1 George W. Bush and his administration have done everything they could to fuck things up in 2003. Every thing they could. Instant Karma is going to get them in 2004. I really do hope that Michael Moore’s upcoming film “Fahrenheit 911” is released on schedule next October and that it stirs things up enough to make a difference. And I hope that Howard Dean gets the nomination, because he’s our best hope of booting Bush back to his ranch in Texas.

2 Work was pretty unpredictible this year. At the beginning of 2003, there’s no way I would have guessed that (a) I’d have a new job taking orders for toner cartridges and getting paid more for doing it than any other job I’ve ever had, and (b) that Andy would be fired from Branes & Noble for a stupid, petty ‘offense’ and then 3 months later be hired on to work at the Newberry Library. And I also couldn’t have predicted him deciding to go back to school. But all in all, jobwise, this year is ending on some good notes. So far, I like my job; I mean, getting to surf the net & do some writing while at work is great, but my co-workers are also nice and the work itself is surprisingly involving. And working at the Newberry will be exactly what Andy needs in his life right now.

3 I saw some damn good movies this year, including (but not limited to): “Lost In Translation,” “21 Grams,” “The Intruder,” “Dark Days,” “On The Beach,” “Forest,” “The Hours of the Day,” “In The Bedroom,” “The Honeymoon Killers,” “Looney Tunes: Back In Action,” and “Images.” It was easier to just stay at home and watch them on DVD because we started subscribing to http://www.greencine.com in June. Movies are too expensive. Paying $9.25 is only worth it if it’s something you really, really want to see.

4 I don’t think I was as excited about music this year as I have been in the past. I think my CD buying dropped off a little. I’m not sure why. I guess I was more into taking stock of what my favorites are and familiarize myself with the stuff I already have. It was so cool to have “On The Beach” by Neil Young on CD finally!

5 This was the year I finally published the book! I hope I have enough momentum to carry me over into 2004. Getting some great encouragement and rave reviews from others have really made the difference. And getting Greg Allen to write an amazing blurb for the back cover was one of the most satisfying moments of my life (thus far).

6 Andy and I have changed in our relationship over the past year. I’d like to think that we are more aware of making sure not to take things for granted between us; it doesn’t mean that our intimacy is more tenuous than before, it just means that we better appreciate the beauty of our intimate moments more than a year ago. Andy losing his job just as I was hired for a new job created some very awkward “A Star Is Born”-type situations that have nearly driven both of us crazy.

7 I’ve really enjoyed writing in my LJ more often and also being more open about things in my LJ. I hope I don’t regret that. I hope that the servers aren’t suddenly erased, wiping out all my words. But then again, I could work with that. It reminds me of one of the stories that was in an early draft of 100SP but one that I eventually discarded. It’s a Zen anecdote. A Zen poet used to work very hard on his poems, spending several hours crafting each one until it was as perfect as it could be. When the poem was finished, he would take the only copy of the poem, roll it up, stick it in a bottle with a cork on it and then carry it down to the river which ran near his hut. Then he would gently place the bottle in the current and watch it float away. The moral: you have to have enough confidence in your craft to just let go of your writing; you can’t remain possesive of it.

8 TV has just gotten even more inane and irrelevant to my life in 2003. I look forward to seeing “Angels in America” eventually but aside from that, I can’t think of any good shows that were on this year. Reality TV is just crap, plain and simple. Only things worth watching are the news and re-runs. Which is just fine, because TV is by and large a real waste of time.

9 I am so amazingly glad that I sprung for a new computer this year. It is a joy.

10 There are lots of reasons why I shouldn’t, I suppose, but somehow, at least at this moment, I feel a PEACE about things. Best Wishes Everyone for 2004 & Peace To All.