This has been, somehow at the same time, both one of the shortest and longest years of my life. It has left me sure of nothing and nervous about everything. I know I'm certainly not alone in wishing "good riddance" to 2018. Here, is my fond farewell, my Dear John to the year that was.

Where do we even begin? The deaths? Yeah, sounds right. We really lost some legends this year. Aretha Franklin passed in August, Anthony Bourdain committed suicide in June, Burt Reynolds was lost to a heart attack and Mac Miller overdosed all in September and, of course, President George H.W. Bush passed away only just recently. We even lost everyone's favorite Old Man from "Pawn Stars" and freaking Hank from "The Office"!

Oh but 2018 had to make it personal and take Stan Lee from us, months before "Avengers 4" brings a surefire climax to the franchise birthed from his imagination. That was my hero, 2018, you jerk! This wasn't even the kicker.

We were subjected to one of the nastier Trump years, punctuated by the divisive, polarizing and utterly toxic Kangaroo Court that "investigated" and "vetted" then-Supreme Court nominee (now a confirmed Justice) Brett Kavanaugh over accusations of sexual impropriety. That episode took a decade of my life from me but if they were all going to be this one, man they can have it.

This time last year I was excited to see Giancarlo Stanton play for my beloved New York Yankees in 2018. I watched my boys win 100 games only to lose the American League East and then the Division Series to the damn Boston Red Sox. And as if 2018 wasn't sour enough, the lemon coating icing on the cake was those same Red Sox winning the World Series. Seriously?

Oh what an annoying year it was. If I've missed anything don't remind me; hopefully, I've mercifully forgotten. But maybe 2019 will be better as if we can count on the Julian Calendar to save us. But if you're reading this be happy. Besides it all you made it, you're here to see another New Year come and go, and that's something to be grateful for. Farewell and good riddance, 2018, I'm glad I hardly knew you.