Nowhere fast, a whole year done past, i vowed to never stop...

Each year, I look back over it and reflect. Usually, I do a "thumbs up, thumbs down" post of the good and the bad of the past year. This year, however, I think I'll just accenuate the positive and run down my Top Ten Best Things Of 2008!

(there's new posts put up below this one every day)



10. The Olympics.
I so enjoyed watching Michael Phelps make history. And yeah, I know he's not classically handsome, but his body is godlike and even his face is cute in a dorky, innocent kind of way. but I cheered, with most of the country I think, as he made history and got the 8 gold medals.



9. Laptop.
Just got it a few days ago, and have only done a few things with it, not really certain that I need it. But I'm glad I got it, because now if I ever DO need it, I'll have it. Post is HERE.



8. Watching all of the West Wing.
Starting in the late spring, and finally wrapping it up sometime in November, I actually watched all 7 seasons in a row. As I knew, it was an outstanding show. But what I learned, whating the episodes one right after the other, is that the last two seasons, which i thought sucked when they originally aired, really weren't that bad. They weren't as good as the early seasons, but they weren't as bad as I thought. If the networks made more shows like one, I'd actually be watching a bit of network tv.



7. 2008 Gay Pride.
Despite the rain, the 4 straight, gay-pride-virgins I took and I had an outstanding time! One of the best times I ever had there. And I LOVE taking pride-virgins down, it's so much fun to watch them experience their first gay pride parade. Post is HERE.



6. Discovering BBCAmerica.
I first found Torchwood, then Skins and now Doctor Who. And man, I love them. Nothing on American TV comes even close to the excitement, surprise and sheer unadulterated coolness that these three shows have. And sometime in January, when Skins Season 1 is released, I'll have them all on DVD. I wish the execs at the American networks would watch just a couple of these shows and try to do something like them (although that'd probably be a trainwreck, like the copies of Fawlty Towers and Absolutely Fabulous that were tried and were horrible).



5. Polt and A Local Celebrity Mr. David ParisPeking Go To White Castle.
In January, ALCMDPP and I, on a lark, drove like 4 hours to New Jersey just to go to White Castle. We ate and were there for about a half hour, and then returned home. It was an all day excursion, and one of the most fun filled days I have had in a LONG time! Post is HERE.



4. Getting my car loan paid off. In October, I paid off a bit early my five year car loan. And with Mama Polt helping with my credit cards last Christmas, I was, for the first time in....well, over 15 or 20 years, debt free. And what a sweet feeling it was. It opened up my cash flow and allowed me to be able to get things that I couldn't before. But along with the debt-free-ness, came the maturity to realize I didn't want to get into the situation again, and I've been more sensible in my spending. I quite enjoy the increased economic freedom. Post is HERE.



3. Retirements at work. Since I've been at my job, for 12 years, there have 4 people there that have caused me more problems than ALL my other co-workers and ALL the clients I've dealt with all added together! Two of them are in Administration, my bosses, and the other two are either married to one of the first two, or best friends with them. And they're all either petty, stupid, backstabbing, self-centered, arrogant, ignorant, domineering, or not at all cooperative...and some of them are more than one of those adjectives. Well, this year, two of them retired. And what GLORIOUS days those were. And by those two leaving, that seriously diminishes the power and the influence of one of the remaining ones. In other words, but these two people thaknfully retiring, my life at work has improved dramatically.



2. The Columbus Trip. Getting to meet Dave S. in person was without a doubt that most important, biggest thing that happened to me personally in 2008. He was a good friend before I met him in October, he's become a great friend since then. I am truly honored that he is such a true and trusting friend. And I can only hope our friendship increases with time. In addition, all that I experienced in Columbus, from the fashion show, to the retirement party, to the art museum, to "Short North", to the shopping, to the movie, to meeting his kids, to just hanging out and talking was incredibly fun, interesting and entertaining. And I can't wait to hang out with Dave S. again. The first post of the trip (there are 11) is HERE.



1. Barack Obama elected president. This one isn't so much personal (although it is in some sense) as it is THE best thing of 2008 in general. But Obama was the first person I got excited about in politics since Clinton in 1992. And Obama is so much more focused and disciplined than Clinton, I have faith that he'll do a better job than Clinton did. But even if he doesn't, he'll certainly be better than the commander-in-chimp we've had the last 8 years. I am quite anxious for him to get to work reversing all the stupid decisions made by Bushie and repairing this nation and our relationships with the world. And I'm very proud to have been a part of helping him get elected and am excited to be able to watch him in action.

POLT Listening to "What Do I Get" by The Buzzcocks

Why should I know better when I'm old enough not to? - Beth Orton