I sincerely hope that everyone has had a wonderful holiday season - although I suppose technically it isn't quite over yet, since there's that whole New Years' thing yet to come.

One of my coworkers sent me a quick message reflecting on Christmas - "So funny how everyone freaks out about Christmas. And then it's over!". It's kinda true, really. I mean... somehow the whole holiday season totally snuck up on me, and now it's almost done. I barely got my Christmas lights up, I barely managed to get gifts for the requisite gift folks... sure didn't get any baking done, or have anyone over for mulled wine/cider...

Then bam! Christmas was here and I was at my parents' and we were eating dinner and the turkey was delicious and then I went to bed and it was over.

There were a couple of other small gatherings on Boxing Day, but of course, by then, the pressure's off - everyone's _had_ their Christmas.

I've suddenly realized that the decade is over. Not just the year, the decade. And I have no idea where the hell it's gone. I mean, I suppose, looking back on the decade, it's been quite eventful. Three university degrees, a year abroad, a developing career in the federal government, getting the hell out of the small town where I went to high school, meeting some amazing people and wonderful friends, saying goodbye to others, new experiences, new countries, weight lost, weight gained, weight lost again, illnesses fought, habits overcome...

I'm not sure where I thought I'd be at 27 years old when the year 2010 hit, but this wasn't it. I'm not good at self-reflection, and not good at visualising... Ask me where I want to be in 2 years, and I can't tell you. There's nothing I'm particularly passionate about - and I've discovered that the few things I _am_ passionate about, require a good-paying job to fulfill (travel, music, history).

I'll be spending NYE at a friend's place - dinner out at an Indian restaurant first, then a night of booze and movies... Then I start the New Year right by doing the Running Room's Resolution Run. Current forecast is a high of -16 degrees C and scattered flurries. Should be interesting. I went out for a run yesterday (-13 degrees) and survived, so I think I'll survive Jan 1. I hope.

While I don't normally make New Year's resolutions (I think they're a load of shit, to be honest), this year I do have a few things in mind:

1) Keep running (if I can lose somewhere between 20 and 30 lbs in a year and 3 months just by running and not really changing my diet at all... win!).

2) Not stress about the whole "relationship" thing (easier said than done, really, but I'll give it a go).

3) Try new things. Be open to new opportunities. Before the end of 2010, I will be able to create a list of things I've never done before that I tried/did in 2010.

All the best to you and yours, and may 2010 bring you naught but happiness!

03 Jan 08

So this survey materialized on facebook on about Dec 30, and I was just too lazy to do it there, so...

1) Was 2008 a good year for you?
Yeah... It started out pretty gloomily, but slowly improved, and the last 5 months of the year were the awesomest five months I've had in a long time - new experiences all around.

2) What was your favorite moment of the year?
Tough to say. Probably hearing that I'd gotten the new job. Freedom!

3) What was your least favorite moment of the year?
I'll go with slippinging down the stairs at Grandin LRT station and straining ligaments in my wrist. It's still not totally back to normal, and may not be for another month.

4) Where were you when 2008 began?
At Bonobo's. I left shortly after midnight.

5) Who were you with?
A whole bunch of my awesome friends from FEP.

6) Where will you be when 2008 ends?
I was hoping to be at Beans' with a bunch of friends and such, but that fell through, so I ended up on my couch watching CBC most of the night.

7) Who will you be with when 2008 ends?
I was all by myself. *sigh*

8) Did you keep your new years resolution of 2008?
I think I'd made a point of not making any. However, towards September I decided that with the new job I was going to try and get a bit healthier - so I joined the gym at work. It's working! I feel way better these days, and people keep telling me I look better, so...

9) Do you have a new years resolution for 2009?
Only to try and be more open to opportunities, even if they scare me.

10) Did you fall in love in 2008?
I don't think so. Not yet, anyway. But I did find myself someone that seems to be interested in me, and I'm interested in him, and things are going so well I'm wondering when they're going to go wrong *knock wood*. This ties into Question 9, really.

11) If yes, with who?
It's a guy. We'll leave it at that.

12) If yes, do they know?
Yup. Finally. Although it's not because I overcame my fear, it's 'cuz he made the approach.

13) Are you still in love with them?
See question 10.

14) Do you regret it?
Not so far *knock wood*

15) Did you breakup with anyone in 2008?
Nope.

16) Did you make any new friends in 2008?
Probably, but I think most of the "new" friends I actually made in 2007 or 2006.

17) Who are your favorite new friends?
Why rank? What a load of crap.

18) What was your favorite month of 2008?
Probably August. I did things I'd never done before, went places I'd never been before, and actually took some time off work.

19) Did you travel outside of Canada in 2008?
Yup. To San Francisco.

20) How many different places did you travel to in 2008?
outside the country - 1; inside the country - 5 places, some multiple times

21) Did you lose anybody close to you in 2008?
Thank goodness, no.

22) Did you miss anybody in the past year?
Of course. I've lots of special people in distant places.

23) What was your favorite movie that you saw in 2008?
Good question. It was obviously so very amazing that I don't remember.

24) What was your favorite song from 2008?
Cemeteries of London, by Coldplay... No One's Gonna Love You by Band of Horses...

25) What was your favorite record(s) from 2008?
In Rainbows, by radiohead

26) How many concerts did you see in 2008?
1. And it was awesome. Radiohead in San Francisco.

27) Did you have a favorite concert in 2008?
See above.

28) did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2008?
Actually, since I started the new job, I've been drinking more for networking-ish purposes - everyone in government seems to think that hanging out after work involves booze. :)

29) did you do a lot of drugs in 2008?
More than usual - but nothing illegal. I had some fun painkillers due to various things.

30) How many people did you sleep with in 2008?
Not the sort of question I'm willing to answer publicly, I'm afraid.

31) Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Not ashamed of. I was certainly embarrassed after falling down the stairs, though.

33) What was the worst lie someone told you in 2008?
There was nothing so obviously bad and painful that it sticks out, thank goodness.

34) Did you treat somebody badly in 2008?
At work, I'm sure I did. Likely after they were assholes to me first.

35) Did somebody treat you badly in 2008?
At work, all the time. I don't know what makes people think they can walk into an office and treat government employees that way... oh, right, it's "I pay your salary, so you'd better..." syndrom.

36) How much money did you spend in 2008?
Not as much as I made. I've gone from being flat broke two years ago to actually having some decent savings.

37) What was your proudest moment of 2008?
Getting the new job.

38) What was your most embarrassing moment of 2008?
More than likely falling down the stairs at Grandin LRT station. Fortunately there was only one anonymous witness.

39) If you could go back in time to any moment of 2008 and change something, what would it be?
Not a big fan of the idea of going back and changing the past, 'cuz you never know what else one little action might affect, and the end of 2008 was pretty awesome for me.

40) What are your plans for 2009?
Continuing to do the best I can at my job, my personal life, etc. That's about it really. We'll see where it goes from there.