Done with 32. On to 33.

So, here's my birthday. It's been a helluva year. I did a Google search about turning 33, and the results showed a lot of people feeling pretty crappy about this particular birthday. Some call it their "Jesus year", since Jesus was believed to have been crucified at age 33. I also have my Vinyl Birthday ahead (33 1/3). Last year's birthday was somewhat of a downer, and my enthusiasm for birthday whoopdedoo has waned somewhat since the climactic peak of age 30, when I was overwhelmed to find that my friends and acquaintances had gathered for a surprise party in my honor. That was fabulous and special.

Anyway, 32 has been a busy one. Much of it has been written up here in Big Ass black 'n white. It's probably not best to dwell on the negative -- just learn from it and move boldly forward.

So, giving a skew to the positive, here's some of what I'll mark as progress in my 32nd year on this planet:

• Visited Northern Ontario including the small town of Swastika and the metropolis of Kirkland Lake
• Took an overnight trip to Niagara Falls, rode the Maid of the Mist, and drank champagne in a heart-shaped tub
• Judged at the TTC Subway Busker Auditions in the middle of a wicked rainstorm
• Made one last visit to the CNE and saw the Snowbirds
• Performed my first solo non-karaoke gig as Big Ass Superstar
• Performed with John and Rick as the trio Magic 8 Ball, in front of a crowd of people who helped me greatly over the years
• Left a job I loved, the place that let me find my legs and hone my skills, and the people who helped craft me into who I became
• Scored a wicked awesome job in Halifax, anchoring the afternoon news
• Flew to Halifax and found a fantastic apartment
• Helped launch a radio station and train the staff at two other stations in the chain
• Set up a home with my lovely girlfriend Amanda, and began living like grownups
• Stopped smoking indoors
• Began eating donairs
• Attended an emotional Remembrance Day ceremony at Grand Parade
• Went back to Grand Parade on a chilly night for a Christmas Tree lighting
• Stood on Barrington Street for a charming Santa Claus parade
• Had a fun Christmas break in Ontario with family and friends
• Released the Magic 8 Ball concert as a two-disc CD set, "Decidedly So"
• Drove a mini-van in the winter
• Survived my first maritime winter
• Experienced "the most intense fireworks display in Atlantic Canada" from the balcony
• Stayed out crazy late at a Wide Mouth Mason concert
• Hiked through the woods at a maple farm and ate real maple syrup off the snow
• Invested heavily in my RRSP, and earned my first sizeable income tax refund
• Paid all my bills on time thanks to the magic of online banking
• Freed up some valuable real estate on my hard drive
• Flew to Calgary to help launch another all-news radio station and train more people in a two-week radio endurance challenge
• Was awed by the sights in Banff and Lake Louise
• Went to a pro wrestling show with the boys and screamed myself hoarse
• Conquered another karaoke stage
• Toured Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton via the Cabot Trail
• Visited the famous lighthouse at Peggy's Cove, the Swissair 111 memorial, and historic Lunenburg
• Attended at least two birthday parties, a Jack & Jill, one wedding and zero funerals
• Saw my first International Tattoo and related parade along with Canada Day fireworks and a 21-gun salute
• Swam in the ocean, twice
• Auditioned for a nationally (internationally?) broadcast documentary series ... made the first cut ... made the second cut
• Lost five pounds. Gained five pounds. Lost five pounds
• Watched an amazing Natal Day fireworks show
• Wore nice-looking clothes to work almost every day
• Got my first pedicure and enjoyed it
• Sampled several delicious wines
• Cut way down on talking about Scientology
• Posted regularly to a blog
• Posted hundreds of pictures
• Posted some videos
• Kept in touch with old friends, even through snail mail
• Heard from old friends long lost, and wrote back
• Started making some new friends
• Got a barbeque and used it a lot
• Got some patio furniture and used it a little
• Ate about a thousand per cent better than ever before
• Tried out more restaurants in the span of a few months than many see in a year
• Made people laugh. Made people smile. Made people think.

Wow. Not bad for one year.

Of course, I couldn't have done all that on my own, nor would I have wanted to.

Anyone who's known me for very long knows that virtually none of this fun, cool, life-expanding stuff would've happened without Amanda in my life. She drives me to be a better Scott, and on top of that, drives me. Literally, in her awesome car. Her contribution to my health, happiness and well-being is worth noting in bold flashing type, which I must point out, is entirely against proper web style in this day and age. Just understand that I love her, typography aside.

Thanks to my family for their generous support and love. I thank my good friends for their wise counsel and inspiration, standing by me through the difficult times and for cheering me on through the good times.

Sorry I haven't seen more of you in the past year. We're half a country apart now, but you're always close. Any success I have, you all get credit. I love you all.

Now, for 33. It's hard to imagine that this year could be as action-packed as the past one, but I already have a few things on the agenda.

The next month and and a bit will show whether I made it all the way through the interview/audition process for X-Weighted. That'll either kick off an intense weight-loss and fitness campaign for six straight months, or I'll be doing it the old-fashioned way. The first big ratings for the radio station begin in September. We're hoping family will be visiting in the fall. My sister is due to give birth in early January. Amanda's cousin is getting married in Ontario in late January, so that looks like a trip. I wanna get back to playing guitar and recording -- maybe some lessons? Maybe I'll take up a sport. We have more travelling and exploring to do, both in the Maritimes and elsewhere -- New York City perhaps? And depending on how things go with Amanda, my work, her work, and so on ... ya never know. There are a lot of home-buying, renovating, wedding and baby-makin' shows on television. And you know how my generation is influenced by the teevy! :)