Dear 2011 (An Amendment)

Dear 2011,

It appears that my last letter to you was a little hasty. I had no faith that you could deliver a 2011 miracle in such a short space of time. But in actual fact I was wrong.

You delivered to me, a mere 9 hours after my last letter, another letter affording hopes and promises for the arriving days of 2012.

For this I am very thankful, and would like to say that there is still a little under 3 hours for you to work your magic again not just for me, for everyone else that has had, to use the colloquial term, 'beef' with you.

In your honour and in all fairness to you, here is a list of the things that have happened that I can be very grateful you brought for me.

• My permanent residency card
• My trip home to see my very missed family and friends
• The recipe for home-made diluting orange juice
• The ability to help make a short film
• Being married, regardless of the lack of a wedding or the circumstances surrounding it
• Seeing various friends that I hadn't seen in a long time in various cities: Charla, Farris, Marcus, April, Natalie and Niki in Salt Lake. Eilidh in LA. Chris in Sacramento as he passed through. Mary, Donna, Lorraine, Laura and Toni, in Glasgow.

Although you and I have been at loggerheads, I can already look back in fondness, at a few of your offerings.

Thank you.

Dear 2011

Dear 2011, I think there's been some kind of mix up. For several years prior to your arrival I had anticipated great things to happen during your visit. It appears that the events that have occurred are more reminiscent of the visitation of an even number. The only thing that can explain this is that you were not, in fact, 2011, but another year that has been sent by mistake. I look forward to when you do come.

If my instinct is wrong and you were the real 2011, then I have a bone to pick with you.

There were several moments during the past 364 days that should have been epic, amazing memories forged with the blessing of 11. What you gave me was nothing short of a disaster at every turn. Having been a faithful follower of the odd numbers and the 11s I take it personally that you did not provide the spectacular perfect year that I had anticipated, and in fact made it a pretty lousy year, not even mediocre, it was a disaster. Not just for me either, it seems like you went out of your way to make life awful for several of the people I care for and know in my life. So what's the problem?

There's only two explanations I can thin of, 1. You don't care and you really are awful. or 2. This is one of these situations where you planted a bunch of seeds that will blossom in years to come and when I look back to see how these things happened it will all lead back to you.

Do I believe you are that smart? Yes. Do I believe you work so mysteriously? No. But only time will tell.

I would like to sever our contract in 31 hours, I will move on and you can move on too. It is with regret that I see you go because even in the next 31 hours I am naive enough to believe that you might just come through, that you might fulfil your spectacular promises. I hope this is true, but I have to admit that I have lost faith in your abilities.

I wish we could have been best friends, and hopefully with hindsight I can realise we were. It has been a pleasure knowing you, and I'm sure I will have fond memories of you in the future once all the bitterness subsides.

Your friend in the 11s forever

Vikki