So Long 2011, Hello 2012
Writing a year-end post for 2011 is an interesting undertaking. I'm aware most of my friends want to bid good riddance to 2011. It's been a tough year; we lost keristor, badgerthorazine and dunkelpig, and many of my friends have experienced job losses, health problems, and relationship issues.
And yet, I can't entirely bring myself to condemn the year. For me, it was an improvement over 2010. The March and June trips to NY for family matters were stressful but thankfully just overnighters, not Great Soul-Sucking Weekends like the two I experienced in June/July and October of 2010. And the summer of 2011 felt like a real summer. Kicked off by a great Balticon and pleasant Washington Folk Festival, our summer (for extended definitions of summer) also featured a rockin' U2 concert, Contata and Confluence which were both great, and a real vacation including several days in California followed by Renovation, and was capped off by a nice Stevie Nicks concert and (finally) a pleasant trip to NYC to visit friends and family.
Speaking of cons, there were many highlights throughout the year. We started out with thatcrazycajun's excellent turn as GAFilk Toastmaster (ably assisted by Yours Truly as Trained Stunt Guitarist), and the usual can't-miss mayhem of a seanan_mcguire GOH spot. Speaking of can't-miss GOH spots, there was Wild Mercy's electrifying set at FilKONtario, which quite possibly was the finest 60 minutes of music to grace a filk stage in recent history. filkterom and judifilksign stormed Contata, culminating in a roof-raising Rotten Apple filk that showed just how far NEFilk has come from its humble beginnings. Confluence presented a tough choice between mrgoodwraith's always-excellent concert program and GOH Robert Sawyer, one of my favorite authors. Rob won. Even Philcon made a strong showing this year, with s00j headlining the music program and stealthcello, Heather Dale and Ben Deschamps joining the party. And the "Killer B's" of the Northeast circuit, Boskone (featuring catalana) and Balticon (featuring bedlamhouse and ladyat) showed even a recession can't keep a good con down.
And then there was Renovation. Which, other than proving that hosting a science-fiction convention in two casinos is a colossally bad idea, was a decent Worldcon. Somehow, I wound up on six program items (one filk concert and five non-filk panels) and held my own on all but one of them. Someday I might even finish the con report.
Other than that, we're healthy (as are the resident felines Nova and Luna), employed, paid up on the mortgage, and even above water. Unlike 2009 and 2010, there were no layoffs at $EMPLOYER and even a small pay increase. And my job continues to be intellectually stimulating and challenging (especially with a late-year crisis in the lumber industry that reared its head).
So, have a Happy New Year everyone! Go out and toast it with your favorite drink, and have a wonderful 2012.
And yet, I can't entirely bring myself to condemn the year. For me, it was an improvement over 2010. The March and June trips to NY for family matters were stressful but thankfully just overnighters, not Great Soul-Sucking Weekends like the two I experienced in June/July and October of 2010. And the summer of 2011 felt like a real summer. Kicked off by a great Balticon and pleasant Washington Folk Festival, our summer (for extended definitions of summer) also featured a rockin' U2 concert, Contata and Confluence which were both great, and a real vacation including several days in California followed by Renovation, and was capped off by a nice Stevie Nicks concert and (finally) a pleasant trip to NYC to visit friends and family.
Speaking of cons, there were many highlights throughout the year. We started out with thatcrazycajun's excellent turn as GAFilk Toastmaster (ably assisted by Yours Truly as Trained Stunt Guitarist), and the usual can't-miss mayhem of a seanan_mcguire GOH spot. Speaking of can't-miss GOH spots, there was Wild Mercy's electrifying set at FilKONtario, which quite possibly was the finest 60 minutes of music to grace a filk stage in recent history. filkterom and judifilksign stormed Contata, culminating in a roof-raising Rotten Apple filk that showed just how far NEFilk has come from its humble beginnings. Confluence presented a tough choice between mrgoodwraith's always-excellent concert program and GOH Robert Sawyer, one of my favorite authors. Rob won. Even Philcon made a strong showing this year, with s00j headlining the music program and stealthcello, Heather Dale and Ben Deschamps joining the party. And the "Killer B's" of the Northeast circuit, Boskone (featuring catalana) and Balticon (featuring bedlamhouse and ladyat) showed even a recession can't keep a good con down.
And then there was Renovation. Which, other than proving that hosting a science-fiction convention in two casinos is a colossally bad idea, was a decent Worldcon. Somehow, I wound up on six program items (one filk concert and five non-filk panels) and held my own on all but one of them. Someday I might even finish the con report.
Other than that, we're healthy (as are the resident felines Nova and Luna), employed, paid up on the mortgage, and even above water. Unlike 2009 and 2010, there were no layoffs at $EMPLOYER and even a small pay increase. And my job continues to be intellectually stimulating and challenging (especially with a late-year crisis in the lumber industry that reared its head).
So, have a Happy New Year everyone! Go out and toast it with your favorite drink, and have a wonderful 2012.