2009 in review

as the new year approaches, i think a lot of us tend to use this time for reflection on the past 12 months of our lives.

the newspapers come out with articles on "best and worst of 2009" and television shows review the past year in the media.
even bloggers tend to write about it. and that is exactly what i'm going to do today.

it's kind of hard to believe that we are starting an entirely new decade. it's quite amazing to think of all the things that have happened in the last ten years and all the even more amazing things that will happen in the next ten.
but i won't get into a whole decade of "stuff." we were just focusing on 2009, right?



the kind of crappy stuff:
i'll be honest here.
2009 was, by far, the hardest year of my life. i think life has its way of doing this every year, no?
i reflect on where i was one year ago, and probably in no way would've thought i would be where i am today.
that's something i learn every year...
"life is like a box of chocolates... you never know what you're gonna get."
you might think that line from Forrest Gump is cliche, but you know it's true.

the first part of the year was really, really hard. i think i cleansed my tear ducts enough to last a life time. i was stretched. refined. challenged. and changed.
and in the midst of it all, this little blog took off... with me, the author, still wondering why.


the happy stuff:
i discovered the wonderful world of Macintosh computers. all in one single year i got the iPhone, MacBook, and iMac and never regretted my purchases. i try and convince everyone to turn away from the darkside and convert. seriously, the best computers. ever.

i also purchased a new car. although the process kind of sucked, i'm very happy with bruce. i've become very attached to him, and will admit that i tell him he's one dang good looking car quite frequently.


i visited Las Vegas for the first time ever and displayed this photo from that trip on my sidebar ever since. even with my face being consumed by my bangs, i really like this photo for some reason.


i also visited San Fransisco for the first time and fell in love with that charming city. i shall return!


on that same trip, i returned to Oceanside, CA {which i had fallen in love with the year previous} and learned how to surf. it was totally radtastic.


i fell even more in love with photography and slowly but surely worked on developing that talent.

i went to school for 3 straight semesters. my longest break was 3 measly weeks. but educated, i was.



as i think about all these things {and more} i realize how this was the year i fell in love with life, even though life kind of slapped me in the face for the first little bit.

i really love life. don't you?





and the thing i will always remember about 2009 is this was the year i met the love of my life.


in the most unexpected way our story began. as the calendar turns, the best part is that we are together {well, somewhat distantly for another semester. grrrr...}
i'm so madly in love with him, in case you didn't know.
in this last year my heart did a "wizbang flip flop" and i took one giant leap of faith.


in the process i found it completely terrifying, but knew, without a doubt, i finally found him. as we turn the corner of 2009 and come upon 2010 hand in hand, i'm so happy he's the one standing next to me.

he's become my best friend, the one i run to, and everything i've ever wanted and more.


along with everything else in our lives right, this little blog is becoming "ours." from now on, the majority of it will about our adventures together. hope you don't mind.

happy two-thousand and ten!