12/31/02
Yes, it's been a very good year, this 2002 that's in its last hour as I write this.
Paul and I started it out in January not entirely sure what the break we'd decided to make with LEF would bring. Would "Tom Matthews" maintain his reputation without the LEF Forums? Would Bill Falloon stand by his agreement from several years ago to provide Paul with supplements "for life" in lieu of the full computer services payment at which he balked? Could we put enough meat onto the existing skeleton of MoreLife to keep and increase readership?
The answer to each of these became a "yes". While the second was not a situation over which we had any control, we had decided that we would create a revised regimen if we had to pay for all our supplements. The first and third concerns were handled by Paul (Tom) continuing to post to the newsgroups in his factual manner as before and to spend increased time writing in the various sections of MoreLife; and the both of us not giving into occasional discouragement.
We had some unexpected problems from a couple of individuals who consider written contracts just meaningless pieces of paper that can be signed with no intention of abiding by the contents or ceasing to do so when it becomes "inconvenient". Threats from both have not gone beyond venomous words hurled at Paul (Tom) in public postings and private e-mails - unless added attempts are being made by way of the numerous virus-containing e-mails both sent to us and in Tom's name to others, the existence known to us only because of the received delivery failure notices.
On the private front, Paul received the applied for waiver from the USINS allowing us to make a trip to New Jersey and New Hampshire, and then to Arizona. Enough money was available from our endeavors for us to enjoy 2 frugal but extensive trips abroad from North America - something I'd never done before.
Our health has been extremely good despite the mysterious periodic short duration leg episodes that Paul has experienced since March of 2000. We continue to have extraordinary endurance and vitality as we look towards our 65th (Paul) and 58th birthdays. In fact our general well being is better for both of us than at this time last year.
Most meaningful, though to us is the growth - both in breadth and depth - that our relationship has experienced, in part because of all the above and more, some of which I've written about during the year. We still enjoy "bumping" into each other in our snug kitchen, spontaneous embraces for no particular reason (even when the music on the radio isn't particularly romantic), walking hand-in-hand conversing animatedly, and intimately sharing each other's food in restaurants. We've each gained enormous patience during this time so that on the occasion when one reacts in a way not immediately understood; the other knows that nothing is being done or said to intentionally hurt the other. We either just wait for the explanation or gently let it be known that the one would like to fully understand the other. While we don't have a joint mind, we do have a joint love based on mutual value of the highest order for each other.
Yes, it's been a very good year. In 2003 we will continue to do more of the same that made 2002 the best year so far for us - Kitty, Paul, and MoreLife.
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