i can honestly say that i have never had a year like 2009. i mean, every passing block of time has things that distinguish it from others, but this last year was really something special.
for one thing, 2009 for me really started in the middle of 2008. some may recall that, when the year got off to a rocky start, i opted to fire 2008 about half way through. coincidentally, that lines up with when i moved back to montreal and started giving some serious thought to the process of what i wanted to be doing.
but if we're really sticking to the calendar year, it started with me half-jokingly telling my boyfriend over brunch that i wanted him to direct a screenplay i'd just written. i was kind of surprised to learn that this was actually feasible and, for the next several months, i was wrapped up preparing for something that, until we started filming in august, i never really believed was going to happen.
of course, before that, i managed to fulfill a long-term ambition of mine and publish an anthology of
short stories (also available through barnes and noble and through lulu). some of those tales had been kicking around for a long time and it felt good to finally see them in print.
all the while, things started to come together for the film, more people got involved and it did seem alarmingly possible that this was actually going to happen. i got to put in some time being the music editor for
paraphilia. plus this year saw me dj'ing more than i have in a long time.
by the beginning of august, of course, we were ready to start filming and, even as the cameras rolled, it didn't seem real to me. perhaps because it's not something i've done before, so i'm not sure how it should feel. we even got some
media coverage (translation
here). i owe a huge debt of gratitude to many people for making this project come together. as a writer, i'm not used to working on a creative project where a lot of people are involved, but this experience was truly remarkable. more to come in 2010. (note: the process of film-making is also teaching me patience, something which i have never possessed.)
the latter part of the year, my "post-conversion period" was quieter to start with, but in late november, my boyfriend and i got engaged. i don't even know what to say about that, and i've said a lot about it already (see post "q: are we not still devo?" below). i'm happy. really happy. and it's another first that ends a year (and a half) of important firsts.
and, yes, the year did have some pretty bad lows. the day that my book was published, my youngest cat, the adorable, loving walter, died unexpectedly of a heart attack. (although, even from bad can come good, since we've since added two young'ins to the brood here). by late in the filming process, stress and lack of sleep were making me wonder why i'd started the whole thing in the first place (hey, we all have our moments of doubt).
in july, one of my dearest and closest friends for many years was seriously injured in a car/ bike accident (
read the whole tale). however, as difficult as it was seeing him remain in a coma for two weeks and wondering what would happen when he woke up, the sadness of the memory is mitigated by the fact that, once he did wake up, he made an astounding recovery, far faster and more complete than anyone had predicted. religious people would say it was miraculous. i just think that it's testimony to his strength, both inner and outer.
it's funny, because i've often looked back on years and thought to myself that they didn't sound like much. i can't say that about this year. 2010 will be a year of seeing what i can make of what i did. i feel lucky to have the opportunity.
well now here's a conundrum. this is the day in which i look back at the week that was and think about the things that made it brighter, cheerier, what have you. unfortunately, this just wasn't a great week for that kind of thing. my week wasn't colossally bad or anything, there just wasn't a lot that stood out about it. the weather was mostly unpleasant, so there weren't any beautiful walks to remember or anything.
on the bright side, i had dom to take care of me, which he did, very well, running errands to pick me up some juice, fixing me a some warm broth when i felt like i could handle it and doing a food run so that the kids would have plenty to eat. i don't know what i'd do without him.
last night featured a great dinner with great friends, which is always a reason to feel better. i don't tell my friends often enough how much they mean to me, the ones who have stuck by me through years and who still seem surprisingly interested when they ask how i'm doing. 