That's today, right? I like the idea that the sun is now, ever so slowly but definitely going to start returning to us. True, this is the shortest day, and we still have to get through the winter, but we're on our way up now. I always feel a sense of decline from November through December, but with January and the new year, cheesy as it may sound I feel like I have a chance to start over, yet again.

I went to a Winter Solstice celebration on Saturday-- one "hosted" by the artist Alex Grey. He is a mind-blowingly amazing artist and one of the only still-living artists I can name whose work I really, really love. He promotes art as a spiritual practice, which is an idea I could get into.

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First he read some selections from his new book "Art Psalms." Then while the local band Telesma played, he and his wife Alyson painted on stage. There were also belly dancers, hula hoopers, topless women being body painted, and enough errant pot smoke in the air I'm pretty sure I developed a contact high. It was pretty sweet! And I haven't been having enough fun lately, so it was a relief too.

2009 will be better. I'm going to finish my AA degree, finally. I'm going to keep looking for some relief from my chronic fatigue syndrome. I'm going to make lots and lots of art. Yes.