I was here.

And so we return from a satisfying holiday break. Christmas with the family was fun and relaxing, and when I couldn’t take it anymore, I left. AC was awesome, and then New Year’s was a blast. It all culminated in two days of doing nothing but vegging out, which I haven’t done (and felt good about) in ages.

And now, back to work. And bracing myself for what is going to be a particularly hellish couple of months. Ugh. But come the spring, I should be on top of things again. And will hopefully have some hair left.

What a year it was. And this is the last time I will reflect on that particular fact. So many ups, so many downs, so little in between. This year, I hope to be able to exist somewhere closer to that grey area in the middle. I’m not sure I’ve made a whole lot of progress so far in that regard, but I guess I haven’t been at it all that long.

This blog is just about a year old, and I have an especially hard time believing that. When I started it I was searching for a creative and emotional outlet (as I so often am), and the extent to which it has been that has far exceeded any expectations I may have had. But I never could have guessed that it would become the document it has become, or that I would make the connections I’ve made or meet the people I’ve met. Just another one of this year’s happy little side-effects. Unexpected silver linings.

So here’s to a sane, satisfying, and silver-lined 2006. A year in which we strive to simply make the most of what we’ve been given. Doesn’t need to be any more overwhelming than that.