A New Year, and a look back...

A new year has come. 2004.

The years seem to be moving a lot more quickly then they had in the past, but I know that is just my

perception of it. I am not going to bother making any new year's resolutions. I never stick to them, so

I will not waste my time.

This will be a big year for me, probably the biggest I have ever had, and maybe the biggest I will ever
have. Sometime in May, I will become a father. I feel very nervous about this, but there is an
excitement to it that does grow as May gets closer.

Looking back at 2003, I can't think of anything bad that happened. There was one major death in my
family. My grandmother's brother died. He had been sick for years. I left the longest job I had ever
held and went to work as a contractor for the federal government. I made some new friends, and lost old
ones, both online and off. I paid off my car. My sister has found a new religion, which I can't say I
approve of, but it is her life and I will keep my mouth shut.

I am also thinking about some of the things that have happened to me throughout the 26 years of my life:

1977 - Was born.

1980 - Some of my earliest memories are of this year, some as far back as the age of 2. My brother was
born this year, which I do remember.

1982 - Had a hernia which required surgery. I do remember some of this. I remember sitting in a hospital
bed, playing with a bunch of dolphin and whale stickers. I also have a memory of a sudden sharp, slicing
pain across a spot just under my lower abdomen, and screaming out in pain. I remember darkness as this
happened, like my eyes were closed tight. There is a scar there in that spot now. This is the year that
I figured out what death was, and panicked. Later on this year, we moved into a mobile home park. We
stayed there until 1984. Today, I would hate living in a place like that, but as a kid, it was heaven.

1983 - My Great-Grandmother died. I still remember her, and remember seeing my mom sitting on her bed
crying when she got the news. She was my dad's grandmother, but her and my mom were close. I heard she
died with a smile on her face. She was 90. A few nights later, I woke up in the middle of the night and
saw her standing in front of my bed, smiling. Then she walked away. To this day, I do not think it was a
dream.

1984 - Moved into a house in San Jose. Many of the dreams I do remember take place in this house and
neighborhood.

1986 - Took my third trip to Disneyland, which was very memorable. Halloween of this year is still one
of the greatest nights of my life. Everything was perfect, and everyone was happy.

1987 - My sister was born.

1988 - My parents split in April of this year, and I left San Jose for Modesto in September. I would
find out why my parents split up while overhearing a phone conversation my mom was having. I would
remain in Modesto until the age of 18. Even with frequents trips to San Jose to see my Dad, I would
never see any of my old friends again.

1989 - First real fist fight, and to be honest, my only one. Nobody won the fight.

1990 - Had a Bar-Mitzvah.

1991 - Spend about 6 weeks watching a lot of CNN during the first Gulf War. Had mild foot surgery.
Started high school, which I despised.

1992 - Started my sophomore year of high school, which was a dramatic improvement over the hell that was
junior high and my freshman year.

1993 - Got my first job at a pet store. Met Lesli, and fell in love for the first time.

1994 - Went to my first concert that summer. We saw the Stone Temple Pilots in Oakland. Started my
senior year. Became a mild pothead.

1995 - Took a trip to Oregon with my mom, sister, and grandparents. We all were planning on moving there
later that year. Had wisdom tooth surgery. Found out my Dad had HIV. Lost Lesli on graduation week,
which of course, ruined the whole week. Spent the next few months depressed, and lost many of my friends
in the process. Left Modesto for Oregon, and have only been back twice for very brief visits. Have not
seen many of the friends I still had since then. Started college, which I quit shortly after. I met a
girl who I will not name, and fell in love again, under rather unusual circumstances at the time. Little
did I know at the time, she would have one of the largest impacts on my life thus far.

1996 - This was the worst year of my life. After a cold, lonely day in February, I lost all sense of
direction, and any love I had of life was gone. There was no happiness this year, and it ended with
another blow to my emotions. Not much else can be said, except that I did survive. I spoke to her a few
more times in the early part of 1997, but I have never tried contacting her since then. If I had one
thing to say to her, it would be that I did finally find happiness. I do hope she turned out well, but I
can't say that I truly care anymore. I think she would feel the same.

1997 - I took my first real trip back to California in the earlier part of this year. I spent a few
weeks down there, and saw family and a few old friends. My dad almost died that summer, but recovered
and is still alive to this day. I got a job at Stream in Beaverton that year. I kept that job until the
summer of 2000.

1998 - Turned 21 this year. Took another trip to California. Met Corinna a few weeks before the trip.

1999 - Got together with Corinna on March 20th of that year. We moved in together in December of that
year. During the move, I left Oregon and moved to Washington.

2000 - Got a job at New Edge in Vancouver. I bought a cat for Corinna, who is currently resting by my
feet. She named her Laney.

2001 - Corinna and I got engaged in April of this year. Took Corinna to California to see where I was
from.

2002 - Married on June 1st. Honeymooned in the San Juan Islands here in Washington.

Life turned out to be very good. I hope that it remains this way for the rest of my life.