What a New Year's Eve post is supposed to be? Maybe.

Mac just said to me, "This is the first decade I've lived entirely through. That's pretty cool." Oh yes my son, it certainly is.

I guess this is the post where I should reflect on the year that just ended. I'm torn because this has been a rough year and for those of you who do follow me here know it. I could be tongue in cheek and post about the year, or take a maudlin approach and share. I could always "go for the funny." I know good things have happened this year but it seem easy to get weighed down by the sad and the rough and tough times.

Maybe I could summarize the decade? Take Mac's approach instead? I went to Europe. I moved to another state to live out a life long dream. I had a chance to teach. My son lived with me, then didn't, then did again, then did and now is again. (each "didn't" is when he chose to go to his father's). I had good relationships that all failed. I had bad relationships that all failed. I reconnected with a past lover and my soul mate-- and lost him again. I learned to love the city. And I learned to love the country. I like quiet but I want to make noise. I drank way to much. I stopped drinking. I smoked a little, but I stopped. I went to Hawaii. I went away but I came home. I started the decade as part of a couple and will end it alone. I fell in, and out of, love. I was lost but I found my way back. I started blogging. I took lovers. I learned to cook decadent foods, and discovered I liked it. I had a couple great jobs, and some not so great. I branded cattle and rode horses. I made new friends, and lost some others. I gained weight and lost it and gained it back-- hell, I have no idea where I stand with that battle. I write. I learned to quilt. I learned to hate winter. I've been sick, but I'm better. People died but I went on living. I had lots of fun, but sometimes I didn't, but I always learned something along the way. Not bad for 10 years and being almost forty. Who know what I'll do in the next ten?

Being all introspective, retrospective, all those spective-s, got me thinking about a favorite piece of music. This is one of my all time favorite pieces of music in the world: Pachelbel Canon in D Major. I want to apologize to a Sam of mine because I sent him an email about this song, so I steal from that correspondence. "Canon in D Major" is one of my favorite pieces of music ever. Ever. It's perfect. If anything in this world can be perfection, it's that piece of music. If beauty has a sound, it floats on the notes of this. This song touches a part of me I never knew, it's like air; I need this piece of music like I need to breathe.

Happy New Year to you all. I wish you peace, joy, happiness, serendipity, and much good stuff. Mostly I hope you all find what you're looking for, what you need, what you want.

Respectfully yours,
Maggie Mae O'Sullivan, 2009