dear 2008,

I'm not a huge fan of you, I must say. As two-thousand great as you were supposed to be, you fell short in many ways, as far as years go. I mean sure, you were chock-full of travels, and those were pretty cool. There were road trips to Quebec, New York, Atlanta, Portland, and a couple to Chicago. There were flights to Seattle, New York, and the big trip to Madagascar. You brought me some new friends who I'm grateful for, some who I'll stay in touch with forever, and others who were less exciting but who at least gave some good lessons about life. But even with all those interesting people and fun times in motion - yes, even though you brought me to an exotic country, (thank you, already, and don't get too full of yourself... can't you see I'm trying to cut you down? God, it's just like you to blow your head up while I'm berating you for your failures.) - I feel you just didn't follow through.

And so, since I am starting the new year in a new land, and will return to my own country with a new president in office, and once I do so will have a shiny new degree and will be called "doctor," and since you really gave me nothing in terms of life direction or staying power, I'm gonna go ahead and say it, as much as it may hurt. I won't miss you, and bid you good riddance.

(Okay, that may have been unfair. I might possibly miss a moment or two. And I guess I should thank you for granting me the last exams I'll ever have to take. And, yeah, I suppose all those times you nudged me ever so slightly in directions I'd be grateful for later, like landing me in Quebec City, for instance. Ugh. Stop making me feel bad. I didn't say you were horrible or anything. Just that, you know, I'm ready to move on. Yes, I know, the last couple of weeks have been pretty awesome. It's just too little, too late, don't you think? Fine, I was in love you. Satisfied? It's just, those feelings faded a while ago, and I need to let you go now. And I'm counting on your neighbor in time to be a little more fulfilling, if you know what I mean. No offense.)

It was fun while it lasted, but I bid you adieu.

- Lauri

...

And NOW, in a few hours, I look forward to new beginnings (a bunch of them, the way the next year's looking), to the grand year of two-thousand divine. Two-thousand shine. Two-thousand laugh line. Two-thousand port wine + redefine + intertwine = equals sign, bottom line.

Welcome, two-thousand nine. I can tell that we are gonna be friends.