For the Luddites...

who can't read the Word 2007 document if you were an email recipient, rather than a snail mail recipient. I guess it is time to share it with the world. Sadness is, it doesn't look as pretty here. I think I will also post as a note on Facebook.


December 2008 The Year in Letters – Because I didn’t write any REAL letters this year!

A: Advertising - after a year and half as “Public Notice Specialist” Hope is selling advertising again. Welcome back to life on commission. Sigh
B: Biology Education - Emily’s major.
Bicycling - Michael’s obsession
Betta Fish – Hope’s only remaining pets.
Blogging – Hope has almost accomplished blogging 365 days this year!
C: Cat – Miss Kitty Fantastico is now living happily with Emily in West Lafayette
Cello – Michael’s instrument
Climbing – Michael’s other passion.
D: Damn Dogs - FOUR next door, barking and stinking twenty four hours a day.
E: Exchange student – not a favorable experience this time around. He was supposed to stay the entire school year, but returned to the Ukraine after about three tortuous weeks.
F: Friends, Family, Fun – all things we appreciate and try to time for in our active lives.
France – Michael’s orchestra is preparing for a trip to France. We don’t know yet if he is going to get to go because of…
Fund raising and Finances - for said orchestra trip, solar bike team , AND Science Olympiad. Sigh…
G: Garden – Mixed success this year. We can never have enough green peppers and tomatoes.
Grape Tomatoes - extremely wonderful this year.
H: Halloween – the only night Hope didn’t blog - fell asleep while waiting for trick or treaters.
Hippie Boy – Hope’s affectionate nickname for Michael.
Hair – you should see Michael’s luscious locks – part of the inspiration for Hippie Boy moniker.
I: Income – never enough!
J: Japan – Michael’s Solar Bike team was supposed to go for a race this summer, but the trip has been postponed until 2009.
K: Karaoke!
Knitting - lots for Hope and a little for Emily.
L: Love, Laughter.
“Lost” Hope watched two seasons of it while sick.
M: Management in the Life Sciences Industry – Hope earned a Professional Certificate from Indiana University Continuing Studies. No new job yet, sadly.
N: New Mexico – Hope is still dreaming of relocation and working on financial and professional goals to make it possible.
O: Orchestra – lots of concerts and special ensembles for Michael this year as he strives to be an extremely active and dedicated orchestra member. See bloomingtonhyp.org
Office Lounge- a favorite karaoke venue
P: Pneumonia – Hope started out the year with a bang – well, more like a gurgle and a cough – with a terrible case of pneumonia. One time when Ms. Hyper did not have to be told to stay in bed – couldn’t get out!
Purdue – Emily’s school. Finishing her senior year and getting ready for student teaching.
Passport – I made Michael spend all his money he was saving for amplification of his cello for his own passport for the then-cancelled Japan trip, but now he’s ready for next year!
Q: Quizzes – aka “Memes” online. Hope has completed many of them through the year. They are often good writing prompts for blogging.
R: Recumbent bike – the kind Michael likes to ride in the solar bike race.
Rush and Rusted Root – Concerts Michael was able to attend this year. Hope also got to go to Rusted Root later in the year.
Reading – Lots for everybody.
Reunion – Hope has an idea to try to make a Pechin reunion, but hasn’t been very good at it yet.
S: Solar Bike – an event where nerdy teenagers affix solar-powered motors to bicycles to make them go faster so they are even more dangerous. www.south.mccsc.edu/~sou_bike/index.htm
Surgery – Hope had some surgery in August to correct some chronic problems. Outpatient surgery is a cruel joke perpetrated on patients by the medical profession.
Scrabble – one of Hope’s favorite online time wasters, but wait! It’s intellectually stimulating right?
T: Tears – there are always a few throughout the year.
Temper Tantrums – some of those too (usually Hope).
U: Unitarian Univeralist – Hope’s new favorite church.
Uberlist – Hope’s amazingly ambitious set of goals each year. This year was 108 for 2008.
V: Vegetarian – Michael – lacto/ovo, no fish nor poultry.
Visitors – Hannah, Sarah, Lyla, McKayla and Jaxon, Heather , Mom and Dad, Paul, Ti and Rachel, Chris, Katie (the friend, not the niece), probably others too!
W: Water: -Michael went canoeing down the Blue River with the Boy Scouts.
X: X- rays – used to diagnose pneumonia, even though I could hear it in my chest and knew I had it!
Y: Yahoo! We all have Yahoo! Email addresses if you want to write us.
Hope – hopie33@yahoo.com, Michael - zincoshine@yahoo.com, Emily – ems615872002@yahoo.com, but DON’T send us any of those crazy forwards, please.
Z: Zoo – Hope has wanted to go all year, but hasn’t been yet. I have never been since they redid the Dolphin Pavilion and I am really sad about it. Emily and Michael both got to go this summer.

LOTS OF LOVE AND WONDERFUL WISHES FOR THE YEAR AHEAD TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.