The end of the year, regardless of which calendar you follow, is frequently used as a time for reflection. Why that’s the case is anybody’s guess, but I like to think that it comes down to the prospect of a new year; we can look back with a rose-tinted view of the horrors of the previous year and comfort ourselves that the next year may be better.

We have now been living in the US for over three years. This means that the date will soon end in 2011, despite the fact that 2006, 1997, and 1989 are still really quite recent. Additionally, my young wife and I will both be 40 this year, whatever that means. Obviously that’s not true, because we’re still 24, but we do appear to be moving through time a great deal faster than ever before. Einstein accurately described what happens as you speed up: you increase mass! And fuck me that’s exactly what’s happened (to me anyway)!

Humans are extremely adept at adapting to new surroundings and conditions – in fact that’s probably one of our most valuable qualities. However as a result of this talent we find it extremely difficult to assess our experiences; after a brief periods of adaption, every thing just seems…sort of…normal. But now and again it pays to enumerate some of ones achievements, no matter how minor and inconsequential they seem at the time, just for posterity.

Now, I started writing this last night and ran out of steam at this point. But tonight, frankly, I can’t be arsed either.

It snowed a bit.