April 9th, 2003 - April 9th, 2004: The Year of the Bastard

Inspired by Warren Ellis, and a certain Spider Jerusalem he writes, I've taken this oppurtunity to confirm my twenty-fourth year as, indeed, the Year of the Bastard.

Perhaps I'm not the only one that does this, but I've always maintained birthdays as my personal analogue of "New Years". January 1st is arbitrary, whereas each personal year allows you to refer to it thematically (i.e. Year 16 was the year of High School Purgatory... granted they all were).

So why 'The Year of the Bastard" as a mission statement for this year? Simple, Year 23 was brutal. At every corner, it seemed that a new and unbidden concern made me its bitch. Long terms plans got warped and short term planning was impossible.

Why did everything get so difficult? Because I wasn't able to concentrate and slough through the muck like I can when steeled with resolve. The detritus of other peoples' ills will bog you down if you can't work a way around it.

So all this essentially brings us to this: being a bastard works.
It's the workaround for all modern ailments. If you don't believe me, figure out the amount of non-bastards you know that can cope with the rigours of daily stupidity? Think of being a bastard as a survival tool in your arsenal against the panoply of criticism, ultimatums and rancour that assail you everyday you choose to open your front door. In fact, the assualt on you will---just like Eliis asserts--likely begin even before you leave the house.

Life's easier on the offensive.

Besides, you'll likely be more pleasant in the process.