what I'm telling you

I want to give a proper welcome to the new year, but first a look back on good old Twenty Oh Six. Oh Six, we had some good times! Even with the last-minute addition of Emergency Hospitalization, you weren't so bad. Sure, I spent a goodly portion of our time together certain I was losing my mind, but I take that to be a sign of growth (change makes me temporarily insane), rather than an actual diagnosis (since I am not, as has been repeatedly pointed out to me, actually qualified to make such a diagnosis). At first I thought you were my volcano year, Oh Six, but I realize now I got a little ahead of myself -- you were more a year of unusual seismic activity. Lots of roiling change, but all beneath the surface (except for the -20 lbs, thanks for that!) -- enough to make my interior geologists look nervously at twitchy instrument needles, but not enough to make them run for cover. I have a feeling they're going to run like hell this year, but we'll let Oh Seven deal with that.

Oh Six, old book business: I carried forward my 2005 goal of reading 50 books in the year, which sounds like a lot to some people and hardly any to others (my sister probably read more than 75). Once again I FAILED, (curse you internet, for providing so much non-book reading that I am addicted to!) but I got a lot closer than it would appear from my last book entry. Here's a list of other books read in 06, many of which I still hope to write up in the new year:

Radio On: A Listener's Diary by Sarah Vowell; The Disappointment Artist by Jonathan Lethem; The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot; Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot; Fables 6: Homelands by Bill Willingham; Writing the Romantic Comedy by Billy Mernit; Little Black Book of Stories by A. S. Byatt; The Keep by Jennifer Egan; The Lives of the Muses by Francine Prose; A Mind of Its Own: How the Brain Distorts and Deceives by Cordelia Fine; The Believer Book of Writers Talking to Writers edited by Vendela Vida; Something Special by Iris Murdoch; Expletive Deleted: a Good Look at Bad Language by Ruth Wajnryb

I think I'll stop numbering reviews in 07, although I will continue doing them. I wanted to read more poetry, more non-fiction, more books that challenged me in some way, and I think I succeeded. I'd like to do more of the same in the new year.

For 2006, I set a few modest goals. The primary one was to Say Yes. This may sound Sesame Street simple, but to me it's a big deal. I spent a lot of time in the previous 4-5 years saying no -- so much so that I didn't even realize I was doing it anymore. My world got smaller and smaller and less and less fun, fulfilling or challenging without me noticing, until suddenly I did. This isn't something a person can change overnight, but I think I've achieved some positive results in 06: I made a major decision about returning to school (hello, library science!), I made some new friends, I tried to be more open to things. Yes is still on the agenda for the new year, but it has become a less conscious process for which I am grateful.

So all in all, Oh Six, I'm glad to have known you, but I'm eager to see what the new year brings.