I often think about the differences in the passing of time. It goes slow when we’re kids and fast when we’re adults. Is it simply about having a basis of reference? An hour is only 60 small minutes and each one of those is 60 small seconds. I guess knowing how long it takes to do something, takes the fun out of it. When you’re a kid, you have no concept of time beyond being home before sunset. You also don’t care about time. You don’t wear a watch until you get your first one in 10th grade and even then, you often forget to wind it. When the battery dies, you stop wearing it. Or at least, I did. I still have the watch my Dad gave me in 10th grade.

This year hasn’t passed any faster than all those that came before it. So why does it feel that way? Once Christmas is over it’s on to New Year’s Eve and the whole thing starts all over again. Except this time, you’re a year older and perhaps a little wiser.

2008 was the year I started my freelancing career. In January I was liberated from Hot Topic the same day my Grandpa Ernie died.

In February we had a lunar eclipse and I took a really great photo of it. We also fired our gardeners and I took on the yard. I’ve regretted it ever since. Poloroid announced they were ceasing production of their iconic instant film.

In March, I turned 33. I didn’t talk about my birthday and can’t remember what I did. A full year passed since my Dad died. March was hard. I did an amazing photo session with an old boyfriend. I got into an accident on the 5-FWY in which my car was damaged and the squirrel died. My baby brother announced that his (hated) girlfriend was pregnant – this would cause a devastating family rift that is still unresolved.

In April, I went to Japan. A life’s dream come to fruition. April was a good month. I also learned why you shouldn’t get wasted on a long flight home.

In May, a friend I’ve known since first grade got married. I went to the wedding by myself. Gas prices were the highest in my lifetime.

In June, Wall-E came out. It remains one of the most beautiful movies I’ve ever seen. I saw Peter Murphy at the House of Blues. The Apricots on our tree came in. I had this wild idea of making jam, but the fruit went bad very quickly and I missed the boat.

In July, AJB and I went to Chicago to see his mom. The cicada were in full force. That month, we attended Comic-Con in San Diego and even though I wrote about it, I never published the post. I just did. I embraced Twitter and got into more trouble with the law – expired tags and mysteriously missing insurance information.

In August, we had what might have been an attempted break-in or maybe ghosts. My sister visited for a weekend. I made a YouTube video to take part in an online piano teaching experiment. I still haven’t started because the book is expensive.

By September, the heat was getting to me. I didn’t write much and didn’t get a whole lot done over Summer in general. I did some photo shoots here and there. I started up with a cool vintage clothing store that offers self satisfaction over heaps of cash.

In October, Obama-fever was setting in. AJB and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary by getting engaged. I voted early in Norwalk and waited 4 hours. My sister came into town and helped me pick out my engagement ring. On Halloween, we drove out to Vegas to canvass for Obama.

November, Obama won the election and all was right with the world. Mostly. We stayed in Nevada until the 5th. AJB bought my ring and presented it to me on the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland. A week or so later, we traveled to Florida for a theme park convention. I had a headache for three days, but got to meet lots of people and saw Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure. Starbucks unleashed their Gingerbread Lattes as “Ginger Snap Lattes”. My brother’s baby was born. Welcome Micheal Joseph Simental.

In December, we traveled to Chicago and New York. I saw Jersey Boys in Chi-Town and Liza in Manhattan. My brother, my Mom, and I saw Frankie Valli in San Bernardino. Bettie Page and Majel Barrett died. Christmas came and went. I was unprepared but it all came together in the end. I announced to my family that AJB and I were getting married – they all knew something was up, but thought I might be pregnant. LOL.

And now, here we are. The end of 2008. Is it just me or do years get more and more momentous as you get older? A long time friend got married, my grandpa died, I started my career, I went to Japan, Chicago (twice), New York, and Florida. I traveled more in 2008 than any other year. My brother had a baby and I got engaged. 2008 was filled with excitement and many life changing events. 2009 brings new promise, but I am hesitant to say it’s going to be great because I just don’t know. I do know that in 2009 I will be planning my wedding, turning 34, and getting married. The uncertainty of this economic crisis is casting a dark cloud over the new year. Who knows what the future will bring? *We are all interested in the future because that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives.

See what happened in 2007

*Crisswell, Ed Wood

Thanks to @tjcrowley for this which has made my day (or at least a small portion of it):

As you can see, it’s Obama in LOLspeak. Get it? No? Go here. It’s Funny. I would like to has one. Find and buy here.

That’s why I’ve decided to get off my ass in the final days and push for Obama. The choice is clear. Finally, do something or sit on my duff and watch the world I live in collapse into 4 more years of the same (to use a catch phrase). But it’s true, McCain and more convincingly, Palin, are prime examples of what’s wrong with government: overspending, rhetoric, name calling, bullying, fake plans, saying what you want to hear just to get the vote, tolerating intolerance, and claiming that they can fix all our concerns in 4 years. Right. Good luck with that. Obama has never said he can fix it all in 4 years. That would be great, but no president can. What we need is to hit the ground running, hoist up our sleeves and get to work.

