'08 in Review

’08 in Review:

I don’t know anyone that’s as excited fo the upcoming new year as I am. 2008 has been a trip to say the absolute least. At the beginning of ’08, I had set three distinct resolutions: to save, to gain at least ten pounds, and to finish more of my novel, a manuscript that has literally been null since the end of 2007.

And guess what? I have only “completed” one of those resolutions. I’ve been saving more.

My weight has always been on the flip floppy side, never outrageous in scale but never consistent either, so that ten pounds? Negative. I gained about five then lost it then gained three back then lost four, then gained two then lost one then gained three and then lost one. Whew. So basically I aint made no kinda progress in that area. Whatever. At this point, I have convinced myself that I’ll be a Ms_Slim until I become pregnant…which won’t be anytime too soon, if I can help it…

I still haven’t touched my manuscript. I’m pretty disappointed in myself for that too.*

With all of this though, I have drawn a new conclusion for the upcoming year. While I have big plans in store for myself for ’09, I am not making any resolutions. After several years of really setting goals at the beginning of a year only to find a third of the way through the year that shyt has shifted, I’ve learned my lesson. I’ve got my plans and my goals and all that….and I’ll just work on achieving them. If they don’t get achieved, oh I will feel some kinda way about it, but I’ll rest better knowing that I didn’t inadvertently dig my own grave by speaking on it too soon, dig?

But that’s ’09. Let’s get back to ’08 and the Review…

Talk about an up and down kinda year!!! Whew!

2008 has got to be the worst year I’ve had in quite some time. While there were some “highs” in my life such as early graduation, my graduation ceremony, and having the luxury of having a job in my field of interest straight out of college, there were a bundle of “lows”. I’m not even remotely interested in telling all of my business but I’ll just say this: I’ve been through it. Period.

In a nutshell:

I’ve learned a TON about myself. I’ve learned so much that I thought my body would explode from all that I’ve taken in this year. Eye-opener moments came flooding…and so did tears….of both happiness and sadness.

I lost two friends from my high school graduating class. The most recent was last week and marked as the city of Chicago’s 500th murder for the year. Both friends were murdered due to gang violence (they were not in gangs, however) and Chicago’s crime rate has been the worst since 2003. This is actually the third friend that was murdered in the last year and a half. The other was murdered on my birthday in 2007.

Anthony Herring, aka Tony Logic

Dec. 8th, 1985-March 9th, 2008

Kermit Delashment, aka Big Kerm

May 2nd, 1987 - Dec. 22nd, 2008

I’ve had a ridiculous love life to say the least...


I voluntarily moved from my parents’ house. (That’s actually a “high” but it was still a transition; a small one)

I’ve deleted a gang of people from my life. Trust, it was all very necessary.


I got into my very first car accident. And it wasn’t my fault. But tell me why I’m paying for the damages out of my own pocket? SMH

My outlook on Life has changed so much I am sometimes afraid to think of it, because it scares me when I do…

That’s where I’ll leave that list. ’09 will be sooo much better. I just know it. For starters, my president is being inaugurated. I won’t be going to the Inauguration as I planned to but I’ll be front row center in front of a television nearby. I can’t wait!

Like I said, I don’t want to speak too much of my plans for the new year for fear of jinxing them. But I do plan to be happy. I expect to find a balance next year as 2008 was definitely an adjustment to the Real World for me. 2008 was my acknowledgment year, while ’09 will be my acceptance year. I have acknowledged the changes needed within me and around me. I have taken note from the most important people in my life just what I need to focus on and delete from my Life and next year, I will make those very necessary strides to change those things. In 2008, I did a lot of changing. I cut my hair three times as a symbol of my changing as well. I stretched. I grew. I explored things in a depth I never have before. And now in ’09, it’s time to step out of Adjustment/Acknowledgment mode and take it in a higher gear to Acceptance/Action mode. I’m ready.



What do you expect to find in ’09?



Happy New Year, Everyone. Be Safe Celebrating,

Ms_Slim

*- However, on the bright side of that, I have been delving into a different type of writing. A more subliminal kind of prose, if you will. I posted a few of these types of pieces on my MySpace page and may bring one of them to this site. I have to know who all ‘gets’ what I’m trying to convey…