Thursday, December 31, 2009

Re-Cap. Ho Hum

End of the year is a good time for a wrap-up.
2009 was intense on a lot of levels- I made friends I will never see again, and some I am sure I will. Names that can't go on the internet among them. Found out I can be lazy for as much as three months before I start to go stir crazy.

Found out I can kick out a decent book very quickly- but gained almost ten pounds doing it. Sometimes people talk about balance, but sometimes you make great strides when you go off balance, falling or throwing yourself into something with your whole being.

Still hate getting older. Not sure I would notice if not for old injuries... and there is some psychic drag developing which needs to be jettisoned. As a young man, I'd try anything. I needed a reason to NOT do stuff. More and more, unless I find a compelling reason, I'm giving a lot of things a pass, things that might be fun. That needs to change. I think tomorrow will be a good day to jump in a cold mountain lake.

I lost my journal for several months early in 2009, and then really didn't work on it for the rest of the year. Between daily reports and a work log, everything felt like it was being documented well enough. Still- the continuity and ability to look up dates would have been nice.

Memories of 2009? Kissing K in an Irish castle; A punch bowl full of emeralds in Istanbul; sparring with my son; dancing in Kurdistan; a present for General A; BBQ with the Pariah Dogs...
Strangely, but exhausted as I was, I have no memory of arriving in Portland after Iraq. I remember Kuwait and wish I could forget; and out-processing at Benning; and the sunset from the plane... but not the arrival, seeing my family. No memory. How odd.

For 2010? I think it's time to let myself get out of balance and practice being young again. I'll let you know how that works out.

2 comments:

Jay Gischer said...

I dunno Rory, it sounds like the beginnings of midlife to me...

You can still improve, and do new things. But you can't make the river run backwards.

Have a wonderful New Year!

Steve Perry said...

Years ago, I read a short story that spoke to me. It was long enough past that I hadn't yet started making note of who wrote such things or what it was titled, but the gist of the story is this:

A young couple get stranded in a town -- car breaks down, somesuch -- and the town is full of old people. Everybody is old but the couple, and they have some evil intent toward the youngsters.

Eventually, after harrowing experiences, the young couple manages to escape, with the slowly pursuing oldsters shambling along after them.

As they drive off, the young couple feels a great sense relief -- they've escaped!

Then there comes a voice from the village of old people that fills their car with a deadly chill:

"You'll be back ..."

Happy New Year, Rory. Welcome to the village ...