With the latest installment from Nostradumbass, I have been reminded that it’s that time of year again…
For me, the closing of a year is a time to reflect upon the accomplishments, adversities, triumphs and failures, beginnings and endings and all the lovely and maddening things in between.
This year was filled with so many things, from the exciting to the sad.
Here is my year in review:
I finally finished college this year after a decade of continuous learning. I reached this point with a bittersweet remorse, as I wondered what I would do with all that time I spent on homework and tests. Luckily enough, I have had no trouble filling that void with fun and interesting things. Curiously enough, I don’t miss school as I had feared I would.
I was reminded this year about the vulnerability in life; the fragility of it all. I lost a close friend in April, in a rather tragic way. I often wonder about her, if I could have helped the situation; if I should have intervened. What’s done is done but I do know one thing – I will never sit back quietly while someone is struggling with a dangerous situation. Ever.
I have confirmed that there IS a switch that flips on every 16 year old, releasing their innermost madness and chaos and frustrating attempts at independence. This has by far been my most difficult year with my daughter.
I learned that when picking a cruise, one should be sure to research the average age passenger of the ship you are going on. Failure to do so can lead to 7 days of lingering flatulence assaulting my senses, Alpha Alpha Alpha emergencies, assisting sweet and helpless ladies in their night gowns off the floor and VERY early nights at the bars. I have nothing against the elderly at all, I’m just not there yet and don’t want to spend my vacation feeling like I am 30 feet from my grave.
We bought a new car for me this year, it’s the first Audi I’ve ever owned and I adore it. It’s red, which was a HUGE step for me. I have traditionally hated red anything, so maybe I’m having a mid life crisis. Who knows.
This year we came to a clear realization that we do not want to live in Kentucky anymore. We plan to move in the next 2-3 years either to Portland Oregon or Boston. I can’t wait for the next adventure!
Dakotah and I continued our girls’ night tradition pretty strongly throughout 2008. We saw many movies, painted at The Mad Potter and spent countless hours at Joseph Beth bookstore.
Photography as a hobby was high on my list of achievements this year. I took so many pictures with the camera I received for Christmas 2007. I documented the spring flowers, the crazy spring snow, Greyhounds running, geocaching locations, the gorgeous Lexington Cemetery in spring and fall (still waiting for snow to capture the winter!) and various family events.
This was the year of Apple in our home, as we started scooping up various Apple products left and right – a 24” iMac, two iPhones, iTouch, Apple TV and the Apple Time Machine. If money had permitted, we would have a few Macbooks and maybe an iPhone for Dakotah. Ah well, there is always 2009!
Sadly, I have realized just how depressing it is to have to work my life away. The drive I once had to have a hugely successful career has tapered off – partly because I just hate accounting and partly because I am not at a company that provides challenge, opportunity and development. This has really turned me sour on working in general. With the appropriate resources (ie: millions) I would surely travel the world until I collapsed from exhaustion.
I have laughed a lot more this year, louder and more often than I can remember at any other time in my life.
I discovered that my daughter needs me more than she cares to admit.
I read the entire Harry Potter series again and loved it even more than the first time.
I buckled down on random spending, which resulted in paying off some serious bills in a record amount of time. This has given us a new sense of financial freedom, one which I have not felt for close to a decade.
I realized that no matter how bad things are, they can always get worse – and they usually are for someone else somewhere. Perspective is a huge part of being happy.
It was again evident to me that Chicago is a fantastic city and I truly believe that city living will suit me.
I remembered what a great cook my husband is and how much I enjoy his Chicken BBQ pizzas on the grill.
I have watched my daughter slowly transform again this year – becoming more mature, more compassionate, wiser and more rebellious and combative. No matter how angry I get at the latter, it’s beautiful nonetheless.
Looking ahead for 2009….
I see another great vacation, one of the last we will experience before Dakotah goes to college.
I expect more great times with family and friends, more so than in 2008. As time goes on, these moments become more precious to me.
Hiking and geocaching will continue to become some out of favorite past times. When the weather recovers from this bitter cold, we will again be outside enjoying the fresh air.
This will be another year of conflict with my daughter, as she continues to grow into the fantastic woman I know she will be.
Kurt and I will continue to be the best of friends, again sharing new and exciting experiences and planning our adventures in the future.
We will be making some random large purchases in the coming year, mostly for entertainment and enjoyment.
An MLB game needs to be somewhere in our 2009 agenda. Preferably the Red Sox.
Life as we know it, will remain wonderful.
