The first entry of 2009

The New Year is upon us, and so are new opportunities to break whatever resolutions that we promised ourselves just 24 hours ago. 2009 is yet another year to turn over a new leaf, begin anew, reconstruct the broken pieces of our banal lives and build something colossally cogent. A new dawn is arising, or whatever that line was from that trailer.

But in all seriousness, recent events and revelations have caused a maelstrom and whirlwind (maelwind? whirlstrom?) of emotions and pledges. And it's not just the New Year or the chemicals talking. I look back on 2008 very fondly, I did a lot of things I'm very much proud of, and right there is the foundation I can build on. The precedent has been set: I wrote a play, my cynicism tempered over the summer, I fell head-over-heels for a woman, I made a lot of new friends, I forgave and forgot, I made a point of educating myself through literature, movies, and writing, I became pseudo-independent, and I severed some cancerous growths from my life that don't benefit me at all. I had the motivation, obviously, to do these things when I didn't even put it on my list of things to do when 2007 ended. That's some inspiration, right there.

Furthermore, recent events have transpired that made me really reexamine my life and character. I haven't changed a lot (God, what would you people do without me, right?), I still accept the absurdity of life and the rules of the universe as the absolute highest power that can be granted, but life is short. Life is also beautiful, and when you go through it miserable, angry, disappointed, what enjoyment do you get out of it? The way I viewed the world, past tense, was that it was an ugly dog-eat-dog place where you can't rely on anyone, and everyone is your opponent. Hate everyone because they're out to get you. But that really isn't the case. Life is rife with opportunity, it just so happens everyone is too cowardly, for one reason or another to seize it. I sadly fall under this demographic, but that's what the New Year is for. 2009 will be a year to kick ass, take names, and make life worth living, instead of only partially worth living to see repeated screenings of The Dark Knight.

Also, recent events have also inspired an insatiable lust for jazz music, the ultimate form of self-expression, of beautiful improvisation. This is music that really comes from the soul, the essence of the musician that controls the instrument. A friend of mine who should be reading this entry right fucking now wants to go to a jazz club, and frankly, that would be the greatest thing ever. I have such respect for the art form that I actually want to learn how to play the sax. I believe Miles Davis played it, so if I learn, I'll be as cool as the guy who made Bitches Brew. Nina, I believe your uncle is a jazz musician, hook a brother up.

All in all, 2008 was a good year for me. I wish I had been bolder. I wish I hadn't waited so long for some things. I wish some things hadn't changed. I wish some things HAD changed. And I wish some things would just go away. But I don't regret any of it. What happened, happened and that's fine with me. I may have only gotten a small bite out of that carrot, but this is the year where I eat the whole damn thing. What does 2009 bring? College, rejection, and a new frontier. And to be honest, I'm petrified, as I mentioned. But I also mentioned that I'm excited. Excited to finally be able to test my abilities. 2009 will be a year of personal success, and I'm sure whatever I do between now and December 31st, 2009, I won't regret.

Cheers. And Happy New Year.

PS. We all know the real New Years celebration is Chinese New Year. Even though I'm not Chinese. Fun fact: we Vietnamese celebrate something called Tet, although you probably associate that more with a certain offensive during a certain 20th century conflict.