Welcome to the Future

Happy 2006!

Well, we're off and running straight into what has yet to happen. It was quite a holiday break for us and the kids. My brother and his fam were in town and that was awesome. We shared in the season, breathed a sigh as we rested---and waited as the clock turned. But we didn't stay to watch everything turn to zero again this year. I've waited up in the past on New Years and the midnight hour has brought nothing for me but the relief that I can finally go to bed, so this year we decided to skip it. Besides, the kids had been on sleep overs with friends all week and were so whacked out that they were at each others throats.

So, at 8:30 we had a family toast in the kitchen with sparkling grape juice, the three boys already in their PJs. Then we joined hands in a circle for a family prayer for the new year. After which the little Bear, not wanting to see a perfectly good circle of joined hands go to waste, announced that we would then commence what may become our annual new years ring-around-the-rosey. We ringed around, we all fell down, and then we all went to bed. Best new years celebration in memory.

This year will bring many new changes, and the fact that I've already let my daughter get behind the wheel is testament that even though I haven't bought my new calender yet, time still marches forward. We've gone out to the middle school parking lot on the weekend (when it's wide open empty) to get her comfortable with the machine before we subject her to insanity of the real road.

But 2006 does mark the 20th year since high school for me. That frantic year when I was chucked kicking and screaming into the deep end of Real Life. Actually, I ran up and jumped off the high dive by electing to get sent half way across the planet. So this also marks the 20 year anniversary of the Grand Australian Adventure. Something that I don't think I'll ever regret. So to unintentionally commemorate the event I'll be signing my daughter up for her own swan dive this year, with both language courses and trying to get her pre-registered for the trip abroad itself.

My Robo will begin his assent this year to manhood by leaving the gentle gardens of elementary school and begin to bravely walk the pubescent corridors of Middle School. That happened a little faster than I expected it to. And I'm sure that the other two have a whole host of surprises their just waiting to spring on me.

For me, it's serious get-down-to-brass-tacks time. I'm not a New Years resolution maker, but I do set goals. And dangit, this year is it. This year is THE YEAR OF THE HOUSE! That's where I spend 12 months busting my hump proving to my wife that I love her by bringing our dwelling back up to spec---and beyond. My brother just told me that he's finished putting the spit and polish on his dwelling, so I guess I'm a little over due, but better late than never I say. I've mentioned all the little things that I'll be doing to get Robo into his own room downstairs. I'll also be tending to the little repairs and maintenance that have built up over the last 8 years and always seemed to wind up on the back burner.

No small task, to be sure. But to prove how serious I am this time--I've made a list! Ha Ha! Didn't realize the depth of my commitment to this project did you? And being the geek that I am, I posted it to the Internet. If you are of the disposition to follow along, you can view it here:

http://wpmitch.tadalist.com/lists/public/180776

And the wife is experiencing her own little transisition. Now that we moved the computer upstairs, she's gone a little digital. More on that story in the next post.

This year just seems like it's going to be quite a turning point in our little corner of the world for some reason. A grand new adventure. And in what seems to me like some sort of an indicator of this, I've fallen into acting again, of all things. As a favor to a friend, a retired high school instructor from back when I was roaming the halls, I'm participating in a short dramatic presentation he's directing for the local area Chamber of Commerce at their annual dinner. Not huge, but it should be a hoot.

Not to mention that this week is the Consumer Electronics show where all the new gadgets come out, and next week is MacWorld where there is sure to be new Apple announcements! The groundwork for the Future is being laid even as you read this.

So come 2006. It's onward into the great wide open!