Reflections of my life, '08

....The end is near, the end of 2008 that is. All in all, for me it was a pretty good year. But then my idea of good means that there were no major catastrophe! I'm one that likes the same 'ol, same 'ol, day in and day out. Mundane is alright with me, I don't like surprises. Surprises for me have been, "SURPRISE!", the swat team is in your yard. Or,"SURPRISE!", remember me? I'm the cop you sold pot to! Or, "SURPRISE!", you just came to and your upside down in your truck! Oh, and let's not forget, "SURPRISE!", the IRS has finally caught up with you. Mundane? Yep, it's alright with me.
....So transitionally speaking, it's was a mundane year. I took my meds, lived each day with no surprises, and made it through the second year of my transition. YEAH! Now, let's move on to number three.
....Financially speaking, like everyone, I took a hit. But it was only in part due to the economy of our nation. Gas and groceries going sky high were my biggest problem, like everyone else's. Mine and my wife's wages stayed the same, and everything got more expensive. When gas was over $4 a gallon, we were spending 1/4 of what we make to get back and forth to work. Thank goodness it went down to $1.35 per gallon here, I doubt it will stay there though. And in the middle of the high gas prices, there was my car fiasco. After taking up payments and paying off a note, a friend, an ex-friend, took the car back with me no recourse to get it back. (lesson learned, get it in writing!) That left us with one poor, poor vehicle living 23 miles from work. Every penny we could make went on getting another car, one that you wasn't afraid would break down every time you left the driveway. But we managed, it's paid off now. It gets 100 miles a day on it, so a different one will be needed sometime this coming year. Jees, I'm planing ahead, I never do that! I finally must be growing up!
....Marriage. We are doing better than we ever have. Patty Lou still says my transition is the best thing that could have happened for our life together. We started out 35years ago as friends who feel in love. For 33years, I was a mess of a person who was a bitch to live with, why she stayed with me I don't know. My transition has caused a 180 degree turn around in my life, causing me to become the loving spouse that I should have been. This second year of me full time has been better than the first, and three should be even better than that.
....So out with '08, not that it was bad, and on with '09, I'm sure it will be better.
....I wish everyone a Happy New Year!!

Stephanie