I really have to train myself to say “twenty ten” and not “two thousand ten”, otherwise I’ll sound pretty silly come 2739.

Wait a minute. 2010? Where the heck is my flying car?!!

General consensus seems to indicate that 2009 was a bit of a crappy year, at the tail end of an even crappier decade (I said “general consensus”! Both you and I know that the decade won’t end until next year). Yo peoples, I see where you’re coming from and I’mma let you finish, but for me 2009 may have been one of the best years OF ALL TIME. And here’s why:

Yes, my job at HP is still going strong, allowing me a flexible work schedule, requiring the mind-numbingly close attention to detail that I appreciate, and providing the infrequent yet much-needed opportunity to play volleyball. But that wasn’t it.

Yes, I’m still doing the “acting thing”, lending my voice to hilarious cartoons and respectable corporate videos, appearing on both TV and the silver screen, and anxiously anticipating the resurrection of my theatre company. But that wasn’t it, either.

Yes, I bought my first “real” camera in 2009 and am absolutely loving every nuance of my depth of field, optical viewfinder, wide apertures, interchangeable lenses, and bokeh. My pictures are just soooo much nicer and my kids will never be this age again! But the camera wasn’t what made the year so great. It was the subject of those beautiful photos.

Yes, my family.

Topping all headlines in 2009 was the joyous birth of our son, Sebastian, who came swimming into our lives last February – the day before my birthday. It has been fascinating to watch him grow into the little roustabout he his today. Milestones were too plentiful to enumerate here, but he is currently eating solid food (and most of Emily’s toys), has six teeth, soulful greenish-brown eyes, a healthy tuft of light brown hair, and is walking/running anywhere his inquisitive little feet can take him. It’s fascinating to go back and read blog posts or watch videos from when Emily was this age. Far from the “boy Emily” we may have expected, Sebastian is his own man. While just as much of a genius, he is much more laid back than Emily ever was. He enjoys warm cuddles, lounging about on soft cushions, and quietly observing from a distance. Emily never stayed in one place long enough to let you cuddle her. He does, however, have a penchant for throwing and smashing things and a possible unhealthy obsession with wheels. He is just amazing.

Now three years old, our little princess is now a big girl (so says she). Three years is a funny old age. All of a sudden, there is a level of comprehension and reasoning that absolutely jars with the minuscule appearance of the host. Emily is a negotiator, a liar, and a manipulator – and I mean that in the nicest possible way. She started public school in 2009 and, in just a couple of months, was speaking Catalan better than her parents. She loves school, by the way (I’ll have to write an entire entry about that). This year, we survived swimming solo, the Dummy Fairy, pooing in the toilet, and a particularly bad case of night terrors. Nowadays (meaning this week), Emily is very much into Mary Poppins and the Disney princesses and I am absolutely loving the insights she brings to our conversations.

And then there is Jan, the proverbial linchpin of our humble little family. My beautiful wife has been nothing short of amazing – surviving, nay, flourishing amidst the insanity of a home with three children. Granted, life is a bit easier while one is at school and the other is working. Jan celebrated a very significant birthday in 2009. Jan turned 30! Ten years ago. I cannot imagine how she could have possibly done a better job raising Emily and Sebastian and putting up with my shenanigans. I am very thankful and proud of all that she does.

And now on to twenty ten! I guess I’ve got a few things that might be considered “new year’s resolutions”, though I don’t like to think of them like that. Please note how none of these are tied to any arbitrary future date, as I am already doing them. First, I’m making more of an effort to blog more frequently. I am also blogging about more varied subjects and not always, “Hey, guess what my kid did today!!!” I still need to get my photos out of my camera, onto my computer, edited, and uploaded with a faster turnaround. OK. Secondly, I’m taking more of a proactive approach to my financial planning. This includes seeking out the highest possible interest rates for our savings, paying the fewest possible bank charges (goodbye, La Caixa), and possibly dabbling in mutual funds. Fun! And finally, I’m doing everything in my power to get my theatre company back up and running while minimizing the negative effects this might have on my family. I’m currently researching the possibility of producing/directing a show this spring but it’s all still very much in the air. Watch this space!

So, do you have any big plans for 2010?