...Sold Identically Beat-Up...
I am fairly certain we're alone now, so if there's anything on my mind don't hesitate to type it up.
You may have guessed how my 2009 was - In total I wrote 14 journal entries. In high school the times with the fewest entries were the rare "good times" everyone had been telling me about; not so this past year. I was uncommonly distant, terse (though never shallow or pedantic), and not altogether well for a good portion of the year. 2009 was frustration, terror, and loneliness. 2009 was unexpected expenses, new definitions of pain (and suffering?), and near-death experiences. A great portion of my electronic or mechanical devices malfunctioned. Both grandmothers were in the hospital. Dad has been increasingly more vocal about how much he hates his job.
A bleak portrait - My apologies. The year wasn't a complete nightmare. I finished my college education, with honors - My back spasms ("new definition of pain") were causing me so much strife that I was unable to attend graduation proper, but I did make it to the honors convocation, and am grateful for that. And I am grateful the spasms were defeated by the wonderful muscle relaxers. The parents and I made great progress in and remained (reasonably) faithful to our Bible-reading endeavour. We discovered and have enjoyed the Rocky series (including the crappy 4th one). Our bodies and, perhaps more importantly, our senses of humor, survived a car accident in the summer - No such luck for the van. We discovered the Rock Band universe of games and products and have subsequently given all the money ever to Harmonix - I'm fine with this. I procured an Xbox360 during a tremendous Wal*Mart sale and now fully appreciate how HDMI can change one's outlook on...anything. Dante and I reached the Empyrean and were "permitted the Direct Vision of God"; he and I "looked into the Mystery and had begun to understand its power and majesty." The CAT Big Band hired me back.
I don't have to go to Macomb anymore.
This year I saw one of my first major musical influences, The Beach Boys, live at the Civic Center - I remembered what it was like to love music before I understood it. I saw STOMP live at the Civic Center and percussed everything within reach for weeks after - I remembered my love for Pure Sound. I saw my all-time favorite composer, Nobuo Uematsu, live at the Rosemont Theater with the people that are most important in my life - I remembered what it was to be Happy, and to be made Happy by Music.
Ladies and gentlemen, I intend to fall in love with music again. I intend to make music that will make people happy. I intend to make music that will make me happy.
Let's communicate in 2010, shall we?