birthday rant

so i turn 42 this fine march 7 and can look back and see what a weird year it has been:

divorce, deaths, job loss, financial instability, estrangement old friends (mostly the ex's crowd), depression, dating, loneliness...

on the other hand:

a tighter bond with my daughter, re-acquainting with old friends, making new friends, dating, being alone to sort things out, dealing with past deaths and familial alcoholism, buying a theremin, losing some weight, moving, getting rid of crap...

does this make a balance?

is the realization that one is not only good, but capable of error, and that the accepting of one's duality a sign of a more complete person?

is the sudden realization that it's OK to like soy ice cream not all that bad?

as i said, weird year.