it has been so declared, and may the events of this auspicious time shower you with advantageous actions.

Things that WILL happen in the next year, in no specific order:

• receive my master’s degree in english at BSU
• receive my master’s degree in Mythological Studies, and continue on with studies to a PhD at Pacifica
• quit the hospital
• finally pay off the loan I received 4 years ago to open my business
• move out of bemidji
• finish writing my book
• begin writing the second book
• publish a short story of some sort
• get a teaching job at a community college somewhere
• lose 40 lbs.
• survive a full year of teaching freshman writing classes
• find some meaning of some sort to this random happening of events that makes up my life
• perfect my green mead recipe

ye who have ears, let them hear!

I apologize, honestly, for anything that I’ve done in the last year that insulted, aggravated, or just plain hurt anyone.

I rarely mean to do that, and sometimes it happens in response to external circumstances beyond my control.

So, I’m sorry.

Looking back, there are several events which stand out this year.

The one that most affected me was the death of my Grandfather, a good man and the best cribbage player I’ve ever faced.

and following, these accomplishments are in no specific order:

• survived a year of the Master’s Program in English at BSU
• survived a year of the MA/PhD program at Pacifica
• bought a new car and drove it back to california by myself in the space of two days
• turned 25
• was awarded a Graduate Assistantship here at BSU
• survived the first day of teaching, to the last day of teaching fall semester
• recieved my first C in grad studies at Pacifica
• stopped working nights, for good, in August
• placed third in the kumdo tournament in my division
• made my first and second batches of mead, the second improving enormously
• fixed computers(both mine and others) several times
• flew first class for the first time
• curled my moustache

it was a pretty eventful year.

my toast at midnight:

May the good times of the last year continue, while the bad times fade to memories.