01.01.10

Do you remember where you were on 01.01.01? Ten years ago today.

There had been so much made of the calendar turning past 1999 and all current and future computers on the planet riding off into the sunset muttering,
"This is not what we signed up for...."

Ten years ago today I was making my bed. Most of the day, in fact, I spent making my bed.

Let me explain...(like you have any choice since this is my blog and I get to do what ever I want to....*evil laugh*...).

In preparation of another emotionally empty New Years Day, I had spent the week prior to the dreaded beginning of another year purchasing new bedding.
Sheets, blankets, comforter, dust ruffle, shams, little snobby pillows that matched.

Upon waking in the new millennium, I stripped all the old stuff from my bed and in the most ceremonial fashion I could muster all by myself, I spent the day creating my perfect dream bed. (Hey! Floral was in big ten years ago, don't laugh.)

After the bed itself was perfected, I cleaned, organized and prettified the rest of my bedroom for hours.

Dusting old candles that hadn't been lit in ages, cleaning the windows, washing the curtains. I did my best to create the best sanctuary I could.

In general I shared this room with someone completely absent and uninvested in such things. Understandable, I guess. But this type of thing was not the only thing he choose to dismiss regularly as 'too much work.' Aside from creating a comforting home, emotionally speaking, I was on my own, as well.

The computers did not crash as feared. The power grid managed to maintain power. There was no apocalypse or planet-wide prison break out. Yet it was still a pretty sad New Years Day for me. It was my futile attempt at finding peace without. As opposed to within.

Ten years later, I sense a slight shift. Or a continental divide.

A few weeks ago someone told me of
a local Polar Bear Plunge in a near by community. The seed was planted.

Okay from exhibit A and B here, 'plunge' may be a bit of an exaggeration. But STILL!

I wiggled my toes in the sand under the
water of Puget Fricking Sound today!

It was GREAT!

It was cold and slippery. But great is not a big enough word.


Unlike most previous News Years Days, this was emotion filled. Taking off a few layers, approaching the gray water, the first touch. Emotional. I walked down the algae covered stone steps into the water until my toes walked on the sand. The cold took my breath away. Emotional. I looked across the vast sound at the highest tide I'd even seen here. Emotional. I scanned the land in the distance. Emotional. I climbed back into the warmth of the 40 degree air and my eyes filled with tears. I was overwhelmed.
I didn't attend a public 'plunge.'
It was personal.
Today, I did a number of things I've never
done before. (Okay, it appears it was only up to my waist but almost none of you were there so most of you don't know for sure....)

I love this NEW year, don't you?


Mark my words:
Two Thousand Ten. This will be
a very good year.