A Very Good Year

[blodeuedd]

Happy new year, everyone!

Because nothing says "Happy New Year!" like a cat gazing toward the east!

Thank you, all of you, for making 2008 such a wonderful year. Thank you to those I've known for a while, for your ever-present friendship. Thank you to those I've known for a shorter while, for bringing new and interesting things into my life.

Special thanks to those of you I've met up with in Japan -- I hope I'll be able to spend lots more time with you in the future! Last year, one of my resolutions was to meet new people and make new friends. While I had no idea that it would happen because of Prince of Tennis (back then, PoT was nothing but a large, unwatched chunk of my hard drive!), I'm so, so grateful to have met you all and to have spent such fun times with you, and look forward to getting to know you even more.

Now, before I get [even more] misty-eyed, a brief run-down of the past year:

The New:

- moved into a new apartment and a new part of town, which I love;
- started a new job, which I love;
- changed my visa status and cut as many ties as I could from G;
- visited Provence, Osaka, Nara, Himeji, Taiwan and Hokkaido;
- got a pet of my very own;
- got a second job to help pay for my recently-acquired social life;
- learned how to crochet a granny square;
- lost my onsen virginity;
- fell into the black hole that is Prince of Tennis and all things related (oh god, tenimyu...);
- made lots of new friends in Japan, thanks to sewing, knitting and Prince of Tennis.

The Familiar:

- got several visitors from back home: B1, M-P, Bashy Boy, Tango Chick and D;
- knit and sewed, and was nearly felled by the insanity that was the Disney Princess Project;
- got back into anime (baby steps...);
- resumed my study of Japanese;
- bought lots of footwear and accessories and clothes;
- continued exploring Tokyo and loving living here.

The Sad:

- dealt with a few minor crises of confidence, brought on by coming out of my shell and opening myself up to new people for the first time in a long time;
- saw C (who was the first friend I made here, and the only francophone one) and Becca (who I'd only just met) move back home;
- said goodbye to Stanley.

So, how did I do regarding my resolutions for 2008? (Italics are for "sort of did it" ^_^)

- Continue with my book, movie and tv show reviews. Was off to a good start!
- Update my Travelpod more often! Again, I was on a roll for the first few months...
- Write more in general. Now that I have a more comfortable set-up, I should really use it, no? Uh... I tried NaNoWriMo?
- Visit Hokkaido in the snow. We hadn't really planned it that way, but there was snow, to my delight!
- Hike up Mt. Fuji with B1.
- Make a much more concentrated effort to improve my Japanese. JLPT level 3, I'm lookin' at you! ;D
- Finish the sewing and knitting projects I've already got on the go. Some yes, some no.
- Plan a backpacking trip for this summer. Taiwan was amazing.
- Get divorced! Still working on this...
- Decide what I want to do for the next couple of years or so. My lease is good until 2010, so looks like I'll be here for a while yet.
- Go out, meet people, maybe date. Succeeded far better than I ever thought I would...
- Try to do a little more cooking for myself. Stew and stuffing and trifle, oh my! :D

Not bad, what say you? ^_^

And in 2009, I will:

- Get divorced
- Attempt level 2 of the JLPT (K is in on this, and we have plans for weekly kanji cramming sessions)
- Do weekly reviews and Travelpod updates. Really.
- Go after what I really want.

I'll leave the recap of my Awesome New Year Night & Sunrise for another entry, because this one is long enough as it is.