2008: A Year in Review

The year is coming to a close and I thought it fitting that I take a moment to look back at everything (at least everything to my recollection) and at the same time update this out of date blog. I guess the most appropriate place to start would be the beginning. 2008 was, for me, in many ways a time for new beginnings and changes in my life. I don't think I have changed so much in the course of one year since puberty, even if this change was more mental than physical.
Fittingly, I rang in the new year my best Andrew. A toga party thrown by his parents left us both uncomfortable and engaged in lots of odd actives. From the almighty jam to grabbing some Socko's (our signature drink) to watching The Beatles Help!, it truly signified the odd arrangement of activities we would be starting and altering during the course of the year. We together have an innate ability to find the silver lining in any experience. From my constantly being dumped by the same person to his parents getting a divorce and moving to Texas, we have made the best out of everything, I'm even visiting him from the Dec. 27-Jan. 2! He has been my best friend since the 8th grade and I'm so glad to have a friend like him.
Now I can't review my year without talking about Brooke, a wonderful mistake, a horrible blessing, an experience I undoubtedly would repeat if for nothing else but to take away what I learned from the whole thing. I would like to start by recalling the first time she broke up with me. It was the day of my great grandmother's funeral, which I was attending when I get a text message from her saying "I quit." Not understanding the meaning of it at first she readily explained she was dumping me, while I was at a funeral... Well I had to leave the funeral early so I could go to work, where I was readily fired. So the day went funeral, dump, fired then back to funeral. This would set the tone of our relationship: a flurry of bad events would lead to her inevitably dumping me or hating me for caring. Quickly followed by Andrew and I having a great time, odd as it may sound. See the day after the funeral/dump/firing he and I went out got a Socko and I blew my last $200 on the amp that I am using to this day!
The '07-'08 school year went by rather uneventfully, it was summer that was the real bliss and the real horror of the year. The summer proved that Andrew and I are truly unrepeatable buddies and that Brooke was a cruel bitch. For one month, Andrew and I were constantly hanging out. From scrounging up whatever little change we could so we could get some drinks from QT or we had just run by a ton of money and were heading to Guitar Center, we did it all and then some. It was the most amazing summer ever so long as I had my buddy with me. We explored new musics, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Primus, The Beatles (they have been there all my life but The Beatles were new to Andrew), and it made our own music better. The first half of the summer was bliss, I thought I had it made: my best buddy and I always together, a loving girlfriend and a head full of bubbling madness, those were the days.
It was the second half when things started going to hell. Andrew's mom told us that she was going to marry an Air Force man, who I still suspect she cheated on her husband with. Less than two months after her divorce from her husband of eight years (I apologize Andrew if that number is wrong), who she had a child with, she was remarrying, and moving to a Texas border town. Andrew and I started counting down the days, each day bringing us closer to the inevitable separation.
Well he left and things got worse. It got to the point where Brooke was dumping me on a weekly basis, if not more often and when we did just so happen to be together she was pissed at me. In no way shape or form a healthy relationship. This went on until maybe a week into school and we haven't really even spoken since then.
September rolls around and I audition and get a part in my first play, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe with East Valley Children's Theatre (EVCT) as Fenris Ulf, who was, in my mind at least, the scariest character on stage. I met people there who have change my the way I look at the world, at myself, at the stage, and just made me think. Doing Narnia was among the most life changing experiences of my life so far. I would like to thank the entire cast of Narnia for they all changed my life, some people became good friends and helped make Narnia a possitive experience, whle others, mostly women, were complete bitches and helped make Narnia a possitive experience. Yes I learned as much from the jerks as I did from my friends. I know now that I'm one of those people who stands out in a crowd in a negative way. I'm a natural oddity and I embrace it, and I frighten those who are of a natural normality, a fact I somewhat enjoy. I know I will not be everyone's friend but to get anywhere in life I have to simply not care. I also learned, in the words of Tom, if a woman has anything in her past that could land you on Jerry Springer, don't date her, a fact that is, in fact, very true. Thank you Tom.
Narnia came and went with drama on and off stage. I became drawn into the center of this drama when two of the cast members broke up and I became the lady's boy toy, for lack of better words. This made me a few friends and, I'm quite sure, drew a few enemies. Not from other guys who were after her, just that her ex was pretty much every one's friend and I'm sure he made sure I became public enemy number one. But soon enough it was over, the dream long gone, just a memory.
The very last thing that I did with the few good people I met doing Narnia was possibly the single craziest night of my life! On Halloween a few of us went to go see The Rocky Horror Picture Show live, which is neither horrific nor conventional. Without a doubt the greatest gathering of freaks I've ever attended and, I must admit, I loved it! I had never seen the Picture Show before so I didn't really know what to expect. My mind was thoroughly blown. I would like to make it an annual event with the same crowd but if they don't want to come with me and I have to bring others, well that's cool with me too.
November came by and Sean turned 16! Now that is exciting even if he is still with out a permit! He's just being a lazy boob and there isn't anything I can do about it.
And here we are nearly caught up. This last Tuesday I auditioned for the next EVCT show called The Golden Butterfly, and amazing as it may sound I was cast yet again! This time I will be playing the part of Brash, The King of the Landsians, basically I'm a good guy this time and I get a sword!!! Fitting since I didn't in Narnia! Rehearsals start on January 5 and the show opens February 5, so it's going to be a hectic process but I'm exited none the less. I'm actually really excited for this show, I think it's going to be tons better than Narnia and Sean will also be in this one so come see the Brothers Bogle in thier joint stage bebut!!!
Here we are, at the end of a year to be remember. 2008 was, for me, something else, the dawning of a differently life for me. I'm expecially excited for Dec. 27 because, like I said, I'll be flying out San Antonio, Texas where I'll meet up with my heterosexual life mate, the guitar man himself: Andrew! We'll head down to his house in Del Rio, Texas where we will ring in 2009 the same way we did 2008, jamming!
Thank you to all of my friends and family for being the most wonder people I could ever hope to have in my life. Thank you all for helping to shape me into the person I am today. Thank you for your love, your kindness, and your ability to put up with my madness. I love you all.