Mostly, I admire a man that can inspire so many. That is he is inspirational has inspired me. I see the way people look at him and think, now that’s a man I want leading the country. A man that can rise above petty disputes and talk about the issues at hand. A man that says, hey, I can’t do it all, but I have an awesome team and I need your help. I mean, jeez, his entire campaign has been publicly funded. That says a lot.

Anyway, I like Obama for lots of reasons. Not because celebrities tell me so or because my boyfriend loves Obama more than he loves me. I like him because he really seems to care. I’ve heard people (my Mom) say he sounds too good to be true. And I think, yeah, that’s accurate. He does. But what if he really is the guy we see on TV, watch at rallies, and listen to on the radio? What if? I think the idea of believing in something so grand is scary to some people. It’s like thinking you could win the lottery. Why waste your time and money? Why hope for something that seems impossible? Well, you have to play to win. Yes, the chances of winning the lottery are slim, but the potential does exist.

Obama has a shitload of potential. He’s got great ideas, he’s logical, rational, and he makes sense. So yeah, I figure if I want change in this country, real change, I need to stop complaining to do something.

I’ve signed up for canvassing in Nevada over the weekend of the 1st. The last days before the election. AJB and I will drive out Halloween day and get up bright and early Saturday morning. Obviously, I’ll post updates on the way. I’m really excited. For me to be this excited is a big deal. Like most people, it’s been easier for me to sit back and watch things unfold and then complain about them at coffee houses. I really want Obama in the White House and want to help make that happen.

Keep in mind, I’m not the kind of person who that has ever actively become involved in a campaign. I never cared enough. I was cynical of Obama in the beginning and like a lot of people felt that he talked a good talk, but wondered if he could walk the walk. I’ve been paying attention. I think he’s got the walk down. And well, if it turns out he’s the anti-Christ, I for one welcome our new Satanic Overlords.

Hi Kristen,

Thank you for contacting us and sharing your strong feelings about this important issue. Please find a statement from Senator Obama below.

We appreciate hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Lindsey @ Obama HQ

—

Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil liberties of the American people. There is also little doubt that the Bush Administration, with the cooperation of major telecommunications companies, has abused that authority and undermined the Constitution by intercepting the communications of innocent Americans without their knowledge or the required court orders.

That is why last year I opposed the so-called Protect America Act, which expanded the surveillance powers of the government without sufficient independent oversight to protect the privacy and civil liberties of innocent Americans. I have also opposed the granting of retroactive immunity to those who were allegedly complicit in acts of illegal spying in the past.

After months of negotiation, the House passed a compromise that, while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year’s Protect America Act. Under this compromise legislation, an important tool in the fight against terrorism will continue, but the President’s illegal program of warrantless surveillance will be over. It restores FISA and existing criminal wiretap statutes as the exclusive means to conduct surveillance – making it clear that the President cannot circumvent the law and disregard the civil liberties of the American people. It also firmly re-establishes basic judicial oversight over all domestic surveillance in the future.

It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I voted in the Senate three times to remove this provision so that we could seek full accountability for past offenses. Unfortunately, these attempts were unsuccessful. But this compromise guarantees a thorough review by the Inspectors General of our national security agencies to determine what took place in the past, and ensures that there will be accountability going forward. By demanding oversight and accountability, a grassroots movement of Americans has helped yield a bill that is far better than the Protect America Act.

It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives – and the liberty – of the American people.

Standard issue response, but kudos for the quick reply and personalization. I’m sure they get a lot of angry email from people and have a response-o-matic team ready. I guess. Whatever. Nice that Obama addressed the issue, but it still doesn’t make it OK. It’s like saying “I’ll let my kid rob banks, but I’ll make sure to watch over him and if he requires disciplinary action, I’ll take care of it“. What does that mean?

Ok, this is why the country is so fucked up. Big corporations get away with whatever they want and with the promise of immunity from the White House – and now Barack Obama when he becomes president. If the law isn’t perfect, why vote FOR it and not AGAINST it until it is perfect? This is the kind of bullshit compromise that senators use to win elections. And it all sounds shady to me. Sounds to me like Obama will easily bend, he’ll do and say whatever he has to in order to win the election. Fine. He’s a politician. Charles DeGaulle said, “I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.” And I think he may have been right. Obama has painted himself as the president for change. Is he really, or does he just happen to be a really kick ass speaker? He’s an amazing speaker. He won me over with his “yes we can” and “change we can believe in” slogans, but maybe that’s all they really are…slogans.

In the end, here were are faced with yet another election where we as Americans must choose between the lesser of two evils. Is Obama a good man and will he make a good president? I don’t know. Is he smart? Yes. Will he change the world for the better? I don’t know. I hope so. Still, look at what he’s done. He really is changing the face of politics, but when he caves on shoddy laws, how can we trust him? He is, apparently, not a man of his word and that bothers me because I really thought he was.

I’ll continue to watch and wait. It’ll be a cold day in Hell before I vote for McCain, but perhaps Obama won’t get my vote either. How are you going to make this one up, Obama? Huh?