A New Year's Reflection

[Admin]

"And we couldn't have done this if it wasn't for you...and you...and you!"

At long last, we have reached the end of 2008. I felt it was completely necessary to sign on to the boards today and post something to sum up the entire year in one post.

2008 was a hard, but incredibly fun year. I realized a lot of dreams I had this year, as well as had experiences that were completely unforgettable.

As I've said many times before (and probably sounding like a broken record now) THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I had the privilege (and also financial irrationality) to attend eleven Hold Steady shows this year. Every single one in each of their own way was completely incredible. I cannot even begin to list the new friends I've made (and kept in contact with) throughout this year.

The people I've met through these shows almost overwhelm the fact that I went to see a rock and roll band. That still amazes me everyday.


Great tunes, and great people.

Whether it was the Massacre in Milwaukee, the ultimo-Unified Scene meetup in Baltimore in June, the epic showdown at the pool in Brooklyn, or the insane four show marathons in July and November, there are just dozens of perfect moments I'll keep with me forever.

Thank you for being a part of my life. All of you. A year and a half ago when I logged on to the first board, I never thought that corresponding with people from all over the world would be such a transformational experience. I've learned a lot about myself and a lot about every one of you.

That's what makes this community so special. Although we have such different lives, we lean on each other and takes the time out of our busy weekends (or weekdays for the more ambitious..) to go to different cities to see the best rock and roll band in the world and spend some time with awesome people that share one common interest with each other.

I'm glad I'm here and I'm able to contribute here. Next year is looking to be very promising in several regards, and I hope that I get to see you all again and finally meet those who I haven't yet.

Have a great new year.

Stay Positive, everyone.

- B

[lilhan]

<3

what he said...

[biblesalesman]

and you got be in a ton of pictures

[hoodrat]

Indulge me for a moment for my own ruminations on the year.

nationwide, this year was a beast. the usual political bullshit (+++ because i work with the bullshit), economic downturn, a couple of wars. our handling of the economic crisis is either lamentable or laughable. iraq improved, but afghanistan worsened. we're so tied up those places that we don't have the international allies and political capital necessary to achieve even our widely supported foreign policy goals, like arresting known terrorists, saving darfur, stopping the bloodshed in the congo, stabilizing somalia, force-feeding foreign aid to burma, funding AIDS programs in Africa, stanching the bleeding in israel, and glaring in a threatening manner at putin's tzarist aspirations. so, throw in a natural calamity or two and the rest of the world is fucked too. and the stupid, scary shit comes home. my friends and their children have been struck by illness or lost their jobs. seems like almost everyone is struggling, at least to make ends meet, sometimes against far worse. eartha kitt died on christmas day. everywhere i look - evil, calamity, entropy, shit and corruption.

so, i feel kind of bad admitting this, but i had a pretty good year. my adorable niece came into this world. i have more job stability than i would really like, but i'm looking into making a change. ybor city. my own personal fantasy tour - THS/DBT. some other truly kickass concerts. i read some good books. i used my carefully hoarded annual leave on a pretty intense few weeks in italy, and i still managed to set aside some money for the future. i made some new friends, especially here. my grandmother turned 90. my immediate family is all healthy and gainfully employed. and goddamn, even national politics might just start looking up in January. i did develop allergies for the first time in my life, which blows, but they are seasonally off at the moment. at work, i'm starting to feel like i know what i'm doing at least ½ the time. the one gigantic professional disaster has turned out to be not so gigantic. my one gigantic personal fuckup turned out to be not so gigantic either. i got a guitar, which i can't play, but it's fun to bang around on. this messageboard is awesome. i'm so damned blessed i don't know what to do with myself.

Like Brendan said, THANK YOU all for helping to make my world brighter. Whether you're coming off good times or bad, my best wishes and many blessings on your new year.

[biblesalesman]

Hoodrat, we could go on and on couldnt we. All of us. The bad has been staggeringly bad, but remember in 2001, we pretty much thought the world as we kew it had imploded. We had been attacked and were vulnerable. The market collapsed, we went to war. We were afraid to open the most innocuous of letters if they were stained or had no return address. NY was in shambles.Six years later the DJI went over 14,000. More people were working than ever before. We were rocking to BAGIA. All was good. ~Cue pendelum~
So now it sucks again. But it sucks more elsewhere. We have top remember that. What WE are is still important. What we BRING is still important. The JOY is with us, and only WE can let it be ripped from our hands. We need to stand the fuck up when things look bleakest. I AM gonna make it through this year if it kills me. And God knows meeting the group of ya'll has helped me get through this one. Roll on.

[cre618]

Well, 2008 almost killed me. Seriously.

But the right music found me.

Thank god for THS. And I've lucked into a great community of US'ers.

On to 2009! And, already a show (and plane trip) booked!

Jack