End Again

Here we are, at the end of another year. If you believe the Mayan calendar, we won't see the end of 2012, so you'd best milk tonight's party for all it's worth. I however, plan on being the pain in the arse who lives past the 2012 Dooms Day. I figure all the people of great annoyance will be gone. That aside, I'm too darn stubborn to end with the rest of the world.

Anyways, I thought I'd take a few moments to reflect back on this year. Perhaps when I'm done, you'll do the same.

Back in January, I started my last six months in the slitters at ArcelorMittal Dofasco. I had to work New Year's Eve last year, but that was alright because we ordered in Chinese food, and had our own, ever-so-small soiree. The lunch room had a few banners taped up, perhaps some New Year's party table cloths, and I do believe one of my co-workers brought in a few bottles of that sparkling, glorified juice that's like a non-alcoholic champagne. As well, Allie celebrated her 18th birthday, and what a year for it too. After all, this year was not only coming with a Federal election, but a Provincial one as well. Hello, first time voter!

I was out at Timmie's one night with a friend of mine, back in February, if memory serves, when she told me that her brother was getting married in the Dominican. It was then that I was invited to go along. Of course, I said hell yes. After all, the last time I went on an out-of-country adventure was 2007 when I went to Germany.

March 10, 2011 meant that my cousin had one year left to endure with his cancer treatment. Need more be said on that subject. Also, the Tim Horton's Brier was held in London, Ontario back in March at the John Labatt Centre, and my mum, aunt, and I all went for the opening weekend. That marked my second-ever Brier. My first one was at Copps Coliseum back in March 2007 (I'm seeing a 2007/ 2011 trend going on here). While at my second-ever Brier, I was able to meet Team Kevin Martin from Alberta, which is my favourite curling team. It may not sound very exciting to the rest of the world, but to me, it was awesome!

Once April hit, I received an invitation to the first of four weddings that I would be attending this year. My friend's mother was getting married, and I made the short list of invitees. I don't think anything else occured during April, except for my mother's birthday, and my neighbour's as well.

May was a busy month. To start, there was the Federal election. Like I always do, I hit up the advance polls. Usually, I do that because I don't want to endure the crowds at the polling stations. This year, though, I actually had to work on election night, so since I had to sleep during the day, going to the advance polls worked out for the best anyway. I was like the Unofficial Slitter Elections Correspondent for the evening. I kept myself signed in to the computer all night in the shipping pulpit, and between my mum and Allie, I was receiving constant election updates. Though there were many people who didn't shiveagit (okay, so they didn't find the election to be nearly as exciting as I do), there were still a couple of people who would call me in the pulpit asking who was in the lead. The results were fascinating. Stephen Harper won his third consecutive election, and this time, it was a Majority Government, but the most talked-about result hands-down was definitely the Official Opposition outcome. The Liberals were taken down (goodbye, Michael Ignatieff), and the NDP, led by Jack Layton, became the new Opposition party. As well, Elizabeth May, with her Green party, actually managed to win a seat in the House of Commons. And people say politics isn't exciting. Oh, I also cannot forget that my friend's mum got married on Friday the 13. It was a good time. I'm glad I didn't miss it.

June was also an interesting month for me. My time at Dofasco had come to an end. Having to readjust wasn't easy. Sure, my contract ended at the perfect time, but trying to transition back to normal was a pain. I probably took a good two weeks to get my body back into a proper, healthy, sleep schedule. As well, I helped one of my former co-workers (it had only been a week, if that, since we were no longer working together) move into one of the new surveys in my community. It was then that I discovered just how much my home had changed. Not only had I never heard of the road that her new house was on, but I actually had to go to Google Maps, and get directions. The saddest part about that is she only lives three minutes away from me.

