There was going to be a "Year In Brief" covering 2006, but I got bored with the idea. Instead of looking back, I'm going to look forward to what the new year brings. Here's a brief run-down of some of the things that have happened already (in no particular order).
At the first training session of the year I found out that I had two weeks to prepare for a grading for both Iaido and Jodo, instead of the four weeks I was expecting. Panicking, I spent a fair amount of time at the dojo training and the rest of my free time writing the essay components of my assessment. It all paid off, as I passed both gradings on Tuesday, bringing me to Shodan in Iaido and Nidan in Jodo. During preparation, it felt satisfying to work through my own issues and make progress, and I felt like I was really beginning to learn. I can start to see the path ahead, something that was becoming clouded before. Although I'm not able to go to the national seminar and championships this year, I'm glad I've been able to make some progress.
There's been a spate of Ikea shopping recently. I purchased some cupboards to go in the alcove near the front door which will (eventually) hold a number of miscellaneous bits and pieces that are currently scattered around the house. More importantly, it will let free the spare room of the junk, making that useful space again. I also got the little boxes that fit in the bookshelf that I bought last year, providing more useful storage space for various things. I also picked up a new desk to replace my current ratty looking one. Its slightly shorter, but it will still hold all my junk. I haven't set it up yet, I'm waiting until I've got other stuff sorted out first. I'm not usually one for Ikea furniture, especially when they present storage the way they do in their catalogue, but I don't think I got anything too ugly, and am pretty happy with what I've got.
Sandy and Niaal have been cooking food and bringing it into work for the last week or so, sharing it around to those that want it. I cooked a Lasagna to participate, and will take it in tomorrow. Hopefully it won't taste like crap, and we can continue to do in-house lunches. I also roasted a leg of lamb (improvising from another recipe) and that turned out really nice too. Fortunately I don't have to share that :P Contrary to popular belief, I do actually enjoy cooking, but most of the time I just don't know what to cook.
Michele and I went down to Cottesloe beach on Wednesday night to look at Comet McNaught. We spotted it after about five minutes standing in the freezing wind, and continued to watch it for about another half hour until I finally got too cold. We also played with Michele's cameras for a bit, trying out the Holga in low light. We'll have to wait until they're developed to see how they went. When we look at the comet all we see is a little dot of light with a tail behind it hanging in the sky. Its hard to imagine just what the comet is, and how fast its moving. The closest I can get to visualising it is some corny sci-fi space movie, where there's an idyllic peaceful view of the Earth or some other planet in space, and then suddenly a giant ball of rock and gas comes hurtling past from behind us at a furious rate. What looks so peaceful so far away must be completely different up close, and I find that concept eery. We're such small beings on a chunk of planet whizzing through space at a mind boggling speed. It's almost enough to give you vertigo, if you think about it too hard.
Burning Crusades came out on Wednesday. I picked up my pre-order and started a Draenei Shaman on Argent Dawn. I played for an hour or two, but found it funny how packed the starting area was - everyone was starving for npc's for quests. I'm toying with the idea of starting a Blood Elf Mage, but I know my heart isn't in it. I might level my Tauren Druid instead - he's ready for the new levels. Sadly I think my WoW days might be numbered - I haven't played in two months, and still feel no compulsion to play. It would be a bit of a waste to have just shelled out for the new expansion just to close my account (although I doubt it would be any great loss). I'll see how it goes.
I think the spirit of this year will be to look for the little wins in between the bigger wins. I think last year I forgot how to live life, but I hope to learn from that and make this year count. There's things I want to do, both big and little, so I just need to get out and do them.
