Yo Adrian, we did it (2006 in retrospect)

Composing a decent year-end post is difficult when you have trouble remembering what happened in November, much less January. I can, however, recall some of what happened this weekend. So let's start there.

I saw Rocky Balboa (aka Rocky VI) Friday night. I really liked it, not surprisingly. When he drank the glass of raw eggs, I immediately felt a bond between the movie and my blog.

Then at the end of the movie, a strange calm came over me. It was as if, for just a few fleeting seconds, there was harmony amongst all living things. And suddenly this crazy world made sense. There was nothing too shocking or different about it. But that's what made it nice.

Think of it as if it were a Coke. Rocky I was like the first time I ever tasted a delicious Coca-Cola. I wanted another. And so I had Rocky II. And by the time I had finished Rocky III, I couldn't get enough.

Rocky V, meanwhile, was like New Coke. Why change something that works? It didn't work. And left a bad taste in the mouths of Rocky fans everywhere for the past sixteen years. But in Rocky VI, they went back to the old formula. Classic Coke... or, Rocky. I feel it is a perfect ending to the sextrilogy, or six pack, whichever you prefer.

I spent New Year's Eve in Huntsville, eating Thai food for the first time in my life, at a place called Phuket.

And according to unconfirmed eyewitness reports, sometime in the wee hours of the morning on January 1st, a blogger resembling me was heard humming "Hail To The Victors" while marching back and forth in his friend's girlfriend's living room, shortly after pulling the answers "Ann Jillian" and "Beirut" out of his tail on consecutive questions, thus securing his come from behind victory in 80's Trivial Pursuit.

Since I can't seem to remember much of what happened this past year, here's a look back at the year in blog. This is purely for my benefit. For my posterity, should they ever exist. But I encourage you to browse at your leisure:

1. Word Verification (When Blogger, a moment of comic genius, and a beer commercial collided to create the perfect storm.)
2. That flash before your eyes thing (AKA The time I almost died.)
3. Bad week gone good? (Which includes my seemingly annual trip to a George Strait concert.)
4. When I grow up (My unwitting motivational post, originally intended for myself.)
5. My inner hairy man (Which became my outer hairy man, as I decided to grow facial hair for the first time since the Great Goatee Disaster of 1998.)
6. Be a sweetie... (Here I unveil one of the great secrets of male behavior: Why we sometimes pee on the toilet seat.)
7. The Ex-Files: Rachel (I began a fun, new feature on the blog, writing about ex-girlfriends.)
8. 59:59 (I ran my first 10K. AKA The time I almost died again.)
9. Betta Talk (My fish, Pablo, answered your questions, with help from me, of course. He has trouble pressing the spacebar.)
10. Back from the edge of the Earth (Recapping my mostly annual trip to the coast. Where I was once again reminded that my Age-dar is out of commission. And where I bungee jumped for the first time in my life. AKA The third time this year I almost died.)
11. I don't care if I never get back (Axl and I go to a Reds/Braves game.)
12. Day Two: Natchez Trace (My solo trip up the Natchez Trace, where I snapped the sweet bridge picture which adorns the top of my blog. This also included my overnight stay at the Belmont Hotel. I went to Graceland this year, too, but apparently didn't write about it.)
13. The hurt (As always, all was not sunshine and rainbows.)
14. Oh, Phalanx (I may or may not have broken my pinky toe.)
15. Capote (I write about reading my first Capote book. Later in the year, I watched the movie.)
16. Last remaining single cousin (I attended the wedding of my last remaining single cousin in Atlanta.)
17. Rope, sweet, dawn (Three Word Wednesday had its rather inconspicuous beginnings. On a Thursday, no less.)
18. The changing face of Bone (After many years of only wearing contacts, I got glasses.)
19. Micah's Lullaby (I found out about Baby "Micah." Who I'm most happy to say is out of the hospital and has found a loving home.)
20. Civic duty (I was chosen to keep a Nielsen TV Diary.)
21. The time I almost met John Stamos (My brush with fame was part of the first ever 80's Week on IYROOBTY. I also caught everyone up on the New Kids On The Block.)
22. Home is...where? (I found out Dad had sold the last house we had lived in before I moved out on my own.)
23. Festivus 2006 Recap (And of course, I held my 2nd Annual Festivus Party.)
24. Introduction (I gave her a name: Lily)
25. Sometimes (And this is all still true.)

I want to wish you all a happy, safe, and prosperous 2007. May the sunny days outnumber the rainy ones. And may we all cherish each and every precious moment.

"I guess it's been a good year for roses and aggressions. For flowers and freeways. And I guess I'll put a smile on, and get a new girlfriend. Yeah, put a new hat on..."