Greetings, Shark listener!
I hope you enjoyed the holidays and are ready for 2019 to give us all a fresh new start.
Once again I kept my tradition of making a 2018 memory jar (you may recall I did this last year), and it is jam-packed with all the things that I experienced this year. I was going through everything in the jar before I made this blog post and I forgot about most of the stuff I did in 2018. Tickets from shows like O.A.R. at The Paramount, Panic! at the Disco at NYCB Live Home of Nassau Coliseum, John Mulaney at Radio City Music Hall, Weezer, The Pixies, and Sleigh Bells at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, Dave Hill at the Cinema Arts Center, Frozen on Broadway, and Valley Lodge’s record release show at the Mercury Lounge. Movie ticket stubs from Black Panther, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Avengers: Infinity War (which I saw twice in the span of 3 days… not my proudest moment considering I didn’t fully recover from seeing it the first time around), Wreck-It Ralph – Ralph Breaks the Internet, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (which was INCREDIBLE).
It wasn’t just concerts, shows, and movies; I saved the invitations to my friend’s bridal shower and wedding, a copy of the speech I made as the maid of honor at their wedding, and a schedule from when I was part of the panel with other radio personalities at the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Fall Conference at Nassau Community College.
However, 2018 did hold some sad moments – I kept a visitor pass when I visited my grandmother in the hospital (she passed away the day after I saw her), and some prayer cards from when one of my favorite college professors passed away, as well as two of my high school classmates. They may be gone, but they will never be forgotten.
2018, you were an overwhelming and impossible year. Past years have seemed like cakewalks compared to this one. While this year had some awful things happen, 2018 some amazing things happen, too – new experiences, new opportunities, new friends, and the chance to make some beautiful memories. While I am looking ahead to 2019 with plenty of cautious optimism, maybe there will be a chance for some good news.
If 2018 left you with feelings of uncertainty of the future, you are NOT alone.
I see you.
It is okay to have these feelings and they are valid.
Be grateful for the good times and keep the faith during the bad times.
Stay positive when life gives you a reason to be negative.
Keep fighting.
I wish you strength and courage in 2019.
Thanks for taking 94.3 The Shark with you!
Mid-Day Jamie