I think 2005 will be “meh”.
I haven’t had a truly memorable year in a good while. Since 2000, every year has sort of blurred with the last until I can’t really tell them apart without thinking about it. I suppose that’s a good thing, since that means no tragedies have happened to mark those years… but there were no great joys either.
Here’s hoping we all have some joy in 2005.
2004 dumped several big steaming piles of shit on my life–total burnout and extreme depression during my last semester of college, trouble finding meaningful work during the summer, the ongoing stress of trying to do grad school stuff while fairly certain I didn’t really want to be doing it, repeated assaults on my car…not to mention the completely unexpected suicide of my uncle this summer. Even the one (admittedly very) bright spot, getting together with my current boyfriend, brought its own problems, as I ended up spending most of the time I was supposed to be doing homework and reading talking him out of wanting to kill himself over his failing job search. Long distance, as I was about 900 miles away from him for three whole months.
I’m a little wary of ever declaring that things are looking up, but I’ll go ahead and say it: 2005 will be better, possibly even good.
[ul]
[li]I feel better about the grad school thing now. I’m happy about it, even.[/li][li]I’ll finally be getting my car back after two months without it after the last Bad Thing happened.[/li][li]The BF has had a couple of promising job interviews. Granted, even if he gets one of the jobs we’ll still be long distance, but things will be better if I don’t feel like I have to be on IM constantly (instead of working), and if I’m no longer always spiralling down into empathic depression. Also, if he has a job he’ll be able to save up money and visit me.[/li][li]At this point, I have precious few family members left for anything bad to happen to. They all seem pretty healthy physically, and while none of us will ever be noted for our psychological well-being, I don’t think anyone is or will be ready to, say, take a power saw to their neck.[/li][/ul]
I also have a generally good feeling about things…though I admit this is probably the result of natural fluctuations in my mood. We’ll see how I feel about life in a month’s time.
knocks on wood
2004 was one of the worst years of my life and having had fourty of them, that’s saying a lot.
2005 is going to be rough for at least the first half. I really need some random factors to operater in my favor. (in other words, get lucky)
Well, assuming I don’t get fired again I should be out of debt by the end of 2005. Plus some particularly nasty items on my credit report will drop off this year. So from a fiscal standpoint I should have an OK year.
Every other aspect of my existence, however, is on track to be a continuation of 2004’s gaping sinkhole of suck.
2004 was pretty much the best year I’ve ever had. It continues to be absolutely phenomenal.
I am really looking forward to 2005. It will have its share of challenges, but I really do think I can face them head on. For the first time ever, I feel ready to, so for that reason alone, I welcome 2005 with open arms.
The only difference I see between this week and next week is that the two are seperated by a weekend.
2004 was pretty bad and I won’t rehash it here. This calendar year cannot end fast enough AFAIC.
2005 is going to be GREAT! I graduate from college in May, I’ll get a real job and start my career, I’m making some other changes in my life and it’s all gonna be awesome. Can’t wait 
I moved in with grampa after gramma died, about three years ago. He died 2 January. My parents told me two weeks after his death that I had until 15 March to get out. I got, but not before totalling my car, getting a tooth pulled, and almost getting dumped.
Since then I haven’t spoken to them, have actually gotten dumped, have been laid off from my dream job, can count my friends on one hand, and have a guaranteed income of $3300 between now and September 2005.
The last time I said “it can’t get any worse” I got hit by hurricane Andrew.
If this year doesn’t improve over the last it’ll kill me because I really can’t take anymore.
Knocking on wood ,I expect this to be a working year , rather than some sort of break out.
Barring any sort of natural disaster or economic meltdown, my job and social life are trending to the upside.
I hope that your year does go better than you expect , but if not we are always here to help you through.
Declan
2005 looks like being unremittingly crappy but I’ve read the earlier posts and am just grateful it probably won’t be as bad as some.
It’s looking good right now. I was illegally terminated near the end of 2003, and have had some personal problems with certain members of my family. Though the family situation looks unlikely to improve, my lawyer finally came to an agreement with the school district for which I worked, so I’ll be finishing out the school year for a first grade teacher going on maternity leave. Next fall I’ll have my own class again.
I’m not going to go into detail here - anyone who cares that deeply can simply email me - but in terms of what could reasonably go worse, 2005 would have to make a concerted effort (like “You have to go back to high school! Oops!”) to be worse. Whatever higher power exists, if any, forgot to be nice to me this year.
Well, the only thing I have to complain about is being the odd man out. 2004 was a generally lousy and stressful year for me, but I have to say for the first time in recent memory I’m genuinely optimistic and encouraged at the prospect of the next year.
