Of New Years 2009, Sucky Cancer, and Gnarly GPS

Well, another year has gone down the Potty of History, my friends, and I sincerely hope I don't jinx myself and my family's financial well-being for years to come when I say that, in our case, it really wasn't that bad! I mean, I received my Masters and Alyssa is on the verge of completing her bachelor's; we both have jobs (mine is with a company whose leader is more powerful than Oprah! OPRAH!); we're steadily saving up for what will no doubt be an extremely cheap house; and we're on our way toward adopting. Oh yeah, and gas is the cheapest it's been since before September 11th. Can't complain there! Not everything is perfect, of course. We recently learned that my uncle Dave has a serious form of cancer. Sucks. I think Dave has always been my favorite uncle and I hope and pray that everything turns out for the best.

Alyssa and I went to St. George for Christmas this year. Good times were had in abundance. Granted, we didn't do a whole lot there--do we ever?--but when I'm on vacation I don't really want to do stuff. That's just the Ben Creed. Alyssa, who has to be doing something every second or she'll implode, may think differently, but she can go eat cheese. I mean... umm... I love you, sweetie! Ahem. Besides opening presents, we Guitar Hero'd it up (well, everyone else did, I played it once and decided I'd had enough); hung out with my friends (including the long-departed Russell and Kenley); and had my mother take pictures of us for our online adoption profile. That's about it. Oh yeah, we got a gnarly GPS for our car. Now we'll never get lost again! Bwa ha ha! (Just watch me somehow wind up in Nevada later this week...)

For New Year's Eve, we went to Alyssa's parents' house for games and snackage, but probably only stayed until 10:30ish because Alyssa got sick somehow (she claims it was because she "didn't blow-dry her hair in time"). So we missed out on some midnight drunken revelry in Times Square, no doubt, but I think we'll pull through. Somehow.