May Old Aquaintance Be Forgotten...And A Whole Lot Of Other Crap, Too!...

ʃɪd ɑld a.kwe̙n.tæns bi fɪɾ.ɡɔt,
an nɪ.vɪɾ brɔxt tɪ meind ?
ʃɪd ɑld a.kwe̙n.tæns bi fɪɾ.ɡɔt,
an ɑld læŋ sein ?

CHORUS:

fɪɾ ɑld læŋ sein, mɐ dɪɾ,

fɪɾ ɑld læŋ sein,

wil tek ɐ kɔp o keind.nɪs jɛt,

fɪɾ ɑld læŋ sein.

an ʃir.li jɪl bi jʊɾ peint.stɔp !
an ʃir.li al bi mein !
an wil tek ɐ kɔp o keind.nɪs jɛt,
fɪɾ ɑld læŋ sein.

CHORUS

we twa heː rɪn ə.but ðɪ brez,
an pud ðɪ ɡo.wɪnz fein ;
bɪt wiv wan.dɛɾt mo.ne ɐ wi.ɾi fɛt,
sɪn ɑld læŋ sein.

CHORUS

we twa heː pɛ.dl̩t ɪn ðɪ bʊɾn,
fre mɔɾ.nɪn sʊn tɪl dein ;
bʌt siz bɪ.twin ʌs brɛd heː rɔrd
sɪn ɑld læŋ sein.

CHORUS

an ðɛrz ɐ han, mei trʊs.ti fiɾ !
an ɡis ɐ han o ðein !
an wil tek ɐ rɛxt ɡɪd-wʊ.le-wɔxt,
fɪɾ ɑld læŋ sein.

CHORUS

     Ah, the original Scottish translation (or as "original" as it gets) to the poem by Robert Burns which began our current New Year's Eve singing at the stroke of midnight..."Auld Lang Syne".  Directly translated, it means "old long since", but we "Mericans" traditionally believe it to translate as "days gone by".

     It has not yet hit the stroke of midnight here on the West Coast, Pacific time...I doubt I will still be awake by then to "ring in" the New Year.  I'm pretty exhausted from my Day Three work release program!

     But I did want to at least acknowledge the traditional passing of yet another year into the new...the torch being handed from good ol' 2006 to 2007.  I honestly can't say I'll miss 2006...frankly, I'm a bit happy to see it end!  But I must admit, I'm a bit anxious about 2007, too...

     I won't bore you with a recap of my 2006 adventures...if you're that hard up for reading, hit the archives of this journal.  I pretty much detailed every time I passed gas during the year or even THOUGHT about it!  But what I will say is this...2006 came with many life lessons, some of which were welcomed and some that were not.  A pretty typical year, all in all, when I phrase it like that...

     My wish for 2007 (and my mother always said, "be careful what you wish for because it might just come true") is that we ALL find our way "home" to a place that brings us comfort and peace...at least some of the time.  I won't wish for an end to Multiple Sclerosis...hell, I won't even "wish" for better health for myself or for you.  But I DO hope for (at the very least) moments of "health", moments of "happiness", moments of "peace", moments of "unrestrained joy", moments of "love", and moments of finding "home"...wherever that may be in each of our lives and hearts...and just enough balance with all the other CRAP that shapes and molds our lives...you know, the tears, heartache, sadness, and fear.

     So, as "Auld Lang Syne" (Old long since/time goes by) in 2007, may we all find that which fulfills us and keep up the good fight...whether you have MS or not...whether you believe in making "wishes" or not...whether you break your own New Year's Resolution the first week of January, 2007...or not!

Happy New Year...