[ul]
[li]I just started a new position at my job, so I’m finally doing what I’ve been struggling to do for the past 10 or more years.[/li][li]I’m in a new relationship that completely took me by surprise, as I’d pretty much sworn off dating because I was doing such a lousy job of it. And so far, this hasn’t been a case of stressing out, or looking for red flags, or desperate for reassurance that it’s working, or a clingy need to be together 24/7, but just being together and being happy.[/li][li]My company has gotten so much bad press for working conditions from last year that they’re going to be forced to improve things next year.[/li][li]I’m working on a project with some of my favorite people within the company, and everybody seems dedicated to making something good instead of just doing a job.[/li][li]Last year was the first year I’ve been completely out of debt.[/li][li]Because of all the stress last year, I lost a lot of weight, and so far haven’t seen any signs of gaining it back, so this is the first year I don’t think of myself as “fat.”[/li][li]My “big news” last year didn’t cause me to lose friends as I was afraid it would. If anything, it’s made me closer to my friends and several of them have commented that I seem happier and calmer and don’t feel like there’s something about me that’s “hidden” from them.[/li][li]I somehow managed to make even more friends last year, and some of them have become my closest friends.[/li][/ul]
So I’m having a hard time seeing 2005 as anything but a huge world of potential. Of course, this means my flight home is going to crash, or I’m going to get hit by a bus on the way back to my apartment, but at least let me enjoy the moment!
And LifeOnWry: Happy Birthday!
I’m starting the New Year with a bang! Or perhaps simmering, unfocused rage would be a better descriptor.
About the only reason I have to feel positive about 2005 is the fact that I’m not shelling out for a calendar this year; I’m using the freebie that came in The New Yorker a couple of weeks ago.
It is a very nice freebie, BTW – B&W photography – if the calendar itself is a bit on the miniature side.
My term with CTA staffing ended on March 5, and everything from that until November 1st was a long, painful job hunt, with THREE different employment agencies turning to be completely useless.
Grand total of about four days of work between March 5 and November 1st. Don’t even want to recall how much crap I took for it at home. (Believe me, I was looking.)
My first two months with the City weren’t completely smooth, either, as I’d never done civil service before and had quite a bit to learn.
So inasmuch as 2004 is most likely my final year of total awkwardness and fear…yeah, 2005 is looking up.
Oh yeah, before I forget…I’ve completely settled into my job, it’s secure, and as long as there’s a Honolulu, it’ll always be there. And the people there are absolutely wonderful; they actually want me to succeed (unlike SOME employers I could name!). Domestic situation’s finally approaching a sense of normality, too, and I have more money to enjoy the things I like.
So in all life is looking up…and if I may say so, it’s about DAMN time!
(Just wanted to make that clear, y’know, 'cause I was kinda afraid that other Dopers were thinking that I’m negative about everything and all. 
)
Mother and aunt had serious illnesses and had to have operations. Cousin died of a stroke after suffering senile dementia for 5 years. I got sick (puking blood) and went to the hospital where I had to have a tube put through my nose and down my throat. I assigned a friend to look after my pets. Came home to find friend in worse health than I was. He had all the symptoms of scurvy. Good news: After a few days of vitamin pills he was a lot better. Bad news: I accidentally stepped on one of my birds, who was on the floor and came running towards me thinking I would pick her up. She died.
It could be worse. The tectonic plates in New Mexico don’t move much. But you say there’s going to be another year? A 2005? I there some way we can avoid this?
You know what? I have ab-so-fuckin’-lutely nothing to complain about, this past year. Yes, I’m living in one of the most horrid parts of california you could imagine, I’ve not had a date in so long I think I’m officially a virgin again, I’m in debt up to my eyeballs, and I’m a very dispensible part of public education.
But.
The vast majority of my crazy, wonderful family is in good health and experience has shown me we’ll survive fairly well if anyone does get a scythe to the jugular. Plus, I’ve learned to tune out most of what’s annoying about my job and it’s paying off those bills by leaps and bounds for the foreseeable future. If I can just get over my fear of change, I could be out of this pustule of a valley and on my way to glory not eight months from now. Like my fortune cookie read, “Next summer you will dance to a different song.” And a fortune cookie wouldn’t lie would it?
Good luck to everybody who needs it!
[sup]And did I mention that a friend of a friend asked if I was seeing anyone and told that friend that he thought I was sweet?[/sup]
Another vote for “Good riddance 2004”. This was not a good year for me and I am more than happy to see it in the rearview mirror.
2005 is looking promising right now and I’m confident there will be some serious changes in my life by June. I’m optimistic that these changes will be positive and pretty much any positive change will automatically make 2005 a damn sight better than 2004.