So here we are, the end of another year. So much to look back upon, so much to look forward to. This year was full of surprises, fun, sorrow, shock, and excitement. Surprises included the election of the NDP in Alberta to a majority government (I honestly never thought I would have lived to see that day, and in all honesty it seems like the worse case scenario for Alberta is happening). Fun was a Weird Al Concert and a Vinyl Cafe recording with my wife, plus lots of fun with the kids at the zoo. Sorrow was the passing of Leonard Nimoy (a large figure of my childhood) and Grace Lee Whitney (another Trek original), and the Syrian refugee crisis. Shock came from south of the border with Trump being a front-runner to be the Republican nominee for the next presidential election and more senseless gun violence, while across the seas the stain of ISIS resulted in horrible terrorist attacks in the countries of France, Beirut, and others. Excitement came through film, with new Avengers, Jurassic Park, and Star Wars installments, and through friendships, with a long-deserved finding of eternal happiness for one, and Fringe Festival excitement with the Harkers in Edmonton. Life has bee nothing but interesting this year.
We said goodbye to President and Sister Bennett at the Calgary Temple a couple months ago. Their service was greatly appreciated. The new temple presidency is equally wonderful to work with. We said hello to a new niece, Isabella Swendsen, around the same time. I have reconnected with my brother Kevin as he has worked through some struggles recently. We took another trip to Utah and enjoyed our time there with the Fergusons. Zoo Lights has been fun, as usual, but I am very excited about what looks like a new zoo annual tradition in Illuminasia. School has gone very well, and they even managed to have me shave off my eyebrows for a cancer fundraiser. So many good memories this year. I am glad I kept a journal for all of this.
Looking ahead, I can't wait for so many things to happen. The Chronicles of Shannara, which is based off of one of my favourite fantasy book series, starts in less than a week. Movie wise we have more in the Marvel Universe to look forward to (Captain America: Civil War and a new Thor), while DC is finally getting things going with Batman vs Superman, and of course the new Star Trek movie. Speaking of Trek, Heather and I are planning to attend the Trek Convention in Vegas this August. Mostly, I am looking forward to the growth that Hope and Barbara will experience.
What do I hope for in this next year? Well, a lot. I hope that my girls will eat more, grow more, I hope to find more ways to love my wife. I hope that the first trip that Heather and I take without the girls will be memorable and good (my biggest concern is how much we will miss each other). I mostly hope for things that I will have little control over. I hope that people will love more freely, and hate less often. I hope that people will come together more, and divide ourselves less. I guess the best way to do this is to stand for those things. I learned this year that making stands can come with a cost, but I figure that when the cause is important, the cost is worth it. So, as I look forward to the next year, I look forward to challenging more, loving more, and sometimes standing alone. So be it.
Top Ten List - Highlights of 2015
10. Movie Highlight of the Year - Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. It has been too long since a movie has felt like such an event.
9. TV Highlight of the Year - America's Got Talent - look back at some of my previous blogs, but this was their strongest season.
8. Music Event of the Year - Attending the Weird Al Yankovic concert with Heather. It was a blast.
7. Surprise of the Year - Years ago, my sister Tara "wrote" a story called Crack the Owl. She was three years old. She told the story to Mom, who wrote it down and drew pictures to go with it. Earlier this year, Tara self-published it as a children's book. I cried.
6. Friend Highlight of the Year - the wedding of Ricardo Perez. When I moved to Calgary, Ricardo and I quickly became friends (likely because we were the two eligible bachelors). He moved to Arizona a few years ago to become a dentist. There he met his wonderful wife Jill, and this June they were married. Could not have happened to a nicer guy.
5. Children Highlight of the Year - Hope, having her call me Daddy. Barbara, getting potty trained.
4. Milestone of the Year - Turning 40.
3. Spiritual Event of the Year - Attending the temple on my 40th birthday while friends and family across Canada and some in the states did some of my family names. The goal was 40, but it was more around 30. Oh well, next time.
2. Family Event of the Year - 5th Anniversary with Heather. We went to the zoo with the girls, had a nice lunch at Grazers, then got a babysitter while we had a great dinner at the Bear's Den restaurant.
1. Event of the Year - attending the temple with my father all day long on November 13 to seal him to his parents, to do their temple work, and to seal over 8 generations on my father's side.
