Well, although I’m not one to live my life by a list of “things to do…” it’s been a minute since I’ve updated this freakin’ thing. I’ll try and take a different twist on it, though. So here’s my list of five things I’m thankful for from 2004, and five things I hope to accomplish by the time 2005 rolls out.

The 2004, Who Could Have Asked for More? List
I’m thankful for…

1. the continual strength & will-power to be healthy. It’s been two years since I started un-doing what I let happen to me in college. I’m ~113lbs lighter and still going. Every day is a struggle, but I’ve learned to respect my health, read more about nutrition than I thought possible, and taken my overal physical shape as a responsibility not a curse.


2. the love of a great person. Six years in the making, somehow I convinced my best friend to spend the rest of her life with me. I’m not sure how I did it, but I’m not asking questions!


3. a steady, reliable job. While the specifics may not be ideal, I get great benefits and have the opportunity to work with some cool cats. I don’t take this for granted for a second…


4. great friends. period. Good friends a happy person make, and I certainly am no exception. While I don’t get to see many of them more than two or three times a year, I value every single one’s place in my life immeasureably. And having the coolest, bestest roomate in the world doesn’t hurt either.


5. being alive. Yea this may seem weird, but it’s true. There have been plenty of times in my life where I wouldn’t be thankful for this. But in 2004 I have been, and I pray that I continue as such. I have no idea what I’m supposed to do with the rest of my life, but here’s to blindly bumping into things trying to find out!

The 2005, Things To Do to Be More Alive! List
I’m fixin’ to…

1. get back to my art. It’s been way too damn long since I’ve rolled out some prints, spent time in the darkroom or produced a piece for a show (no, you cannot keep showing the same print in different shows jerk!)


2. play more music. For all the listening that I do, I need to get back to my roots and play more music. I have a musical genious living with me currently and do not take advantage of that connection that we have. This makes me grumpy.


3. throw a big-ass party. I’ve never really thrown much of a party, and I feel like it’s been too long since I’ve seen all of my good friends together, happy off of the fruits of spirits. So before I get married, I’d like to have one last bash. Seeing my friends having a blast makes me tingly inside.


4. figure out the “next step.” While I resign myself to the fact that I won’t figure out the rest of my life, I need to decide what comes next. With marriage comes the opportunity to move forward, be that into a PhD program, a new job or a new city. Needless to say this one scares the bejeezus out of me.


5. practice balance. I’ve never been good at pacing myself or balancing. I pigheadedly throw myself into my work too easily. With a wife in the near future, this is not and cannot be a reality any longer. I pray that I learn to better balance my work, my freelance, my leisure, my spiritual life…and my sleep.

Here’s to hoping we all move forward this year!