Man, right now, I'm squelched under the chaos of the "end of the year," which includes the two fold attacks from academia (research, courses, marking, etc) and life in general (Hey, it's Xmas time folks). Anyway, the only readable writing I've done of late is my family's annual Christmas Card letter. Does it have science content? Not at all.
Although, I think there is definitely a fine art (or maybe even a science) to this exercise. i.e. How do you write something that encapsulates your year without boring people to death or worse, making it sound like, you and your family had the "best/worst/most exciting/we are soooo full of ourselves" year?
Still, the challenge aside, I think it's nice to sit back and reflect on the year in some form or manner. It might not be riveting and certainly not relevant reading reading (at least not to others), but it's sort of taking the time to compose a "greatest hits" diary composition, which I'm sure is a pretty wonderful record to have if you do it year after year after year. Anyway, here's mine, and let's just also say that I would love to see others if the opportunity presents itself:
December 7th, 2006 (Our Year in Review)
So like - I can write this letter, because Kate has finally had her bath. Which I suppose is one of those statements that might sound a bit unusual, except to say that it has everything to do with having our new bathtub functioning at last. This is a bigger deal than you would expect, being one of those things that Kate has been looking forward to since 20021. Plus, it's a big tub, which is great, although also ironic since Kate has recently managed to get back to her "pre-pregnancy" size (yay for her!). I mean, wouldn't logic dictate a smaller tub?
For myself, things are pretty much the same, except maybe with a strengthened interest in the writing thing (I've got one of those agent things now). This year, I was published for the very first time in book2 form, which whilst is sort of cool sounding, actually reflects a pretty small contribution to the book itself - a book I might add that has a unicorn on the front cover (that's right people, I said "unicorn").
The kids, of course, are doing the usual kid things. Hannah (now 5) has entered Kindergarten, a little tentatively at first, but now things seem to be going well. Her first xmas concert will actually be next week, so you can bet that I'll be armed with the appropriate video recording technology, and making sure that google3, the world wide web, and indeed, all of society in general, is ready for this momentous occasion. Like before, she still wants to be an artist, although nowadays if pressed, will also admit to being o.k. with a princess gig.
Last year, for Ben (who is now 3), we wrote that he was "content running around the house, the mall, indeed probably the wilderness if we let him, like a crazed animal, or "SUPERBEN!" as he is wont to call himself." And hey, guess what? - that description still pretty much works, except that maybe we can also add "becomes a raving lunatic when that music video with the treadmills is played.4" Wasn't it Plato that said, "Of all the animals, the boy is the most unmanageable"? All I can say is that - man, that Plato was one sharp dude, especially since I'm pretty sure he would have known very little about either music videos or treadmills.
Anyway, all in all a good5 and safe year. Do visit if you get a chance, and maybe Kate will even let you use the new bathtub (I'm still in negotiations). Be safe, be content, Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.
Cheers, Dave, Kate, Hannah, and Ben
1.Just to clarify, this isn't Kate's first bath since 2002, just the first in her new bathtub. For the record, Kate washes regularly.
2.Mountain Man Dance Moves. The McSweeney's Book of Lists. Vintage Books
3.Wait for it.
4.The music video, we're referring to, of course, is OK Go's "Here It Goes Again." Check it out, it's awesome.
5.I will say that if anything has had an impressive year, it's our Honda Civic - it's had some pretty amazing folks in its passenger seat: Wade Davis (National Geographic dude), and Stephen Lewis (UN Special Envoy for the HIV/AIDS Pandemic in Africa) come to mind for example.
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Yes, I bet these letters are notoriously hard to write, and I only say that because I've never tried myself, but can only base it on the many I have read (often painful). This one is pretty good, although a bit "sunny" if you know what I mean. But then I guess if the year was good (as you say) then that's probably what you're after anyway.
I wish my name was in a book with a unicorn on the front cover. For some reason, Unicorns are uber hip right now.
and, i hear you started a blog with some self-parodying badass in the US. it's the berries. what a year.
ooh yes, having the word "badass" in the letter would be tops. I have to remember that one next year.