Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

It's that time of year again, when we all reevaluate ourselves, our goals, and (hopefully) our achievements. I am no different, so I'll have at it once again.

First let's look back to this time last year, and what I said I wanted to accomplish...
(inserts Wayne's World sound effect here)

"Next year I hope to meet more new people ( a given), go new places - maybe Vermont, and keep learning new things. I want to really master color work - specifically fair isle, but also insertia, continue on the lace quest - doing hard things involving grafting and fancy mitered edges, and finally conquering the scarf for DH. (I will do it!!) I'd also like to take a class about wig building and attend USITT.
2007 will bring my 10th Anniversary, a milestone birthday, and the demise of a credit card bill that has been looing forever.
Bring it on!"

I didn't make it to Vermont, but I did attend my first Yankee's game! I really think I have mastered Fair isle, but I haven't done anything with Intarsia. My lace quest is still underway, but I have yet to conquer that damned scarf. No wig class or USITT, but the anniversary and Birthday went off with out a hitch! And the credit card went away! Pretty good I think!

This year I designed and guest lectured at Yale, got to scene design (i don't get to do much of this), moved into a much better apartment, joined a gym, learned more than I ever wanted to know about my kidneys, and attended Rhinebeck! I also witnessed the passing of my Paternal Grandpa, two uncles, and out beloved cat, "Pittsburgh" which were definitely not a joyous events, but rites of passage none the less. My Brother graduated from college and the other brother was elected "Mr. Ship 2007". DH and I moved up another technology step or two again this year, which has been awesome! Knitting wise, 2007 brought about the advent of the yarn wall(!), saw an increased color work, sweaters, and lace production, as well as an occasional glimpse of pattern writing. I totally mastered Entrelac with the Forest Path Stole, Participated in the MS3, SotS, NaKNiSweMo, Socktopia, and am still working on the Mystic Waters KALs.
I want 2008 to be the "year of peace". Of course I want world peace - don't be silly - but I really want to strive to be at peace with myself. We care all critical of ourselves in some way, I just want to try to minimize the criticism I lay on myself. I get enough of that crap from other people at work. To that end, I will try to go to the gym regularly, and therefore feel like I am making progress on my physical outlook. I will take better care of my kidneys. I really want to start evaluating why I choose to do things. I want to choose events to attend, projects to design, and even what to eat for dinner based on what I want, not on what I'm expected to do. My 2008 goal is to be happy in my skin and thankful for having the skin to be in.
Part of being at peace will be to keep learning and experiencing, like always. When I "pull up the learnin' stool" this year I want to come away with at least one Intarsia project, finish poor DH's Sweater of Doom, enter a lace piece in a fair, and learn to use the weight machines at the gym. I still want to go to Vermont. I want to continue to develop existing friendships and maybe create some new ones. Maybe this year I'll cross to the dark side and try spinning on a wheel!
There will be challenges in 2008, to be sure. There always are, but I hope to be better prepared for them. I'm going to approach these challenges - both personal and professional - with the clear head and resolve of someone who has looked mortality in the eyes and said "fuck you!". I will help all my friends and family to do the same, as often as they will allow me. Hopefully then, the happy bits will out way the sad bits, and 2008 will be a really good year.

All together now, "See ya' 2007! Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out!"