GEEKOLOGY 101: We made it! Bring it on 2013!

First off, congratulations for surviving the end of the universe as we know it. It was pretty touch and go there for a bit but we made it.

Silly Mayan calender.

Anyway, speaking of the end of the calender, next week at this time, we will be knee deep in 2013.

Holy moly where did 2012 go?

For starters, I feel like this year just started and now it is ending. That is just crazy.

Though my parents did warn me, the older you get, the faster time seems to go. Hate to admit it but, finally, my parents were right about something.

Just kidding Mom & Dad. Not that they could read it considering they have a hard time navigating Mine Sweeper on a computer, let alone trying to find my column online.

2012 has come and gone and I am reminded of how I went into that year. I was full of hopes and dreams and this bravado on how I was going to make this year count.

There were good times. Like when I got to see my son depart for his first day of school. Yes it is a sad time to see him grow up but I was darn proud of him and happy to see him maturing into the boy he is becoming.

Also, I got to see my family and friends in Texas when I went to visit and help celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary. Though the traveling was for the birds, it was nice to see the family again.

Also, we found out another Darling is on the way. Now if only there was a way to guarantee that this one will be a girl.

Though the Darling strand of DNA seems to be encoded with only the ability to generate male children.

If only I were a King, that would be okay. But Grandma Darling wants some girls in the family!  

Me, I just want a healthy baby. I don’t care if it is a boy or girl. Healthy, that is the main goal.

Of course not everything has been golden this year.

There was my attempt to see if there was anything else in this world that I was capable of doing other than this job. Unfortunately that failed miserably.

Try as I might, I just didn’t fit in with the other job. It just wasn’t me. You know what I mean?

Of course, luckily for me, the door to come back here was open and I gladly stepped back through.

And that has been a good thing.

Then I read about the Batman massacre and what happened in the town in CT and I realized that there is still so much evil out in the world and it blew a huge hole in my reality.

For me, those two stories are what hit me most of all even trumping the Presidential elections.

Being a father of young kids and a huge Batman nerd, it broke my heart to see people with similar lives be rocked to their very core over these tragedies.

I still think about these events, even today, even this minute. I will not forget those that lost their lives in these two events. I can’t. I am reminded of them every day in the laughter of children or the Batman perched above this computer screen.

I am hopeful, though, for what 2013 will bring.

I will have a new bundle of joy to bring home in 2013. That is probably front and center the most important event happening in my life this up-coming year.

Also, I will get to bear witness to the continued growth of my kids.

My wife and I will be celebrating our 10th anniversary together. That seems odd since if feels like we only got married yesterday.

There are some really good movies to go see in 2013.

Also, there is no Mayan countdown prophecy to worry about.

So as I look back at what 2012 entailed for me, I am excited about what the future may bring.

I also look forward to continuing to meet with every one of you reading this column weekly for another fun-filled year.

God bless and have a Happy New Year.

Gary Darling is the geekiest employee at the Maryville Daily Forum. His email is:  gdarling@maryvilledailyforum.com. Drop him a line sometime!