Merry New Year

Rolling Stone’s end of 2005 issue called this year “The Worst Year Ever”. There is some truth to that, to be sure. Personally, this was definitely a wild year. There was some good, some bad, some truly idiotic actions on my part, some big personal breakthroughs, and some truly monumental happenings in my life. So, in lieu of me beating anyone over the head with the laundry list of the world's problems in 2005, here is the quickie version of Vince B’s Year In Review:

The dawning of 2005 was actually fairly exciting. It began with Kim and I excusing ourselves from a New Year’s Eve party at Frank and Jena’s in Lansdowne and finding ourselves home by 11:30pm. We were a week or so into knowing that we was going to be parents for the first time. Thus, I started the year with my mind racing all over the place, mostly between being thrilled and worried. Life is always changing, but mine was about to change both dramatically and quickly.

At the end of March, things were going very well with Kim’s pregnancy – but things were about to go horribly wrong with me professionally. I did some really stupid things at the job I had been working at for two years. I had been wronged by the owner of the company, and how I reacted to it is easily one of the stupidest, most horrible things I have ever done in my life. To put it short: I got screwed, I was hurt, I got vengeful, I got stupid, I got greedy and I got caught. It was a dark time for me. Luckily, my wife, our families and our friends stuck by me through this awful stretch (the situation remains unresolved). I feel truly blessed that people didn’t turn their backs on me. Kim would have been well within her rights to ditch me after this episode. I am truly ashamed by what I did. At the time I felt as though I was totally justified. The truth is I should have left the company once the promises to me were broken. There is no justification for the stunt I pulled.

I started a new job in late April and it was awesome to get back into an office setting. I guess I should be proud of doing as well as I did in a foreign setting for two years, but Vince B and construction equipment go together about as well Republicans and compassion. The new place I am working is a great improvement over where I was, and I am thankful for the opportunity. That being said, I work for a man I respect greatly for what he has accomplished – but one who is so hot and cold that you never really know where you stand.

The summer was pretty good to us. Our good friend and neighbor Bill had us down to his place in the O.C. a few times, and we were thankful to get to the shore some. Any fears we had about Kim’s pregnancy and any complications she might have in her first go-around went unfounded and everything went right down the line the way it was supposed to. On the morning of August 22nd, I was about to jump in the shower to get ready for work, when Kim came upstairs to tell me that she thought her water had broken. It took a few minutes for me to process exactly what that meant. A lot happened between this point and 6:05pm the following day, when The Man Zachary was born. Kim had a long night of labor, Zachary resisted the efforts to bring him into the world, a C-section was performed that I saw way too much of, and both Mommy and baby came through with flying colors. Kim recovered from her surgery 100 per cent, and our family was well on its way.

Autumn was hectic, as Kim and Zachary wrestled with feeding and sleep schedules. Tensions rose as the late-night decibels did the same from the baby’s room. The harsh financial realities of procreation began to rear their ugly heads, and while new parenthood was most exciting, having to pay for it was equally frightening. We took some steps to free up some money in the monthly budget, and we decided on a babysitter/day care plan.

The holidays were very enjoyable, although we had to temper our enthusiasm somewhat as we had to exercise some restraint. We didn’t go crazy on presents for the baby, as the rest of the family took care of that. Kim returned to work right after Thanksgiving and we both struggled with having to leave The Man Zachary with someone else everyday. It helped some to know that he was in the hands of close friends, and right next door to boot.

Our year ended, and the new one began, as it should. We had all of our favorite neighbors over for a late dinner and some merriment as we rang in the New Year together on Bala East. The gathering went on ‘til 4:30am, which surprised all of us. Much recovery time was needed on New Year’s Day, but all eight of us survived. Barely.

Looking forward to the New Year I don’t have much in the way of resolutions. I would like to lose some weight and get healthier. I would like to take some steps towards securing my family’s financial stability. I would like to re-connect with some friends that I miss terribly, and I would like to be nicer to my family and avoid past-experience-related blowups with them. I would like to become a better husband and father, and to maybe even figure out what I’d like to do with my life professionally. I would like 2006 (and all subsequent years for that matter) to be devoid of me doing anything stupid like I did in 2005 – no criminal buffoonery, no decisions that might hurt my family. 2006 is where I put forth a supreme effort to get back on track with my development as a person, a husband, a father, a son, an uncle and a friend. The stunt I pulled set me back some. I have to move forward, think forwardly, and be proactive in making life better for me, my family and those around me. I am looking forward to 2006. I hope all of us are.


[Currently Listening: The Pixies - "Where Is My Mind"]