Goodbye 2004
Many people look upon the end of the old year as a time to say “good riddance.” Time to be done with the old bad year and to look forward to a new good year with high hopes and expectations (to be dashed and rubbished when it too is old next year). Of course there are always going to be bad things happing in every year. This year we had the almost a full year of death and destruction in Iraq, and Sudan; poverty and starvation around the world (as usual, sigh); domestic politics (I am not even going to go there); and a year ending tragedy of almost biblical proportions (120,000+ killed in the tsunami so far). Some might say this qualifies 2004 as an annis horribilis, but then almost every year would qualify, and 2005 probably will not be much better (and could be worse).
It would probably be better to assess the old year in more personal terms; history in general tends to be the record of bad events. I remember my own annis horribilis being in 1999. Carol and I moved into our new house and we spent so much of our time making in possible for my Grandmother to move into it with us. She died a week before she was supposed to move in, but that year was the year of death for both our families. Between Carol and myself we had 5 relatives who were close to us die in 1999 (although Carol’s grandmother technically died a few hours into 2000). However, 2004 has not been that way for us and particularly for myself, quite the reverse in fact.
Since rejoining academia, after a 10-year hiatus of working in the real world, I feel rejuvenated and ready to take on new challenges. I started teaching high school in 2002 and found out that I am very fond of teaching (corrupting the minds of the future). I started graduate school in 2004 and am finishing my second class (term paper due January 14th). Also, I am teaching honor students for the first time this year (which presents very different challenges than a regulars class). 2004 also has brought me closer to Carol, whose support for me in teaching and in graduate school has made both of these things possible for me, and my family as well (I really enjoy being with both Andrew and Marian, two of some of the finest people that I know). I felt I have grown personally as well, my understanding of myself as a human, scholar, and husband have all improved in 2004 (once again Carol gave me the support and every now and then a badly need kick in my complacency).
Yes, 2004 had some personal failings for me (as all years do), but as a whole things are getting better. I hope 2005 will be a banner year for myself as well as for all of you. Remember to be there for someone else in your life because we all need other people to succeed in life. I would not be where I am today (and 2004 would have been a bad year for me) if it was not for other people. We might not be able to achieve world peace, but we can make a difference in other peoples lives, one life at a time.
Happy New Years All!!!
Jon
It would probably be better to assess the old year in more personal terms; history in general tends to be the record of bad events. I remember my own annis horribilis being in 1999. Carol and I moved into our new house and we spent so much of our time making in possible for my Grandmother to move into it with us. She died a week before she was supposed to move in, but that year was the year of death for both our families. Between Carol and myself we had 5 relatives who were close to us die in 1999 (although Carol’s grandmother technically died a few hours into 2000). However, 2004 has not been that way for us and particularly for myself, quite the reverse in fact.
Since rejoining academia, after a 10-year hiatus of working in the real world, I feel rejuvenated and ready to take on new challenges. I started teaching high school in 2002 and found out that I am very fond of teaching (corrupting the minds of the future). I started graduate school in 2004 and am finishing my second class (term paper due January 14th). Also, I am teaching honor students for the first time this year (which presents very different challenges than a regulars class). 2004 also has brought me closer to Carol, whose support for me in teaching and in graduate school has made both of these things possible for me, and my family as well (I really enjoy being with both Andrew and Marian, two of some of the finest people that I know). I felt I have grown personally as well, my understanding of myself as a human, scholar, and husband have all improved in 2004 (once again Carol gave me the support and every now and then a badly need kick in my complacency).
Yes, 2004 had some personal failings for me (as all years do), but as a whole things are getting better. I hope 2005 will be a banner year for myself as well as for all of you. Remember to be there for someone else in your life because we all need other people to succeed in life. I would not be where I am today (and 2004 would have been a bad year for me) if it was not for other people. We might not be able to achieve world peace, but we can make a difference in other peoples lives, one life at a time.
Happy New Years All!!!
Jon
posted by Jon Benignus @ 10:51 AM
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