Theme and Wishes for Age 43

            I thought about going with “flawless,” but I just like flaws so much. For the past week or so, my intention in every meditation session has been “I’m celebrating my life,” and I have been. I’m so glad to be here. I woke up, in a healthy body and an often-happy heart. I’m here. Most of the time, I’m pretty sure that I exist, and that’s a big change for me. I want to keep being here wholeheartedly, keep celebrating. How lucky we are to be alive right now was another good option. I’m so thankful every day that I woke up like this.

            My political wishes for the coming year are many, of course, though right now DACAis heaviest on my heart. My personal wishes are simple: more money and more snuggles.  The money part seems less mystifying—as soon as I finish grad school in December, I’ll be free to build up my tutoring clientele. But the snuggle part, as always, is a mystery. I’ve written out my ideal mate a thousand times, but what I wish for is fairly simple: someone warm and funny to take walks with. If by some miracle he voted Hillary in the 2016 primary, all the better. I have some guilt about hoping to be with someone masculine-identified (this misguided ex-wife loyalty runs deep) but I do.

Wishes for 2011

Usually I fold up my New Years Wishes in a pretty package and put them in the Box of Things to Be Worked Out Later by Unseen Forces, but this year, I have you.

I tried to be ambitious and very specific.

Also I wish you everything win the world that you might accio. (You can’t always get what you accio, but if you try sometimes…)

***Altruistic wishes like peace on earth, the end of racism, etc, are implied.****

1. I wish for a good, happy, well-paying job IN PHILADELPHIA for Amy.

2. I wish for a book with a spine, published by a nice press; a real home for For the Comfort of Automated Phrases at last.

3. I wish for a clear path to teaching certification, including good GRE scores, a welcoming program, and fruitful student teaching.

4. I wish I could look at pictures of myself and not be ASTONISHED by how fat I look. I think that might take about 40 pounds.

5. I wish for more opportunities to perform poetry outside my own venue.

6. I wish that my horoscopes would be in LOTS more places, so I’ll be closer to being the barrette-wearing Rob Brezny by next year.

7. I wish that I would develop more faith in people, so I’d trust them to stick around and not worry so much about losing them all the time.

8. I wish to spend a WHOLE BUNCH more time with the people I really really love. (Leaving plenty of time left for the couch, of course.)

9. I wish I’d get good at taking care of money, so our savings would keep growing and we can someday soon start planning our dream-trip to Paris. I want to see cathedrals!

10. I wish for good concerts, lots of dancing, and a million mix tapes by mail.

11. Plus some secret wishes.