The Year of the Blog

It's time for the bloggy year-end wrap up. What a delightful break from packing up the spice cupboard. (Panicked aside: AHHHHHHHH!!!!! I have to have the back end of my house completely emptied out by 8 am Monday when the contractors arrive!!!!)

Where was I? Oh yes, the year in review. To accomplish this, I am going to steal a page out of Dani's book this year and give you the first sentence of the first post of each month of 2008.

January: For two weeks now, my house has been awash in snot and eye pus which means that we've been watching no end of Kids CBC.

February: No memory is ever pure, for we all construct narrative in hindsight.

March: Sweetness and light can be attained by running away for the weekend.

April: Let's just say that when you are a natural hot-head who is currently navigating a significant work crisis that involves lots of meetings and phone calls requiring a politic touch, all while your daughter undergoes a major relapse vis-a-vis adjusting to day care AND your husband has a play opening in 24 hours...let's just say that now is not the best time to take up the Activia 14-day challenge.

May: Please help me rank the following piss-poor service moments brought to you by Air Canada.

June: Well, out with it then because all this metaphor is killing me. Readers, I'm pregnant.

July: I am a children's literature librarian and now an Atlantic Canadian.

August: It started this past Saturday.

September: For someone who writes as many bleak and overly confessional posts as I do, you'd think I would have figured out how to follow them up with ease and grace.

October: This may sound odd coming from me, but ... uh, I'm a tad weary and leery of the literary blog post.

November: I am working on part 2 in the children's book series and it is taking over my life.

December: A dear friend and colleague was reported to have waltzed into work one early January morning a few years back and declare to her office mate: "Do you know how Christmas happens? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? Mothers. That's how! Take away the mother and the whole thing falls apart."

Hmmmm. That doesn't say much at all. Let's see, I did make a few bloggy resolutions last year. I wonder if I kept them.

"For 2008, I hope to write shorter posts with great opening hooks, I plan to kill my darlings, and I plan to get my funny back."

Shorter posts? Ha!

Great opening hooks? Well you saw those twelve sentences up there. Lots of pith; not much hook.

Kill my darlings? Given what 2008 dished out, I almost can't bear the friggin' bleak irony of that promise. Oh fates, I meant it in a literary context, dammit.

Get my funny back? Well, I'm laughing at my naivete at the very least. Still, I do think I found a ha here and there, so I'll give myself part marks.

Note to self: don't make bloggy resolutions.

There were a few posts I was particularly proud of this year so I thought I might mention them. I also can't end the year without acknowledging my community of support out here. You all were there when I needed you and you looked at my raw and broken heart without ever averting your eyes. For that I thank you.

Here's to 2009. I'll still be here. Maybe not as big as before, but plugging along nonetheless.

Happy New Year, one and all.

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Also, let this serve notice as my final call for Just Post nods. If you read or wrote a post about social justice in the month of December, please let me know by January 10th. We're gonna put the final roundtable up on Monday, January 12. madhattermommyAThotmailDOTcom