Hands down, July was probably the busiest month for me this year. It was also the most fun, interesting, sad, and irksome, if that makes any sense. Like always, my family hit up the Dofasco Rec Park for Canada Day festivities. Some of our family came out from London, Ontario, to join us, and like always, we had a blast. I saw another former co-worker, and like every year, the entertainment was fantastic. July 18 also marked the day that my Great Gram, who was 97 years old at the time, moved out of her house, and into a retirement home. Such a thing may not seem like it'd be sad, but for us it was. We had started taking care of my Great Gram when I was four years old, so for it to just all of a sudden cease was very strange and foreign to me. The original reason why she had to leave was because my mum was having knee surgery. Kudos to Dofasco for ending my contract back in June, because someone needed to be home to give my mother a hand. As well, Allie and I decided to take a trip to Montreal. We took the train out, got lost trying to find our way to the hotel, got lost again looking for the old city, went clubbing, shopping, and explored McGill University before bringing the train back home. The day we left for Montreal was the day that had the record high for heat (I think my aunt's thermometer read 50 degrees Celsius) which was most unpleasant, even on the train as the air conditioning wasn't always on, and when it was, you felt like you were in a meat locker. July also marked the second wedding that I would be attending this year. It was nice. It was at a cottage, and the ceremony was held on the beach at sunset.

August was another interesting month, but thankfully, less busy. Jack Layton, the leader of the Official Opposition, had stepped down, with the intent of taking a temporary leave, due to his cancer returning. Tragically, on August 22, he passed on. He didn't get to lead the Opposition for very long, but he certainly left a mark in the pages of the Canadian history books. I was never a Layton fan, though I respected his speaking abilities, but to go so far only to never use the outcome of his hard work to his full potential really was quite sad.

Come September, Allie started her first year at university. As well, there was the Binbrook Fair, Great Gram celebrated her 98th birthday, and I started my first-ever blog (yes, it is the one you're currently reading). Also, I had started to get back to job hunting, and I enlisted the help of Goodwill Career Services. At the moment, I'm still with them as I'm still looking for work (if you know of anything that's up my alley, please, send some information my way). 


Once again, October was a crazy busy month. I attended my third wedding on the Saturday of the Thanksgiving weekend (and for the record, it was a blast!). Not only was the couple friends of ours, but they were our neighbours too (until they moved to a neighbouring community, though the rest of the family is still a few minutes away). Of course, there was Thanksgiving  as well, but there was another tradition that I took part in yet again. One of my childhood friends and I, the past few years, have made a habit of going to Rockton to its community's fair, which is always on Thanksgiving weekend, and hitting up their demolition derby. As always, it was most enjoyable, though I still remain biased about Binbrook's fair. But, the one thing that works in Rockton's favour is the panzerolli guy is there (think pizza done perogie style). This year, though, Thanksgiving wasn't as much fun as it could have been because I was unwell for the last half of it, and for most of the week following. Don't go thinking that October wasn't any good as a result, though, because I'm an October baby, and keeping with tradition, I had my Annual Film Fest, where we celebrate the absolute worst in thriller, horror and sci-fi. And we can't forget that October also came with elections in Ontario. I'm still bitter that the Liberals won, but at least who I voted for in my riding was successful.

November was a really good month too. I was finally able to attend the Remembrance Day service at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, which I hadn't been able to do the last few years. While I was there, I ran into my friend's dad, and was able to have a great catch-up and visit with him. I hadn't seen him in about two years. The service reception was held at the 447 Wing's new location. I hadn't been to the Wing since it moved. They've done a real nice job of the place. But, no matter how good it looks, it's just not the same (when I was a cadet, we'd hold many squadron activities at the wing. It was another home for us). November was also when I went to the Dominican for a week for my friend's brother's wedding. I had never been, and it was amazing. The resort was beautiful, there was always something to do, and I met some awesome people. I tried snuba (think scuba diving, but you're hooked up to an air hose, instead of carrying a tank on your back), discovered that wearing summer clothes in November was just strange, and became tired of alcohol really freaking quick. That being said, I would love to go back.

Finally, we've come to December. Christmas this year was a little strange because Great Gram wasn't in here for breakfast. But, we went to see her in the home, and had a really good day. We went visiting many days this month to friends and family, many people came here, and now tonight, we celebrate the end of one year, and the entrance of another.

Well, I think that concludes my review of 2011. May your 2012 be healthy, fulfilling, fun, and may the world not end next December. Of course, if it does, I encourage you to be a stubborn pain in the arse, and survive with me.