Should old aquaintance, be forgot....

It's time for me to look back over my year and list the Top Ten Biggest Things Of 2013.  These won't necessarily be the best things of the year, but they are the biggest.

10. New Friends

I've met several new guys this year: Louis, Derrick, Colin, and Jimmy.  They all started out basically as fuckbuddies, but they've all turned into more than that.  They've turned into friends, more or less.  Oh, not real close friends to be sure, but in addition to great sex with all of them, unlike fuckbuddies, afterwards, we talk, hang out, get something to eat, watch TV.  Just act like friends.  And hopefully, that'll continue in 2014.  Oh, and the great sex with them as well.

9. Rewatching The West Wing

In the fall, I rewatched all 7 seasons of The West Wing again.  The last time I did so was 2008.  And surprisingly I got more out of it this year than before, but I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than before.  It truly is one of THE best dramas ever shown on TV.  This year, I also watched Spartacus and Downton Abbey on DVD, and I enjoyed them all, but The West Wing is head and shoulders above them all.  Even though it's been off the air ten years.

8. Gay Pride Parade

Justin, Josh, Polt, Paul, Travis

CC, StratCat

Lynda Carter (looking directly at us, making eye contact!)

I always have a fun time at Pride.  But this year was one of the great ones.  In addition to this being my 16th or so year of the parade, I was there with my coworker StratCat (for her 4th time), StratCat's cousin CC (for her 3rd time), CC's son Josh (for his 2nd time) and Josh's boyfriend Justin (for his 1st time).  Also, Paul and Travis were there for their second time.  I was disappointed to see for the first year ever, they had put up barricades along the route, but that was all forgotten when the parade started.  And the grand marshal was the 1970's Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter!  And we made eye contact she and I!  It was magical!  Just a great fun time with great fun people!

7. Lil Chris

My cousin had a baby in July who I call Lil Chris.  It's the first baby in our family in 7 years.  I love kids, they're so much fun.  And Lil Chris is such a good baby.  I've been around his for hours on Thanksgiving and during our family Christmas and he was passed all around to a whole bunch of people and never once got fussy or cried.  I'm glad he's turned out healthy and happy.  He's a great addition to the family.

6. Sebastian paid off

When I bought Sebastian back in February of 2010, it was an emergency thing.  Miss Cleo had thrown a rod in her engine and was done.  So I didn't have any time to plan or save for a new car before I needed him.  I had money of my own to put down on him, but I borrowed the rest of the money from mom.  In December of this year, I finally got mom paid off for that money.  Now, I've got a extra $200 a month I can use for other things....like paying off that credit card.  Or buying even more books!

5. Treadmill

Finally got that treadmill I've been wanting for years.  It's taking up a huge chunk of my dining room, but at least now I have no excuse for not walking.  To be honest, I've been slacking off on doing that as of late, but that's my only New Year's Resolution this year: to use the treadmill as I always intended: at least every other day.

4. Changes at Work

For most of the first decade of my career I was plagued by four people making my life hell there and just ruining all the fun.  In December 2010, Bossy-Know-It-All Coworker retired, and two others left before her.  That left just one: the big boss.   Things with big boss improved after BKIA Coworker left, but he, big boss, was still there and still....well not a good boss.  He had no idea how to manage people and created more problems than he solved.  Well big boss retired this year, which was great news.  He was replaced by someone who was my immediate superior, and HE was replaced by someone who I've always had a great working relationship with.  So now, the top three big bosses at work are all great managers and I can work easily with them all.  Things are SO MUCH better at work now.  This is how they should have been during the first 18 years I worked there, but I'm glad it will be that way for now.  It's great to have bosses that know how to be bosses.

3. Computer Issues

In October my computer started going wonky.  Again.  It would freeze up for now reason.  It would reboot for no reason. I got multiple blue screens of death.  I was contemplating reinstalling Windows. I let it go until mid-December when Corey stopped by for a visit.  He works on computers for a living and he ran some diagnostic on the computer.  I discovered it said there was a problem with the hard drive.  That's all I needed to know and so I ordered a new computer.  Which has arrived.  But since the diagnostic, the computer's worked more or less like it's supposed to. I'll get the new one set up soon, but nonetheless, the wonky computer gave me fits, frustrations, anger, and worries for two month this year.

2. Angel

In June, we had to put Angel down.  She had congestive heart failure, was having breathing issues and would, on occasion, just fall over or pass out.  And she wasn't going to get any better.  We had had her for like 12 years and she lived a good long life.  It was tough, but it was the right thing to do.  It's been tough on mom and me, but we both know she's not suffering anymore, and we always have the memories of her.  And plenty of photos.

1. Stress

I don't know if this is exactly the right word, but it's what I'm calling it. I haven't mentioned this on the blog but some of the people who know me in person know about this.  Starting in mid-August and continuing all the way until December, I had such a feeling of dread all the time.  Like something bad, something REALLY bad was going to happen ALL THE TIME!  It was made worse by some work stresser and by the computer issues and other things, but I just could not get out from under this cloud of fear and uncertainty.  I discussed with my doctor during a regular visit and she said, well basically, it could be like a mid-life crisis.  She put me on serotonin, and amazingly, within two weeks, everything cleared up.  Thoughts that before would cause me to lose sleep, not eat and just lay on the couch and worry, now, dont really bother me at all.  I dont know how long I'll be on the serotonin, hopefully I'll only need to be on it temporarily to get over this hump, but ultimately, I'm just glad I'm beyond it and back to more or less normal.  I can't tell you how horrible I was feeling and how much better I'm feeling now.  It was a really terrible rough time, but the last month of the year has been so much better.  And that's how I want to end the year!

Now, on to 2014.

POLT