Memories of 2008 - You might want to skip this one if you have dial up. By the way - Does anyone still have dial up?

So, my friends. Another year fades out of view and we usher in the promise of a new one.

We started the year reeling from the assasination of Benazir Bhutto and we wondered what horrors 2008 would visit upon us.

As we say goodbye to this year, we again, look on in sadness and frustration as the situation in Gaza escalates, the horrors of Darfur, Zimbabwe and the DRC continue unabated, almost unnoticed by anyone who can help.

These are some of the images that will forever be etched upon my mind when I think of 2008.

February 13th - Kevin Rudd says Sorry.



Castro resigns, making way for his brother, Raul.



The ridiculous "elections" in Zimabwe, which have failed to rid the world of Robert Mugabe.




Mother Nature certainly showed us the results of our lack of care.


A cyclone in Burma claimed the lives of 133000 and an Earthquake in China almost 70000.



Hurricanes, Gustav, Hannah and Ike decimate parts of the U.S, Haiti and the Domincan Republic.




The Summer Olympics in Beijing.


I was able to sit with Alexander and enjoy it with him, just as my Mother had with me.


(Am going to finish this in the morning. Off to see in the new year in the same way Joel and I have for the past 11).

The US Presidential Election.

The difference between these two women, in service, intelligence and simply gravitas was glaring. I'm not the only woman in the world who found the choice of Palin as VP Pick not only dumbfounding but insulting.








I can't believe how much McCain changed once he'd secured the nomination. How quickly he forgot what happened to him in the last time he made a presidential bid. I don't know if it was his decision, the GOPs or the people advising him, but the McCain we'd come to know (before July) wasn't seen again until his Concession Speech in November.




People I got sick to death of hearing about during the Election.








People I loved learning more about in the Election (and the Transition)

Rahm Emmanuel




Okay. You're all going to have to bear with me a little. This, my friends, is the man that the character of Josh Lyman was based on.

Josh Lyman, people. Josh Lyman. At the very least, I'm pretty sure that Kim will drool along with me.





Michelle Obama. In fact, the whole Obama family.



Though whatever whack job thought it appropriate to label her "Obama's baby Mama" needed a two-by-four.




The funniest person on TV this year:




Not so much....




What People were talking about..











What maybe they should have been talking about:

The human cost of these pointless conflicts.

Kenya




This photo has haunted me since I first saw it. That boy cannot be much older than mine. Who the hell are we to put a child through that? Who the hell is anyone to do that? What kind of men are we raising if these are the images they grow up with as boys?


Georgia:





Gaza:




Haiti:






We can politicise these all we want, and talk about staying out of their business all we like, but these are real people. Real lives are being destroyed.

People we lost this year:

Heath Ledger



Paul Newmann (Is it odd that one of my favourite things about Paul Newmann was his marriage? He and Joanne Woodward seemed so in love, so steady, so faithful. I wanted to believe it was really, really possible).


Jane McGrath



Tim Russert


Bo Diddley


Michael Chricton


Mark Priestly



Randy Pausch


Kerryn McCann



Cyd Charisse (Sigh. I'll never forget her and Gene Kelly *swoon* in Brigadoon).



Arthur C Clarke



Sir Edmund Hillary


Of course, there are many more, but these are the ones that jumped out at me this year.

And, because I'm simply mean spirited and found these two funny:





So. Those are the things I was thinking about this year. What about you? What captured your attention during 08? Was it a good year? A bad one?

Mine wasn't great, I'll admit. I do, however, feel confident that this year will be better.

Good Riddance to 2008? You Betcha!