This year has been rough. I don't think I can start this post without making that clear. But like I said, things that I'm grateful for.
Firstly to my readers, thank you for another year of reading this corner of the internet. Its a little more serious this year, but readership is still steady and people are still getting worked up which I think is good. Some of the post, I've particularly enjoy include the one on the ice bucket challenge and the one about nice people. I think next year out of all years we need to see and appreciate different opinions more than ever.
Many good
Just as many bad
We chatted about them all
I missed her
For a moment
I let myself go
To what was
So familiar,
So easy
So relaxing.
But in the end
I said goodbye
To past me
And walked away
To face my future
Of course, I've started writing here a lot less on here now. I am now co-writing sweetandsourdispositions.blogspot.com.au. Everyone will probably know about it now, but I will be keeping this one here for more personal thoughts are probably more trivial posts.
But thank you for putting up with me for another year. I know it can't be easy reading what is probably very predictable. I'm more likely to take the harsher opinion, to side with my guts than with conventional wisdom and to push hard for my point of view.
I guess, the harsh reality of breaking into my 20s really set in? Is that too cliche to say? Regardless, lets get to thank yous.
To Mikey, Chris and of course Tom. Thank you for another year of poker, smash and DotA. I think I look forward to seeing you guys because I don't have to pretend to be anyone else. I don't have to reserved or extravagant, I can be exactly myself. To Tom in particular, I have valued your advice above all others this year. There is something in the logic and the way you put forward your advice which makes it resonates.
I made a bunch of predictions last year and some of them ended up exactly as I expected.
Awesomeness
To the group titled 'Awesomeness.' Its hard to call it a group anymore, when we've been all together as a group for all of one time this year.
To Gab, the most likely of all my friends to make me smile. Thank you
To Amanda, the most like to yell at me to not make things too hard on myself. Thank you.
#Wellthatsupsetting
To Sam, Thank you for keeping me in line. I know, its not the easiest job in the world.
The happiest people
Are often the ones who
Have gone through much
They are the best liars
The ones that hide it all
To ensure others don't have to
As long as that lie
Is there
Ever present
As long as happiness is
Around them everywhere
In everyone else
They too are happy
To Mina, we had a wonderful trip overseas this year. My family was amused meeting you and it was quite fun. Then there was that wonderful trip down to Lorne and the extremely intriguing story of finding my car keys. Honestly, the most yolo moment ever.
To David. I think more than anyone of my friends you have had to put up me the most. Through everything you've been nothing short but a great friend. Its really nice to have a constant throughout the year, to see in all my classes and just about everything social. I have been short on you more than anyone else, even thought you honestly don't deserve it. I cannot emphasise this enough and honestly, I feel bad just thinking about it as I write this. Thank you for putting up with it.
To all my group members, particularly my STD 3 group Nick, Dries, Andi and Richard, thank you for all the great work we've submitted.
To Kenneth, its been really getting to know you this year. I don't think we've ever had a good chat, but gaming is a good medium and of course travelling overseas is as well. Overseas, you were the most leveled headed out of all of us, the one that kept everything together which considering the three of us probably wasn't as easy. Even since then, there's a lot more in common between us than I expected. Thank you.
The Uncatalogued
To Kristy, you have been so kind this year. Patience is a virtue that the world doesn't have enough of but its great that you have it in spades. But this year, it has been your kindness that's been so endearing and valued by all those around you. Organising those balls most have been particularly enjoyable for us if we did it twice. RIGHT??? Know that I've appreciated everything you've done and tried to do for me this year. First semester could have been very different if it wasn't for you.
To Alice, another year of just small chats. Thank you
To Elliot and Declan, another year of bowling fun.
To Ishita, Amelia and Sarah, thank you for all the chats. Some friendships are forged from respect.
To Ashwin, another year and another year of seeing each just because. It was a great moment being able to give you your graduation pin. Its nice, thinking back to first studying together since year 9 to now having one of work full time. Its so nice to know you're always a short drive away. Here's to another step towards the future.
To Declan, if you would allow me to be presumptuous but you and Susan honestly seem inseparable now. I know its been a long time coming, but its clearer this year more than ever. I know what you're trying to do every time you give me a hard time, but I honestly, don't expect anything different you. I would be disappointed if you stopped pushing me.
Sweet and Sour Dispositions
To the fellow members of Sweet and Sour Dispositions. It was ambitious of me to get us together and write like this. Andrea didn't know everyone else whilst Steph and Josh wasn't exactly, the closest people ever. But, it wasn't like I chose your names out of a hat either. You all brought something different to the table and I think, 12 posts later we're doing quite well for ourselves. I'm extremely happy with the discussion the posts have generated and discussion we've had within ourselves.
No, I'm not going to lie, no one has written exactly what I expected them to, but its been very similar to what I thought it would have been. I do have some goals next year, its just a matter of trying to get you guys to agree to them.
(Yes, be morbidly apprehensive)
To Josh, thank you for taking the chance to write with us. Probably the one that needed the most persuading you have written extraordinarily well. There is something about your phrasing or your sentence structures that make your post that much more enjoyable to read. Your ability to either find my jokes funny or pretending to find my jokes funny still amuses me greatly. I know, I've put you in many difficult situations this year and for that I'm sorry but grateful for how we've both tried to ignore it.
To Andrea. If what I asked of my friends was quantifiable. And we then divide that number by another number representing the strength of said friendship. Then that resulting number would be highest for you. I really enjoyed Fridays afternoons; it was nice to have something to look forward to. There those two trips at the start of the year, the balls and that trivia nights that were all really quite memorable. Honestly though, I those absurdly inflated snapchat scores. What were thinking, using Snapchat as a communication medium. Last year I wrote, "To Andrea, lets see what the new year will bring." The open endedness reflected what I thought at the time but I didn't think we'd be where we are now. For that, thank you.
Jackson Chen: Go without me
Steph Byrnes: Whyyyy?
Jackson Chen: Does it matter?
Steph Byrnes: Yeah it does matter
Steph Byrnes: Always matters
All that happened (and it was great and everything), but we both know that's not the memorable moments for us. Those conversations in the car and that lengthy phone call when I was down in Lorne; I don't really know how to describe it besides that it was extraordinary given, how ... out of the blue it was and how utterly strange it is now looking back, yet strangely ... organic (is that the right word?) at the time.
And there's so many chance through the year when either of us could have just gone, this friendship is just too hard. And that would have been okay; we both would have understood. And I'm not going to lie, I'm surprised that neither of us have done that. It is that, that neither of us have just noped out of the difficulties of being friends, I am most grateful.
And finally
That's just it. When it comes to friends and more broadly challenges, its so easy to just go 'nope.' We need to be more conscious about how often we say no. Friendships only exists when both people say yes.
I have many regrets this year. A lot of things I didn't do properly, goals I neglected and values I gave up on. I hope I can turn it around next year.
To everyone, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I hope the coming year, will reflect all the work we've put in the past few years. I wish for my friends to be happy, challenged but successful in overcoming them.
~TastyJacks~
0 comments:
Post a Comment