december

And just like that, it's December again. It's hard to imagine where all the time has gone, considering that it was quite a year for me, especially with a new daughter and concerns about the future because of economics.

Sometimes, the days slow to a crawl, and the longed-for weekend seems impossibly remote, and deadlines just keep coming.

But sometimes, the days whiz by, and when I try to remember what I did back whenever, all I get is a blur, as important things are reduced to routinary tasks leeched almost of meaning - paying bills, getting groceries, paying for school stuff.

But I love December. Apart from the cooling air and general sense of holiday cheer (we, as a people, are great at denial), it marks another year of happy partnership with Nikki. It's 13 years now, and through all the ups and downs of life, we've breezed through everything together. This year, we celebrated with dinner and small gifts, and episodes of True Blood.

Here's to my kakampi, now and always - wife, lover and best friend.

And here's to Sage, who wrote a story for her anniversary gift to us (making sure to make it bittersweet spec fic, just for me).

And, of course, to Rowan, whose smile slays my heart.