*holiday break

Historically, I get such a bad case of writer's block at this time of the year. It's such a tricky situation, when your birthday intertwines with the excitement and drama of Christmas and New Year's - and you are offered that annual license to look back and look forward all in one blow.

In the words of a good friend, this was the ultimate wait and see year for me. I am thankful however, that my time was not spent entirely looking through the window as others' lives unfurled. This year had its moments, too - and they were spread so strategically so as not to render all 365 days in an exaggerated pause. No, this was not the year the earth stood still.

I still have a few days before the year's end and I will use it all up to feel as alive as I possibly could.

You know how it is when every year is your year despite and in spite of? This is one of them years. And thanks to laughter, art, music, friendships, and strategic solitude, it came out better than I had foreseen.

I dare say, "Bring out the bubbly and the pass to the dark side!"