2007 reflections

Generally speaking:
Another year on the road to hell. We're not supposed to talk politics, but the short version is: I'm scared as hell of the madness of mankind. I just can't believe what some people are ready to do in order to get what they want! I haven't given up entirely though, maybe mankind will reach some kind of turnpoint when the bickering between nations ends, greed will become history and we start to look after each other, instead of looking out for each other.
A lot of things have happened in the world, yet it hasn't changed... yet!

For my ugly self:

Much to my shame, 2007 is the year when I kind of drifted away from UBP. I'm lurking around, but haven't been as active as before :( I just don't feel like I have anything to contribute these days. But we all get stuck sometimes, I will get out of it, eventually.
But on the other hand: this is the year when I left my earlier band, found new people to play with, began to give bass lessons and realized the power of the upright. I've just started my new life :p

anyway: I love you all, despite my current silence!

edit: well, UBP's impact on my gear is tremendous: I played my GW today, dolled up in my Clatter longsleeve: wouldn't have happened without you uglies! :)

For me it's been a year of ups and downs, though mostly ups. I started out living with my parents and working as a dishwasher for minimum wage. Now I live on my own and I work for the Department of Defense for a much better wage. I'm still living paycheck to paycheck but I have alot more money to play around with inbetween paychecks and should be able to start saving money regularly. My truck is paid off and I significantly improved my credit rating (I know because I'm getting credit card offers again).

Musically it's been frustrating. I've auditioned for a few bands and jammed with some cats but to know avail. After my last (very public) rejection with Drift I finally said screw it and started to assemble my own band. So far so good, we've got a screamer, myself and a stinky and one song written. Hopefully things will pick up in the new year. My goal is to play a live gig and record atleast a 3 song demo. Gear-wise not much to report, a new combo amp (the old one got stolen) and a new stick (which I'm looking to sell). Next year already looks good though, I've got a GW on the way and I'm looking to getting the Mark Bass 500watt Combo.I did however get a bunch of UBP gear. So I can't complain to much.

Physically I'm on the upswing. I've finally found a gym and a workout routine that's not only challenging but motivating. I'm looking forward to getting deeper into Muay Thai, Brazilian Ju-Jitsu as well as in better shape. I'm eating healthier and starting to lose weight bit by bit.

Overall this year has been a big improvement for me.2006 I pretty much hit rock bottom (in my opinion), 2007 I've climbed back up to a comfortable place. In 2008 I'm looking to climb even higher then I have before. I think I've got a good foundation with the job, band and exercise. Now it's time to step up and do more.

Pre-emptive Happy New Year. Be safe and come back next year ready to rock!

07 wasn't 06

it had that going for it

No significant losses

I've made significant gains in the important areas.

My marriage is sound.

I'm stable financially.

I live in a beautiful spot.

I play in a great band.

I love, and am loved.

It was like that in 06 too

but the losses I was forced to accept in 06 make it a year I'd rather forget.

My new grandson was born Dec. 17which brings the current count to 7 and another is scheduled to arrive in April.

07's been a very good year

Moved into my own place :D
Started making payments on a fairly new truck :D
Fell off a truck, slipped a disc, have siatic nerve issues. Can barely walk, sit, stand,sleep. Barely got to mountain bike at all.
Now I'm unemployed and hoping I don't lose my truck and my place and have to pay the landlord for another full 7 months rent anyway.

Been probably my worst year to date and I've had some doozies.

What can ya do though, just gotta keep pushin foward...'

Oh yeah, need a root canal real bad but who's got money/insurance for that?

You said what was on my mind, bro.

Scared?

I'm not scared from this year, I'm sacared of the coming one... The govt is implementing a new economic agenda, which, acording to history, simple logics and many analisis by economists, is going to pummel the nation into an even greater degree of poverty, and create inflation like we've never seen (To top off 9 years of constant economic deterioration, increase in poverty and inflation like we'd never seen).

In retrospective... Politically speaking, I'm not sure what to think...In the oposition to the current govt we finally won the first voting in 9 years, joyful ocation (Acording to any analisis there's been, international and otherwise, we've won many times before, but allegedly, this time the result was so massive it couldnt be altered by the gov't as it has before), yet I wasnt really happy... A part of me wanted for us to lose this voting so that there'd be a national uprising... coupe d'etat, civil war, anything to break the status quo. At the same time, I guess it's better to live in relative peace, eh?

Now, In general, leaving politics aside, this hasnt been a bad year.

I played my first live gig, joined my first real band, and I've met quite a few great folks... Even a particularly nice lady...

If my memory was good enough to remember in which year this stuff happened, I'm sure id look back to this year as a good one, but I'll most likeley just remember the situations independently....

Edit: See? I didnt even remember this happened this year, I bought my first bass! That's a good memory.

Let's see if I can remember just how bad ths year's sucked...

My left arm got so f*cked up that playing bass may be just a memory.

My good knee's going bad.

Had a very good friend die.

Am still stuck in a job that sucks worse than my life does.

.. and a bunch of $hit I can't even remember...

I was going to try, but I'd rather not.

I hope for a better '08, though I share the fears of many.

For now, my family still loves me, I'm making rent, and I have some basses.

That's about what can be said.

Ok, I'm changing my mind as I type.... Employment has sucked ASSS this year. And I'm forced into working for myself (although currently that's looking ok). I hate money. I hate having to use it. I hate how the necessity of it controls my life. Gaaahhh... I'm done with this topic.

On the other hand... My family is awesome. My wife is 99.999% wonderful. And if she was 100% wonderful, then she would NOT be perfect. I hope that makes sense. My daughter is a fathers dream for a daughter and my son thinks Superman wears my underwear (yes, I stole that).

Musically, I've grown a lot, I think. I've learned about 40 songs this year, joined a band, and some of you may have seen my shameless self-promo in the forum. We're doing ok as a band. We've got our share of soap opera, but I think that's just family being family. -- I got two new sticks this year that should keep me satisfied through '08 at least. Maybe a rig in '08 would be nice. :D

Soooo, to round it off, I'd have to say.... All though I have the feeling of impending doom every day, there are many things in my life to feel very thankful for. '07 kinda sucked; hoping '08 will be an improvement.

nicely put. I like the way you are thinking in that sentence.

My year has been like most...there have been some bad things, some down right sh!tty things and then there has be A LOT OF STUFF TO BE THANKFULL FOR, like my son and wife and my whole family. Plus I have a lot of great friends.

Also +1 to myxology....I hate money....I wish we did not live by the power of the almighty dollar........

What he said....

Here on the fat farm....

Mrs and I are doing well... Audrey is starting to be able to point to stuff (head, nose, feet, mama, me... Sounds small, but you new dads will get how cool the small stuff really is)... Musically... I continue to learn... we've got a new drummer who, although a little over-zealous, is quite solid and a good guy as well. The band is in a really good spot musically. We're really feeling like a solid, working unit. I got some new toys (with more on the horizon) and life is generally not bad... The voices all seem to be able to keep from arguing most of the time (as long as I self-medicate every once in a while).

This year was one of my better ones for working...I'm outside all day so I could really tell this year that global warming is effecting my business (good and bad). I'm Canadian and predicted our dollar would keep going up months before it happened (economic and political observations). I have a wonderful wife and daughters who love music (both play piano and my wife is always singing). Most of my family is on the other side of the country so talking on MSN with a video camera has made it more fun to communicate and keep in touch. Most of my friends from High School that became musicians have settled down (I found some of their last bands on Myspace)...I'm just starting my musical journey and I'm looking forward to next year.