I wanted to take a second (or two) to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I hope that 2009 brings all that you wish for.
This year marks my 4th year of blogging. This year will also mark a major milestone for me — one that is really hard to get my head around — the fact that I’ll be turning 50.
God, it’s hard to think of myself being that age. I don’t feel it. Emotionally. Physically. Any way at all. By age 50, my mother was already old. She had had a couple of strokes and a host of other health issues. But she also smoked two packs of non-filter cigarettes a day and didn’t take good care of herself. So healthwise, I’m in much better shape.
I’ve learned in this nearly half-century (gah! there I go again with the freakout!) on earth that I don’t have to surround myself with people that I don’t care for. Whether they are shallow, insensitive, bigoted, opinionated, whatever, I don’t have to be around them. I can instead surround myself with people that I care about.
And that brings me to the point of this post — and yes, there is a point. In my four years in the blogosphere, I have discovered a whole other world. I’ve made friends – real friends. And they are all over the world. These are people I otherwise never would have known existed. These people are you.
And these people — young and old — gay and straight — living anywhere from Destrehan, Louisiana to Sydney, Australia — conservative, liberal, insane — you people — are my friends.
We’ve been through it all. We’ve been through marriages and break-ups. Health crises and clean bills of health. Childbirth and empty-nest. We’ve cried. We’ve laughed. Laughed some more. We’ve cooked. We’ve watched a lot of football. A lot. Of. Football.
Some of you have gone through major life changes. Some of you met right here in the blogosphere and are beginning a new life together as a result (you know who you are, and it’s your story to tell, but I’m so damn happy for you two that I could just about bust!).
I’m just so happy to have been a part of it all. I’m happy to have shared even a part of your lives with you. I’m happy to have cried with you and prayed for you and laughed when you did something stupid.
I’m happy to have shared my ups and downs with you, too. From catching my nose on fire to almost breaking my wrist punching the washer. From sharing memories of my mom and dad to complaining about being the parent of two teenagers. You’ve all been there for me, giving me way more credit than I deserve and making me feel infinitely better about myself.
I’m looking forward to a wonderful 2009. With all of you.
January 1, 2009 at 11:20 pm
I could NOT have said it better myself! It’s four years for me, too, on the 16th. I have been enriched beyond what I ever thought possible when I started on 1-16-05, and you are part of that, Wordnerd. Thanks for noticing.
January 2, 2009 at 10:33 am
Hard to believe that those people we call some of our best friends are those we’ve neve met. Happy 2009 to you, Wordnerd – you’ve said a mouthful here.
January 2, 2009 at 10:56 am
50 isn’t old, unless you have the misfortune to be a woman, in which case I hope your life was fun because it’s over. :p
I started this year feeling weak and dizzy only to get to the office to discover that my paycheck which was recently slashed by 10% is now missing a day as well. Whee. Can I get back in bed now and not emerge until 2010?
January 2, 2009 at 1:22 pm
50 was hard for me. I never thought about my age (young at heart and all that) but something about the big five oh gave me the creeps. I didn’t celebrate it at all. I’m 52 now and still going strong so it’s survivable! Although who that person is staring back at me from the mirror, I’ll never know . . .I agree with you so much about people you never meet or indeed get to meet via the blogs. I’ve made some incredible friends (one of whom will be arriving in Sydney in about 2 hours after 24 hours in a steel can with wings!). Looking forward to your posts for 2009 . . .
January 2, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I caught the football part of that, for a couple of seasons. I like hanging around nice people and you do hold my friendship, you poor kid.
January 2, 2009 at 4:24 pm
I ♥ you too.
January 2, 2009 at 6:08 pm
you are so sweet.
but can I say, from that picture you posted, I would have NEVER known you were turning 50. I thought you were MAYBE 40ish…
soooo… there. LOL
January 2, 2009 at 7:29 pm
I’m glad I found you as well! 🙂 Hope 2009 brings us all lots of joy!
January 2, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Oh this is lovely 🙂
Happy New Year to you too!!!
January 3, 2009 at 8:02 am
I agree with y’all wholeheartedly.
I really love that Nooze refers to y’all as “Miss” and “Mister” (Blogname), as is southern custom. You, by the way, are Miss Nerd.
Happy 2009!
January 3, 2009 at 10:56 am
WOW! A young 50 years old, great health AND an Apolostic blessing to boot!
What’re you waiting for?
Time to honor your Mom and smoke a coupla packs!
January 3, 2009 at 2:03 pm
What a sweet post! And what a great year you have ahead of you! I can’t wait to join you for the ride 🙂
January 3, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Happy New Year to you! I’m sure it will be a blessed one filled with many treasured events that will become cherished memories!
January 4, 2009 at 2:51 pm
You and Tracy may want to come by my blog today for a photo I’m sure you’d want to see.
January 4, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Thank you for your uplifting post. I have post-holiday let-down right now.
January 4, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Happy New Year to you, too! And 50? Piece of cake. I did it 3 years ago and I’m still kickin’. I don’t think of myself that age either. Which, I think, is the key to the whole growing older thing. You’ll be fine.
January 5, 2009 at 12:20 am
Not quite to 50, but it’s only a few years away for me. I’m trying not to think about it. 40 wasn’t nearly so bad as I thought it would be, so I am sure that 50 will be similar.
January 6, 2009 at 10:15 am
Happy New Year to you, also! Thank you for the kind message you sent a week back or so. Am still digging myself out of emails.
In a way, it IS hard getting older, but I do try to see it as a privilege. I will say that I am FAR happier in my 30s than I ever was in my 20s. As my 40s loom, I can only hope that they will even be better as well.
January 7, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Hugs to you, one of my very first blogfriends! You, along with almost all of ’em that I’ve met, have been genuine good people and good friends, the kind worth keeping.
As for birthdays, any number is a good reason to throw a raucous party. You don’t sound 50 (in my head, you sound a wise 24).
and, Thanks! :o)
January 15, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Wow! What day is your birthday? Happy New Year and Happy Pre Old As Dirt Birthday!
I keep thinking about how fast time flies the older I get, and Simons actually developed a whole theory for it…something about how a year when you’re 6 is only 1/6 of your life and is therefore very long, but when you’re 40, a year is 1/40 and hence very short. And it just keeps getting scarier. I wish he would keep stuff like that to himself.
I for one, am looking forward to coming up with new ways to measure time, like in 2034, I will have been with Simons longer than I’ve been without him.
January 19, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Same to you, sister in blogging! 2009 is starting out a bit wobbly, but I have hope that it’s going to turn itself around.
I’ll be 49 in less than 2 weeks, so I’m not far behind you. Right now I feel about 60. 😉
I think I’m up to 5 years of blogging now, but I’d have to go back and check. I can’t remember if I started blogging before or after I got married, and this year makes 5 years married. What a ride!
Happy new year, my friend!
January 20, 2009 at 1:28 pm
So, you got sneaux? Are you gonna write about it, or post pixures?