2006 year in review

Everybody seemed to love this last year, so I'll do it again.
In 2006, I:

(in no particular order)
-Was relieved that a good portion of the country came to their senses and realized that allowing any one political party do whatever they want is a bad idea.
-Switched from a mac to a PC. (there are very valid reasons)
-Downloaded more music and movies than I bought.
-Saw Jack turn one.
-Welcomed home my brother-in-law, safe and sound, from Iraq.
-Watched my son grow from a baby to a boy.
-bought a car, sold a car, couldn't afford that car, sold that car, bought a $300 car.
-Visited DC and met a bunch of politicians. (I had more fun meeting Ann's family)
-Really got crackin on my comic website.
-Got one comic published in a mag and one posted on a website that wasn't mine.
-Really got crackin' on comics and art.
-Worked on my house a lot. It is finally starting to feel like our house, and not one that we are house-sitting.
-Got so comfy in my job, that I think I can do something more now.
-Realized that I am a better parent than I thought I was.
-Realized that Jen is a way better parent than me.
-Drank a lot of coffee.
-Was excited at the news that Jack will have a new cousin to play with in the coming year.
-Didn't loose the weight I wanted to loose, but didn't gain any either.
-Never did get a decent haircut.
-Made it through the most God-awful fuckhot summer ever. If that shit happens again this year, I'm moving back to Denver. I can deal with cold. And they never give you a day off because it's too hot.
-Watched a crack in the foundation of my house inch upward in pace with all the fuckhot. As soon as it started raining, the crack stopped.
-Was visited by many a friend and family, which was surprising, because Oklahoma isn't on most people's "gotta visit before I die" lists.
-Went to a fabulous wedding for two people who honestly care about each other, and got to be a groomsman, which was a distinct honor.
-I made a friend. One of the best ever. He drives a lot to see us, and that makes him cooler.
-Turned 31, but I got to throw a really cool party for Jen's 30th. Robin helped. I'm lying. Robin did most of it.
-Taught myself Flash. It's actually fairly easy, if time-consuming.
-Did lots of sketches. More than usual.
-Realized that the 3 hours I spend with Jack in the evening after work and before he goes to bed isn't enough.
-Was mostly disappointed with all the over-hyped summer movies I was looking forward to. The pirate movie was the only one that really delivered.
-Was really happy that the new crop of nerdy shows on TV were so good. Heroes, Doctor Who, Torchwood... All awesome.
-Was amazed to see a great many people move out of Denver, my brother and his wife included. There are still many reasons to return, but they get fewer every year.
-I now have a good reason to visit Portland.
-Realized how a good family support system really helps out when one has a kid. Those guys are super!
-Realized that Jeremy is really good with kids. (keep that in mind, ladies.)
-Noticed that Thom Yorke doesn't "have it" anymore.
-Got into some new bands. There is good music out there, you just have to dig.
-Saw several friend's bands got fairly popular, proving that it does not have to be a "young man's game" to break into music.
-Didn't visit nearly enough people.
-Saw Jack start pre-school, start using words and sign language, have a really awesome Christmas, figure out how the use the vacuum, and generally watched him grow up a little. He's exceedingly smart and slightly impish. He'll be a maniacal genius. I'll have to keep my guard up.
-Realized that Jen deserves a medal for what she does. Working and being a mommy has at times run her thin, but has strengthened her resolve and character to degrees she is completely unaware of. She is tougher, more resilient, more loving and sweeter every day. I'm so glad I married her.
-I think I really became an adult this year. Having a kid really skews one's perspective if they do it right. We had a few financial bumps here and there, and the fact that my kid and my wife came before everything without me even thinking about it or even realizing it was a bit of an eye-opener. I see a bunch of people who were never ready to be parents or never will be, who try to cling desperately to their old lives instead of embracing their new one, or who look at kids as a burden and not a blessing, and I want to smack them. Not that people's lives need to stop, far from it. It just needs some skewing. I don't want to tell anybody how to live but when a plasma TV is more important that putting food on the table, you got some thinking to do. (I'm pointing at you, crazy couple in wal-mart the other day)

2006 was fun. We will miss James Brown, Jack Palance, Dave Cockrum, Gene Pitney, and all the others, including troops, who died. We will have fond memories of the good, that hopefully outweighed the bad.

2007 is set to be another fun one. I have a few secret and evil plans, but I'll keep those to myself. I do intend to make a road trip to see Jeff, and to move my comics to a real website, but those are "at my leisure" tasks. Jack will turn 2, I'll turn 32. (or freezing if I was Celsius)
Grace will have her kid, and the fam will grow. Congress may or may not get anything done, but let's hope they do. Maybe then the stupid polarity of the nation will ease a bit, and the power-hungry folks at the top won't be able to gorge themselves on our liberties as often. I have a few more rooms to paint, I have to get a new garage door, get my foundation fixed, have the transmission on the truck looked at, and we need to find Jen a better car. We need to pay down some more debt, but last year we got rid of a good chunk, and if we stick to our guns, we should be sitting pretty by this time next year. I'll have to teach Jack to pee standing up. I'll try harder to loose the 20 lbs I still need to. I'll try to get a decent haircut. I have a few art projects to tackle, and some prints to frame, and a stack of books to read. I have a kid to look after, and wife to help to not go crazy. It should be a blast!