As we say sayonara to 2008, it's time to look back on the year that was...well, in a word...crappy.  Now, don't get me wrong, 2008 had some good points, but it had some times I'd like to forget as well.  With that in mind, there are a few things that some people haven't heard yet about me during the last 3 weeks of 2008.

On one hand, I traveled all over the country, visiting locations I never would have had the chance to visit on my own.  Seeing New York, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, and other places were amazing.  I'm very grateful for the opportunity!  It wouldn't have been possible without my position at Athena Cosmetics.

However, my time at Athena Cosmetics came to an end on December 15th.  It was due to "restructuring", and since I was an "at-will" employee, they didn't really need a reason.  It stinks to start the New Year without a job, but everything happens for a reason.  I'm not worried about what happens going forward.

In that vein, I've moved back into the house in Oxnard.  I know that 2008 ended my relationship with Jarrod, and I moved into my own place in Ventura for 5 months, but with the death of Tutu at the beginning of the month, there was an empty room at the Lawrence/Dillon house.  This allowed me to move back into the house and spend more time with Aiden.  As you can tell from the photo, he's enjoying New Years Eve at home.

So, between the death of Tutu, the end of my relationship with Jarrod, and the demise of my job with Athena Cosmetics, I'm officially done with 2008.  Here's hoping that 2009 will bring a much better year for me.

To all of my friends, family, and acquaintances, have a happy and prosperous 2009!

As we ring in 2008, I think it's only fair to take a look at what's coming up in the next 12+ months.  February 2008 will have me celebrating my 5th anniversary with Jarrod.  In March 2008, my son will turn 3.  Coming in February 2009: Obsolete analog televisions!  Woo-hoo!!!

For those of you unfamiliar with the government-required conversion, let me give you a quick run down: At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting. Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders.

What does this mean for the normal television consumer?  If you own a television with a digital tuner or subscribe to a pay TV service, you will likely continue to receive TV programming as usual after the transition.  If you don't fall into those categories, you'll need to purchase a TV converter box (pictured to the right).  They'll set you back from $50-$70, but don't worry.  The government will throw in up to $80 for the purchase of said box.  Without it, your analog television set will stop receiving station signals at midnight on February 17, 2009.  You can pick up your $40 coupons by visiting www.dtv2009.gov.

Originally, the transition was granted $1.5 billion to process the conversion, but only $5 million of this amount was used for expanding consumer knowledge regarding this historic event.  In a recent poll, over 50% of those questioned knew of this upcoming deadline.  Why is the government being so mum about the transition?  Wouldn't you assume that they'd want to make sure people know about this, so they don't have an angry mob on their hands when television sets stop working on 2/17/09?  Then again, when has the government ever been about efficiency?

Also, for those of you with handheld or battery-powered televisions, you're most likely out of luck with the conversion process.  The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, who is operating the TV Converter Box Coupon Program at the direction of Congress, said in their "FAQ" section of their website that generally handheld and battery-powered televisions will not work after February 17, 2009.

The $40 coupons for the TV converter boxes are available now through March 31, 2009, but I wouldn't wait until the last minute to request yours.  I was able to request two of them (two is the limit per household) within a matter of minutes, and I was told they would begin arriving around February or March 2008, when the converter boxes will begin arriving in stores.  The longer you wait to request yours, the tougher it will be to ensure you won't be left paying full price for the conversion box.

I've also added a link to a countdown timer on the list of important dates to the right side of this blog.  You don't want to get stuck without television stations in 2009.  For more information about the digital conversion, you can visit www.dtvtransition.org.