Closing Down the Year: 2004

So 2004 ends in just over 5 hours from the time I start writing this. It doesn't feel like the end of the year. And unlike last year, where I was literally counting days and then hours until I could see that year turn, I'm neutral this year.

In my personal life, there were no big tragedies, unlike last year. For that, I'm thankful. In the world, however, there were several tragedies-- the largest being only a few short days ago. My silence isn't out of not caring. I literally just can't comprehend it-- it's so overwhelming in scale that I can't process it. My shortcoming is a strong one on this. It's just... too huge.

So, without further adieu... looking back at 2004...

January 2004: I started off this year by drinking myself silly. I think I needed it. The Jeep, after spending two months in the repair shop, arrived back in mid-January. I became the eldest cousin to an adorable baby girl (Amelia), and decided that for the last year of my twenties, I would find some way to live it up a bit... dammit. Oh, and a little thing that had gone on all of 2003 had, well-- a slight glimmer of hope, despite not going too much further since then:

January 11th - 370 days. He [12/31 edit: my father] called me tonight.


February 2004: Pats win the superbowl. :) My sorority chapter celebrates its 20th anniversary (and it took me only a short amount of time to realize many of the current members weren't born yet when it was founded-- eep!). Massachusetts becomes the hotbed of debate on gay marriage, and I have never been more proud to live where I do with the (temporary until 2006) result of that debate:

February 17th - One of the most chilling images I've seen in the last few weeks was a photo in the Boston Globe of a protest in a local town's high school gym. Children between the ages of six and twelve were holding signs condemming homosexuality-- some signs had comments that were-- rather graphic in nature.


March 2004: My attempt to lose weight begins (which ended, of course, in a major ego-bruising). The Pledge of Allegiance becomes a big issue, as the 9th Circuit Court votes it unconstitutional. People claiming it's not religious start emphasizing the words "Under God" every time they say it (riiight, folks). And I do something that I swore at age eleven that I would never, EVER do again. I cut my hair eleven inches shorter. And yes, it's stayed relatively the same length since.

March 29th - My head now bounces. It's an extremely odd feeling. I have this urge to poing around just to feel how it springs against my head. But I think my co-workers would look at me funny.


April 2004: A bonehead move of mine turns out to be the catalyst for two great things in my life. First, I was able to witness my best friend from college get engaged. Second, I managed to make said bonehead move become the easiest way to reintroduce myself to my sorority chapter. :) When in doubt, make sure you miss a cruise-- it's the best way to contact someone. Seriously. :)

April 5th - In the middle of the lit dome entry to Rowes Wharf by the hotel, Joe proposed to Ivanna. A beautiful, simple little proposal-- the words which I missed because I was too busy trying to make sure I got a photo of the event (I did).


May 2004: Erich and I celebrate our third anniversary with an incredibly romantic getaway to Florida. It'll be difficult to top it. :) The month was quiet otherwise, except the pride of being from Massachusetts:

May 17th - Something changed in the USA at midnight-- did you notice?

Probably not, although if you've been watching the domestic news in the last few months, there were opponents to the change who swore that today's landmark would destroy marriage entirely.

Uh-huh.


June 2004: My agony with my weight gets to a hopeless point (in a locked entry). Minarae begins a kick-ass fundraising campaign for Breast Cancer awareness. And my eldest cat scares me half to death for about eighteen hours.

June 26th - Sometime last night, one of the cats managed to get the screen door open-- Gus (somehow) stayed inside... but Fizz and Colley got out.

Erich found Fizz bleating as loud as she could on the balcony directly below us.

Colley hasn't been found.

And I feel sick.


July 2004: I attempt to get myself into the groove to do some personal religious exploration (and failed). A ton of hype in Boston turns out to be nothing as the Democratic National Convention comes to town, and people continue to question the sanity of our elected leaders. And Jeep woes continue.

July 28th - Fuck that. Turned the car around, brought it straight home. I'm not fucking around with engine lights. Broken AC, sure. A bit of weird shifting issues, sure. Once that engine light's on, no... game over.


August 2004: I note a sad anniversary. Tone and Robin are married. Erich turns 30, and I experience two firsts in my life: the strip club, and the casino. They're both very dangerous. :) Now if I could just have naked men in said casino, then I'd be in heaven...

August 9th - Although I have to admit it was both amusing and a bit weird to be sitting across from my boyfriend as he got a lap dance. I just wish I could have seen his expression better-- instead I was getting rather up close and personal views of the girl's crotch.


September 2004: WorldCon. Heh. Geekdom takes over Boston in major style. It was beautiful. And if anyone ever wondered-- you CAN in fact live out of the Pru Mall for 5 days without leaving. It's kinda sad. Meanwhile in the world of online journals-- I get a cold shoulder from a former D-Xer for some unknown reason (other than, I assume, the fact that I don't detest Michael Moore with all of my being like she seems to and make no apologies for being both liberal AND patriotic at the same time). *sigh* I try not to get into the inter-journal drama, but in this case, yeah. It hurt. Both on this person and the one before her that did the same thing. And until now, I haven't said a word. In any case, I don't know what I did to piss them off other than be myself. *shrug* C'est la vie.

September 3rd - I'm sitting at a table directly next to two of my favorite authors-- Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. I know Gaiman's signing books in about 15 minutes-- Pratchett signs sometime later this weekend. They happen to be chatting about Boston cabbies at the moment, and how similar they seem to be in driving insanity to ones in far off places that aren't London (exact quote, mind you)

Thankfully I don't have my copy of Good Omens on me because I'd turn into the total n00b.


October 2004: Ten days without sleep. Ten glorious days without sleep. And hell has frozen over. Dammit, I think all of New England brought its ice skates to enjoy the ride.

October 28th - "AT LAST!

Pigs can fly, hell is frozen, the slipper finally fits,
and Impossible Dreams really can come true.
The Red Sox have won the World Series"


November 2004: The World Series win was pummeled into sobbing on November 3rd. You can tell me to get over it. You can tell me that I'm a stupid liberal. But you cannot EVER make me believe that the immoral, hateful, evil person who was re-elected was the best choice for our nation. Ever. Considering his administration's image is starting to crumble and his innaugural hasn't even arrived yet-- yeah, it's going to be a long, ugly four years. Do I smirk as I work my ass off? On a more personal note-- which was slightly tied to the election, I decided in mid-November that I will be moving my journal to more neutral waters come my birthday.

November 4th - For those who think I'm demon scum and should go to hell for my beliefs... I'm bringing the throw pillows to decorate the hell couch and my stash of drinks for the inevitable fantastic party. I'll have a lot of company from wonderful, hardworking, lifeloving people of all creeds, religions, and nationalities.


December 2004: I visit my brother out in Arizona. I go to my mom's for Christmas, and visit my grandma's grave for the first time since her funeral. I do a lot of personal reflection. It's been a busy month, an emotional month. But a month that has made me realize what a wild trip my twenties have been.

And no... I don't have a highlight December entry. Honestly, I haven't needed one. While I've done a lot of filler entries, a lot of the thought has been going on behind the scenes.

My twenties have been a ride. 2005 brings my thirty-something years. And I'm already looking forward to the new adventure...

Goodbye, 2004.