The Final Few Hours

Here I am at the office, internet connectivity finally resumed, and only some odd hours away from the next year. It's strangely quiet, perhaps due to the fact that somehow everyone's on some sort of leave.

God, what a year it's been. As much as we'd like to hope and wish the new year will take us out of the low we're in after the events in the Indian Ocean, the fact of the matter is that come the 1st of January there will still be work to do, and the fact that it's a whole new year will be scant comfort for the lives affected by the devastation of the tsunami.

This morning I heard that it started snowing in the Emirates (Link), an occurrence that has prompted some people I know to say that the end of the world is near. Personally, I don't think so, but even if God decided that the Earth's time was up and that we'd gotten all the chances we'd ever get - what could we do anyway? Our lives, our world has always been on lease, and sooner or later we all pay our dues.

Someone asked me if I had any regrets before 2004 ended. "What, apart from not being able to tell Asha Gill she's such a hottie?" I replied. Of course, I'd have settled for kicking a certain local film director hard on his arse for producing some of the worst bilge anyone could have, and market it as under an "educated" auspice.

Bah. Anyway, in perfect honestly, I would have to say no. No major regrets. Were there things I would have done differently? Perhaps. People I'd have preferred to tell certain things? A couple, yes.

There will always be some things that will rankle me to the bone; missed opportunities, unanswered questions - but if 2004's taught me anything, it's acceptance. Acceptance of life and the way it goes; of friendship, of love, and how IT goes and most importantly, the acceptance of who I am as a person. To me that, more than anything is priceless..

Another 8 hours to go. So long, '04. You've been...tumultuous. I pray for all of us, for safe passage into '05, and for a safe year throughout. See you on the other side, people.

Over and Out.

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This entry would have ended here, but for this (Link). It's amazing how after we can build so many things, suddenly run out of money for simple compensation to the people who were most hurt by the tsunami. I'm speechless.