Aleksandra # 5 - Happier New Years

2009 started on a Thursday and ended on a Thursday. In between, Israel invaded Gaza. Russia turned off gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine. Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44, and first black, US President, while Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir was appointed Iceland's Prime Minister and the first openly lesbian head of state in the world. Elections to the European Parliament were won by right-wing parties. The Lisbon Treaty entered into force. Climate change was discussed in Copenhagen.

Two German kids aged six and five packed their bags with swimming gear and tried eloping to Africa - they were in love and longed for a life in the sun. French soap opera writers gained the right to strike. Marc Jacobs stopped serving cocaine on silver platters during his shows (it's the financial crisis). Silvio Berlusconi consorted with underage blondes and naked prime ministers, insulted Finnish national heritage and was accused of links to the mafia, before being elected rock star of the year by Rolling Stone magazine.

As the year drew to a close, and I still failed to make sense of the past 365 days, a friend made me drink for a new year, worse than the next, but better than the past. Dear friends, relatives and lovers, raise your glasses and drink for a year where life, work and love is one and where the passion in our hearts melts all obstacles. Let's enter this year with high hopes and ambitious missions and fanatic zeal to make them happen. Let's love with crazy and suicidal hearts that never grow cold.

At the end of this year, I will have saved a life, traveled to Tanger (because it rimes with danger) and live in the same city as my sister.