The first Xmas commercials have been appearing before Halloween for as long as I can remember which goes back to the late 1960’s. When I was in Jr. High in the late 1970’s my friends and I would have a contest for when we would see the first Xmas commercial. It was typically in August. Finally, I have a book of old Charlie Brown cartoons from the late 1950’s where Charlie went to buy a Halloween costume but couldn’t find one because the store was putting up Xmas decorations. Despite this, every year people complain that it’s starting earlier and earlier.
The year I graduated college.
I’m glad you’re still with us. Does the use of the past tense mean you are now cancer-free?
I’m very sorry.
I’m very sorry.
I’ve been unemployed most of the year, can’t figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life, and have gained a lot of weight. On the other hand, the election looks promising.
The surgeon said he got it all (see my thread titled Cancer Free Boobies, around July 4th) and now I’m done with chemo and will be starting radiation next month to ensure it doesn’t come back.
So, this ain’t nothing but a thing. And I get to draw in my eyebrows every morning!
My aunt dying.
My wife’s struggle’s with her depression, the idiotic reaction of some of her relatives, and the superhumanly wonderful support of her mother.
Working on the Obama campaign.
Selling my soul to the satan–i.e., agreeing to administer the layoffs of half my friends in exchange for getting a better job myself in another section of the company.
Finishing my first year of marriage without doing anything excessively selfish or evil.
Loving my wife so much that that was easy.
2008, the year my beloved grandmother died.
Halloween? I wish. The Christmas crap starts before Labor Day around here.
where are you people seeing Christmas ads? I haven’t seen any and I’d like to know what forms of media I should keep avoiding.
The year that my mom died.
The year that I graduated college and started my life.
The year the Phillies won (I’m not a fan, but having grown up most of my life in this area, it certainly was quite an experience).
Sadly, the same here.
Nothing significant has happened to me this year that makes it particularly stand out. There have been some events of note, but nothing especially unique.
Still two months left, though, maybe something cool will yet occur.
This picture is of sunrise on New Years Day 2008.
A new year after the divorce. It’s been a pretty good one.
My condolences to those of you that have had sucky 2008’s.
Yeah, that too. :smack:
2008:
My dad died. 
I’ll graduate from college at the age of 43 (in Dec.). It is odd how until my father died that was the biggie for me. My goal. The thing I’ve been working towards for almost 5 years. But after my father’s death, it doesn’t matter that much anymore. I’ll be done with my degree, but it won’t be the joyous occasion I’d envisioned.
- The year I left Bulgaria, started grad school, and socialism came back into vogue in America, woohoo!
It was the Year of Philosophy (according to Cymk)
08/08/08
The end of my 18 year marriage and a 58 day strike.
2008:
The year my friend returned to the church of her childhood. She seems very happy, but I’m still nervous about authoritarian and anti-free-thought tendencies.
The year I found out what someone looks like after major brain surgery: swollen all over the head, and with an incision fastened by a series of staples that looked like a train track. That was last Wednesday.
The year I realized it would quite literally take a miracle to make me believe an any sort of conventional religion.
The year I discovered that I am completely unsuited to be an independent businessperson.
The year my birthday was 08/08/08, so if I had been Chinese, I would have been very lucky.
The year I seriously cleaned up my apartment.
The year I realized I have no chance in the romance department, so I gave up.
It’s the year my mom and I started getting along better and she become somewhat more accepting of the fact that I’m not straight. Even stayed a week in my home with my SO and I.
It’s also the year I went back to school.
Through sheer strength of will, 2008 will be a blank. If I’m weak, I will recall a year long progression of minor, but wearying, horrors.
Hopefully, Obama taking office will be the least of 2009’s joys.