10 Things I Learned in 2006

I learned a few things in 2006. In honor of Instigator Blog's group writing project, I share them with you:

1. Blogging is fun!
   
   Who knew vomiting your thoughts all over Internet readers could be so cathartic? Lots of people apparently. It looks like I am more of an early majority than an innovator or early adopter.


2. Blogging is hard.
   
   I am incredibly anti-social when I am writing. "Go 'way. Lemme alone. I'm thinking." I still have much to learn about structuring my time so I can blog and work a full-time job and still have some semblance of a life. Right now, it is a mystery.


3. Structure is good.
   
   Full-time work out of the home is a good thing and not just because of the money. It gives me a reason to get out of bed, do my hair, put on makeup, and dress in something other than sweats. And I get to talk to real live people during the day.


4. Facing death is hard.
   
   This year I lost my childhood friend Ricky, my beloved cat Squeak, and just last week, my cousin Luranna. I know intellectually that everyone I love will eventually die, but I don't really think about it much. Then it happens and it is horrible and, after the horror fades a bit, I realized that I, too, am going to die and it sucks. But if you think about it, I mean really think about it, the reality of your own demise can be rather freeing. At least it was for me. It helped me put many things in perspective. (If you are sitting there wondering why, then, you have not heard from me, does it help to know I think about you more often now? No? Obviously I have not perfected the follow-through on my new perspective.)


5. Friends are everything.
   
   I have the best friends in the whole world. I get to travel to exotic places to see them get married (JennBo). They put me up (or is it "put up with me"?) whenever I am in town (G). They are my biggest blog cheerleaders (JCW and everyone else how leaves comments). They give me a fish so I can eat for a day, but then they also teach me to fish so I can eat for the rest of my life (Nat). And they are just generally good people.


6. Internet friendships are a strange and wonderful thing.
   
   I have met some exceptional people through blogging. I will not list them here because as soon as I start, the list grows and grows and then I worry that I will forget someone and it is just too much pressure. Suffice it to say that if you have commented on my blog, interacted with me on the internal b5media forums, I have linked to you, or I have commented on your blog, I am talking about you.
   
   The strange part of the aforementioned strange and wonderfulness is that I have met very few of these people in real life. The few I have met I did so at BlogHer back in July, way before I got to know them through their blogs. The wonderful part is how nice and supportive and intelligent and creative they all are. I am blown away by them every single day. Knowing these people makes me feel good about the human race. Knowing these people makes me think that maybe, just maybe, there is hope for mankind after all.


7. Hospice caregivers are a different breed.
   
   Whether you are a professional hospice caregiver or an everyday Joe providing hospice care for a loved one, I cannot even begin to fathom how you do it. You are amazing and courageous. I salute you.


8. Age brings neither wisdom nor maturity.
   
   And I am not just talking about me.


9. Family isn't all it's cracked up to be.
   
   Just because you are related does not mean you have to like each other. There is no law that says you have to try, either.


10. It is easy to say you care but much, much harder to follow through and stay in touch. (Do you have any tips on how to do this? Anybody?)

This is not exactly a humorous list, is it? It started out to be but then I realized this has not really been a humorous year. C'est la vie. So be it. Shit happens.

So what did you learn in 2006?

Tags: 10 things, lists, what i learned

Comments

[Jenn Bo]

Great List! I'll have to do some thinking and create my own list. I could make a list of 10 new phrases Toby taught me, but they would all be so SHOCKING! People didn't use those words to describe things where I grew up.

[GetSheila]

Oooh, I want to hear those shocking phrases!

[GP]

Greetings, found you through our Ben!

Wow, these are right on! Thanx for summing it up so perfectly
happy new year and happy blogging

GP in Montana

[JCW]

Season's Greetings! Back from the Valley and our visit with family and feeling energized and renewed!

OK - Feeling worn out and tired. Still, it was a nice Christmas.

Interesting list - since I read it I've meant to make my own, but the procrastination thing seems to interfere. (Hsien - were'nt you supposed to vanquish that unfortunate tendency a few weeks back??)

I am SO sorry to hear about Luranna, I had no idea her time was so close.

About #9 - good observation, but never close a door. There IS something to this whole "family" thing - blood or otherwise - that merits the little bit of extra effort. I've presently got some strained relations in mine, and I'm not going to knock myself out reaching out to people who don't welcome the gesture. However, anytime they want to come home, I'll still be here to welcome them.

#10 - Well there's a dilemma we all face! I once read that when it comes to loved ones, time is like money. You don't "have" it - you "make" it. I try to live by that. So I don't always succeed,
but I do pick back up and try again.

On a lighter note - did Santa bring everybody something nice?

[GetSheila]

Santa brought me chocolate, the bastard. I feel my ass widening already.

[JCW]

We got ornaments - which we love, several sets of glasses - I guess a tribute to our legendary fondness for alchohol - a couple of matching jackets (Ma likes to try and dress us like her twin boys) Home baked goodies, some cash (Always a practical gift), and best of all, a visit with our 8 month old nephew, Kaeden. Geez... made me want a baby! But like puppies and kittens, they grow up so scrap that idea.

And cheer up! Didn't J Lo make the fuller female figure popular again? You're a lovely woman - if you've got curves, play them up! The only time a little extra looks bad is when women try and dress to hide it! Besides, you'll burn it off by summer. So enjoy your chocolates, show off your curves, and if someone doesn't like it tell them to F-off!

[Maria Palma]

I, too, have learned that internet friendships are a "strange and wonderful thing". It's interesting how much smaller our world gets, eh?