Sky had my heart with The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place. Of course, I have to reference Oh, Inverted World by The Shins. It could be #1, but not today. Kill Them With Kindness by The Jealous Sound is perfect, but is it my album of the decade? Three weeks ago, it was... Powder Burns by The Twilight Singers truly bends my mind, but I had I settle on Wilco. For so many reasons... No list is ever perfect and mine really isn't really a list, but I kept going back to what YHF means on a larger scale. If you have it (and you should), you know exactly where I'm coming from... It's a good shotgun passenger for the moments that.......... Does it define the decade in music? No and I'm cool with that... Music evolved over the last 10 years and in many ways, it went out of its way to be 100% terrible. Honestly, what's spinning out there now has found at least 77 ways to annoy my inner ear. In other cases, so much music took my breathe away and challenged my ears over and over again. (Pause) Ten years of anything will age in different ways, but YHF really turned into a fine wine that rewards with every sip. Still, to this day, it makes me think. So, there you have it... My #1.

Be careful as you cross into next year. Keep both eyes open and stay away from the pink champagne. When midnight hits, hold someone close to you and make the embrace last. Steal a kiss or two and smile. Don't be shy. Do this under the full moon that will be glowing above you... I especially like that we're getting a second full moon this month. A "blue moon," if you will... A New Year's Eve blue moon only happens in 19 year increments. Remember where you are when you see it... Protect the memory.

And as you make your new year resolutions, think about where you were and where you want to be... Oh, and sometime next year, remember to enjoy a slice of key lime pie with an Oreo cookie crust. Somewhere, anywhere.

Reminder to myself: Pick up suit from tailor & start list.

So...

As 2009 comes to a close, I want to end my 12/30 post with something that has floated in and around my mind for a little while... This isn't as odd as it may seem, I assure you. I have my reasons. You should know that a couple of things lifted me to this point...

On my knees, looking down, with my thumbs overlapping... I give you "her prayer..."

God, please open your heart - for her sweet dream is about to start.
Guide her through our snow - and give her my angel, so to share.
And give her the assurance that we will always be there.
My heart, there's room - give it to her to create and consume.
You brought her here for me to see, me in her and her in me.
Allow her to see clearly, hoping for gentle days.
Hearing your music, letting our spirits stay.
So, God, please protect her and give her sweet dreams each night.
And for me, always fill her soul with our love and light.

Goodnight.

Yours,

bsm*