My Daughter's Note to Santa

The Year In Review, Part II

Work life was pretty good this year. I'm lucky to get a bit of satisfaction and even pleasure out of my job, and that for now one income keeps the lights on at home. The end of 2005 held increased creature comforts when a company move put me into a posher office in the same complex as a Peet's Coffee and Club One. Though I was sad to leave the Chinatown Y, the access to this gym is incredible: about 90 seconds from work by way of elevators and a catwalk - I can get there without even going down to street level.

2005 resolutions #1-3 and 7 dealt with fitness. With those as my guide, I did a 10k and otherwise learned to be a runner to the point that I enjoy it. Marathons and half-marathons will come another year.

These resolutions did their trick: got me going. It feels right that this year I'll just keep on, and knock one or two more off.

The Year in Review, Part I

Resolutions and musings: out with the old ones and in with the new. As said last year, my resolutions were pie-in-the-sky, and I fell short of most. But they were also signposts and guided my way significantly. The biggest deal this year - and perhaps why some resolutions went to the wayside - was family. That is, my family got bigger when our son was born in August. I have to pause at #4: "Travel overseas with 2.5 year old daughter." Well, no, but instead we had another child, and drove to Southern California and back with a three year old AND a three month old. Not too shabby.

Having a second child is different and the same at once. The biggest difference is that there's less anxiety, more sheer work. The impact seems tempered by our already having made room in our lives for children. I think my daughter had to wait for us to make room, and made some of her own in the meantime. There was more adjusting to and around one another the first time out.

Yet much of it is familiar. Diapers and night feedings are back, back with a vengeance and still it feels comfortable and even comforting; I suppose I feel a bit like a professional parent.