The Waiting Game

I'm not the most patient of people. I try, believe me, I do. I always start off with the best of intentions, but somehow about halfway through whatever it is I'm supposed to be waiting for, I have to catch myself tapping or shaking my feet, fidgeting or something else to try to keep from asking the question I always seem to have to prevent asking:

How much longer do I have to wait!?

I'm also a big guy on common courtesies. If I call, it would be appreciated if I was given a timely response because I'd do the same for you. If I take the time to help you, perhaps you could take some time for me.

Saying all that, it probably wasn't the best idea to take advantage of a Chili's gift card my mom got for Christmas on the night before New Year's Eve. I have never experienced waiting for more than 15 minutes anywhere but Olive Garden (I would kill for those bread sticks!) on a given night or BJ's or The Yardhouse on a weekend night. Imagine my surprise when we arrived to a 30-minute wait that seemed a little short considering the fact that the place was simply teeming with people. It was out of control. When we finally got a table (I didn't keep track of the time, but it seemed like less than half an hour), I was in perfect positioning to see the end of the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. It was, as I'd hoped, a great game. However, I wish I'd been able to see more of it, as people must not have noticed I was watching it because they kept moving in front of me. I'm glad it wasn't a huge deal, though, because I was talking to my mom about the year.

Wow, it sure has been some kind of year, hasn't it?
(Pause for reflection) Yea, it sure has...
(Shared pensive glances)

This has been the most eventful year of my life, for such a varying array of reasons, that I can't help but half-heartedly expect something to go down on New Year's Eve just to cap it off. To review, in chronological order, I have:

• been turned down for a job I thought was so absolutely perfect for me that I was looking at apartments during my trip.
• seen the Giants(!) win the Super Bowl.
• visited friends in Chicago, a trip which confirmed my previous desires to live there
• been laid off from my job of almost three years.
• turned 26, sharing a week of birthday events which were very fun.
• turned down a job in Vail, CO, which would have solved one problem, but at the expense of my inner-gumption.
• gone on a cruise with one of my two best friends, Josh, and his fam to Cabo San Lucas, where I tasted my first little bit of internationalness and burned my entire torso to the color of salmon.
• seen my other best friend marry the most perfect, hand-picked by God, woman that not even I could have chosen for him. It was the best wedding I've been to PLUS it was Ryan! It was the happiest day of the year...by a mile.
• applied for various jobs, been denied said various jobs, doubted myself, pumped myself back up, leveled off into a state of blah.
• tried to support friends as they deal with their parent's abrupt and unexpected passing on.
• decided to take that leap of faith and move to unknown parts.
• learned that my mom's guy was diagnosed with cancer in his bladder, prostate and right kidney.
• reconnected with some of my closest family friends with whom we had been estranged for nearly 10 years. It was so good to be able to attend Catrina's wedding and I can't describe what it meant to see everyone again.

I went into the desert headstrong and ready to take on whatever troubles might arise during the journey. I stand today, having gone through some seriously tough times that I didn't see coming. Suffice it to say, it's been a longer process than I, or anyone close to me for that matter, expected it would be. This year hit me like a Tonka truck and changed me, not totally for the best. I pray that in 2009 I take steps in getting back much of what was taken away from me through the tumult.

I began 2008 hyperventilating in Ryan's apartment. I've always heard the way you ring in the new year determines how that year will be. I've never actually believed it might have a sliver of truth until this year. It left me gasping for breath. So, bring on 2009. Here's to hoping it goes a little better than the previous. Now, that's something worth being patient about. Luckily for me, I don't have to.

Happy New Year, people.
May your 2009 be better than your 2008.