Hello, 2008

So, we've made it to the flipside. Here we are--a new year. It's funny how we use this somewhat arbitrary date as a mile marker, a chance to start fresh, wipe the slate clean, breathe new possibility, feel the unknown at our fingertips. Afterall, January 1 is just another day. But then again, is it? Maybe we need this day to keep our sanity. We hit the defrag button on Dec 31 and come out cleaner on the other side. I mean, I'll subscribe. I'll let bygones be bygones and whatnot. Set new resolutions for myself (more on this later). Hope and dream about 2008 will be so much better and fulfilling than 2007 even though, in all honestly, 2007 was a reasonably good year and I should probably stop being a cantankerous ingrate and just count my blessings.

The Holidays happened. They were generally joyous. Hung out with the family, including Niece, who can now pick me out of a line-up. I received many lovely gifts. Some were so lovely that I had to return them. Just kidding. I mean, I did return a few things, yea. But they were mostly from extended family--they never know what to get me. Oh and I did return one thing from my mom; she never knows what to get me either, though she tries hard, I think. The best gift of all was the one I gave myself. No it wasn't something cheesy like "love" or "acceptance." Ha. I'm way too attached to my self-loathing for that. It was a guitar! (Merry Christmas Diana. Love, Diana.)

The guitar is totally ace--so pretty and awesome and I am very much infatuated. It is something I've had a love affair with for a really long time but like several things I have interest in and passion for, I've been too lazy/lacking the determination necessary to get around to it. That is, until now. Behold, New Year's resolution number 38.C: become a great guitarist. Muahaha. I am on the path to rock-stardom.

Actually, no I'm not. Know why? Because playing this instrument is effing hard! Like, I knew it would be really tough. But tough doesn't even begin to describe it. Oh and newsflash: singing AND playing? Uhm, yeaaaa. Near impossible! WTF? How are all these bands out there doing it? Seriously. My admiration and appreciation for musicians is at an all time high.

I am doing fairly well with it despite the fact that I've never taken music classes or learned an instrument before. I am lacking basic knowledge about music: what notes sound like what, what certain vocab means (flat, sharp, major, minor, huh?), beats, whathaveyou. But I am just over a week in and I've learned a bunch of chords, how to read tabs, a few songs (sort of), and established the beginnings of calluses on my fingertips. I've practiced everyday. If I keep this up I should be ready for my world tour in no time. I think I will probably need to get some lessons. There is only so far I'm going to be able to take this on my own. I am determined, though. And it's actually been pretty fun. When a song starts to sound like a song, it's pretty freakin' cool.

My other resolutions are somewhat less exciting but nevertheless important parts of my never-ending quest to be all I can be. They are: read more, write more, run a half marathon, eat healthier, have more "feelings" (as in towards/for people), figure out a career path, test the boundaries of my comfort zone and find the meaning of life.