2009 A Year in Review
A friend did this, so I figured I might as well do the same. Both to show you all that I am still alive and because holy shit, it has been quite the year.
The Bad
My spiritual depression, which really reached its peak at the beginning of the year.
My Aunt Mary, one of the few relatives I was ever close to, losing her battle with cancer.
My epic colds, particularly those after visiting home for Christmas and while attending the funeral.
Becoming way too embroiled in various internet Pagan community dramas, and for those non Pagans or Pagans who live under rocks on my friend's list let me fucking tell you, 2009 was a banner year for drama and bullshit. I could almost list them all out separately (fucking piece of crap Astalon, The Great Philosophical Wankfest, so on and so forth), but then I'd just go on forever.
The Grove and the way I left. I stand by my actions for better or worse, but I do regret that it came down to that (whether some people wish to believe that or not). Let it be a lesson to all, if you feel pushed and prodded away from a place where you've been, just go while you have a chance to go quietly; don't wait until the Powers That Be back you into a corner.
Still being in Baltimore and still hating this city and everyone in it.
Not being certain when I'll be able to leave this city and relocate to Oregon.
Renee losing her job and not being able to find another one.
The Good
Making it to my first year (closer to year two at this point) with Renee without killing each other.
Coming out of my spiritual depression and starting to feel my way around again, reconnecting with Hermes, living my oaths to him.
My mother actually coming to visit me and the visit actually going well.
Going to New York City and visiting with the step grandparents for a weekend (and finding the most awesome clothing store ever, especially after living three years in a city where its almost impossible to find clothes when you're more metal than ghetto).
Going to Philadelphia and meeting newdance and heartofmoon .
Distancing myself from the various Pagan communities I had been a part of. Yeah, sometimes I miss the contacts, stuff to do on the weekends, the email box full of shit to read (which sometimes isn't even shit), but really it was the best thing I could do. Not only have I saved myself a shit ton of headaches, its making it easier for me to figure my spiritual life out, where I stand, what I need to be doing. Especially when I'm coming out of a bad year, I can't afford to get my path tangled up with the expectations of people who are not me, not living my life.
Figuring out the actual cause of my demonic colds (stress, its always fucking stress) and being Shown how to control them (even if I'm not so good at always doing that :-)).
Running into Dominic again.
The friends and allies I do have, the people that contribute to my life in positive ways. There is nothing like a year's worth of drama to help you figure out who those people really are, and even if you find you have fewer of them than you had thought (and isn't that always the case?) it makes you value the ones you do have even more.
Being financially stable even in spite of Renee's current unemployment. In the current economic environment, that is definitely something to be thankful for.
Spending more time away from the television and the Internet. Baby steps at first, but important steps.
A new restaurant that opened on Charles Street that has this awesome four cheese white pizza. Oh man, I could live on that pizza. And its reasonably priced, too. :-)
Quite the year ...
The Bad
My spiritual depression, which really reached its peak at the beginning of the year.
My Aunt Mary, one of the few relatives I was ever close to, losing her battle with cancer.
My epic colds, particularly those after visiting home for Christmas and while attending the funeral.
Becoming way too embroiled in various internet Pagan community dramas, and for those non Pagans or Pagans who live under rocks on my friend's list let me fucking tell you, 2009 was a banner year for drama and bullshit. I could almost list them all out separately (fucking piece of crap Astalon, The Great Philosophical Wankfest, so on and so forth), but then I'd just go on forever.
The Grove and the way I left. I stand by my actions for better or worse, but I do regret that it came down to that (whether some people wish to believe that or not). Let it be a lesson to all, if you feel pushed and prodded away from a place where you've been, just go while you have a chance to go quietly; don't wait until the Powers That Be back you into a corner.
Still being in Baltimore and still hating this city and everyone in it.
Not being certain when I'll be able to leave this city and relocate to Oregon.
Renee losing her job and not being able to find another one.
The Good
Making it to my first year (closer to year two at this point) with Renee without killing each other.
Coming out of my spiritual depression and starting to feel my way around again, reconnecting with Hermes, living my oaths to him.
My mother actually coming to visit me and the visit actually going well.
Going to New York City and visiting with the step grandparents for a weekend (and finding the most awesome clothing store ever, especially after living three years in a city where its almost impossible to find clothes when you're more metal than ghetto).
Going to Philadelphia and meeting newdance and heartofmoon .
Distancing myself from the various Pagan communities I had been a part of. Yeah, sometimes I miss the contacts, stuff to do on the weekends, the email box full of shit to read (which sometimes isn't even shit), but really it was the best thing I could do. Not only have I saved myself a shit ton of headaches, its making it easier for me to figure my spiritual life out, where I stand, what I need to be doing. Especially when I'm coming out of a bad year, I can't afford to get my path tangled up with the expectations of people who are not me, not living my life.
Figuring out the actual cause of my demonic colds (stress, its always fucking stress) and being Shown how to control them (even if I'm not so good at always doing that :-)).
Running into Dominic again.
The friends and allies I do have, the people that contribute to my life in positive ways. There is nothing like a year's worth of drama to help you figure out who those people really are, and even if you find you have fewer of them than you had thought (and isn't that always the case?) it makes you value the ones you do have even more.
Being financially stable even in spite of Renee's current unemployment. In the current economic environment, that is definitely something to be thankful for.
Spending more time away from the television and the Internet. Baby steps at first, but important steps.
A new restaurant that opened on Charles Street that has this awesome four cheese white pizza. Oh man, I could live on that pizza. And its reasonably priced, too. :-)
Quite the year ...