Okay, not really. Because then I’d not have gained anything from the experiences that make me want to forget this year.

I learned a lot in 2008: 

• I hate smoothies, but if I could afford it, I would drink a “Pomegranate Heart Happy” at Jamba Juice everyday because they are SOOOO yummy
• Deep snow is fun for a couple of days…then I wish I could melt it with a giant blowdryer
• No matter how much the head boss likes you, the immediate boss can still get rid of you to save his own butt and there’s nothing you can do about it (I’m sorry, do I sound bitter?)
• Clutter disturbs my ability to function mentally
• I’m getting old but I still feel really young
• I like being a learning coach for our online public-schooled son
• Driving with a first-time driver is really scary
• Change happens no matter how unwilling I am to accept it, and…
• Change can be quite cathartic
• It’s a good idea to have tire chains no matter how seldom I’ll need them in the Puget Sound
• More people care about me than I ever imagined (thanks, Jenni, Cathy, Lauren, Kelly and many others from MVCN)
• Dr. Seuss books do not make for good feature-length movies
• Brain Age (for DS) makes me feel like I’m doing something to prevent Alzheimers, which afflicted my late grandma
• Sudoku makes me angry, but I like the challenge
• My teenagers really believe that I can’t possibly know the tricks of the trade (Been there, done that…ALL of it, my lovely children)
• Having a husband whose employment takes him far from home for a period of time doesn’t work for me
• Adversity only immobilizes me if I give it power to do so

I’ve learned a lot more but can’t remember all of it. Guess it’s time to exercise my brain some more.

Happy New Year to you and yours. May you experience new mountaintops and some valleys to help you appreciate them…that’s where the glorious wildflowers grow.

© Alexa Lopez, 2008