"I would have never asked for a year like this," Marty said.

"True, but you could never have hoped for a year like this, either," I responded. And I meant it.

It's quite easy to shake your head and wonder where this year went wrong, when it had so much promise. Sure, you can point to a dark day in September as a focal point, and you would be right in doing so. However, I tend to think that our lives are shaped by more esoteric forces, forces that aren't as easily definable as a single act of hatred and disdain, and the repercussions thereof.

If anything, I tend to think that what happened that day gave us all -- if only for a few days, or short weeks -- a chance to get our priorities in order. Make sure the people you care about know that you care, and that you don't waste time distancing yourself from the special ones in your life. We're stronger these days... not because of an injury to our national fabric, but because of an opportunity to actually make things right, with ourselves and our friends and family.

Maybe we'll go back to the way things were, with less compassion and regard for our fellow humans. Maybe I will, too. Then again, maybe we won't.

Ridiculously special thanks:

• to the remainder of the Three Amigos, Marty Yawnick and Thomas Moore... well, you know;
• to Lisa Loewecke, who won't like half of the music on this disc;
• to John, Caralanda and Ashleigh Leeming (Brother Pike will do just fine, thanks);
• to Ed Rafalko, who won't like the other half of the CD;
• to Bonnie Norris, the person to whom I owe the largest apology in my life;
• to Stacey and Ariana Johnson, for Invader Zim and other inside jokes;
• to Ray Elizardo, who gave me another shot;
• to Eddie & Bernard, my partners in crime and the bane of my existence;
• to Christy, the first person who didn't have to talk to me at Times Square but made me feel welcome;
• to CeCe, my next ex-wife;
• to the Gang at Times Square -- both staff (in no order whatsoever: Royl, Stephanie, Amy, Bliss, George, Beverly, Beth, Bobby, Waverly, Mallory, Jay, Ray, Kacey, Rob, Willie, Mike, Jason, Roy, Nathan, Lauren, Amber, Emily, Seth, Chris, Brandi, and those people whose names I have yet to learn) and customers (once more, in no order: Chris, Stacie, Steve, Jenni, Danny, Danny, Van, Jimmy, Jerry, Jackie, Ian, Stephanie, Sara, Bob, Shannon, Angela, Josie, you guys have been great, and I have yet to hear any cracks about being 'the old man in the room';
• to the attendees of Whateverpalooza II -- Jon, Bobby, Elizabeth, Margy, Dragon, Brad, Amanda, Shane, Lynne, EMY and her beau -- for not running away screaming when they saw me in a bathing suit;
• to the members of the P-1 Roundtable, Whatever-L, and the WNN Discussion e-mail lists -- you let me vent my spleen online, and didn't bitch about my being whiny... what more can you ask for?;
• to Jamie Caples, who understands me but doesn't "get" me;
• to the former cast and crew of AnywhereYouGo.com, which, even after all is said and done, was the best collection of people I have ever worked with;
• to the staff of the (now defunct) Dead Laszlo Institute, who were caught in an unnecessary crossfire;
• and most importantly, to my family members, who will never see this CD -- they'd like less of the music on here than Ed or Lisa combined -- but are always in my heart.

Janice, you will be missed. Why did it have to be you?

The tracks of this CD are listed on CDDB... well, you know the drill.

E-Mail me at devin@everythingelse.net . Pax.