2010, over and out

2011 January 2, 11:15 pm
Filed under: All about me

Last year’s recap post was full of pretty pictures and favorite things. This year, well, it’s not, but it’s in a timely manner, so whatever. 2010 was a rough year for me, as I know it was for many people. I hope 2011 is better.

This year I learned to love the winter: snowshoeing, overnight camping (in the freezing cold) in a yurt, skiing for the first time. The latter earned me my newspaper debut.

I traveled around a lot: Disneyland, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Washington, District of Columbia, (yep, the high-falutin’ name was so I could include links to all the DC adventures) San Francisco, New York City, Moab, and the Grand Canyon. For the first time I also went international: Canada (I heart Toronto) and a cruise to Mexico (more posts coming, cross my heart!). I have conquered North America. Someone give me a medal.

I read 60 books this year, which is a record for me. I think the books deserve a post of their own, stay tuned.

I did not suffer any major illnesses, I did not fall in love with a boy, I did not lose any weight, I did not contribute to my savings account (but did pay down some of my debt), I did not attend a funeral.

2010 was not a year of massive consumption for me; my biggest and most exciting purchases were plane tickets and postcards to send home to my nieces and nephews. I don’t have a list of tangible items I want in the next year, I have plenty of stuff. But I wouldn’t mind finding and falling for Mr. Amazing. I also wouldn’t say “no” to a pony.

My two biggest achievements this year: going back to school and finally finding a really great job. Going back to school to finish my degree has been hard but worth it. I forgot how much I love learning about a new subject and exploring new ideas. I also forgot how much I hate writing essays BY HAND under a time constraint. I forgot how much time school takes, my summer consisted of economics and homework, not of outdoor concerts and weekend camping trips. Four more classes until I graduate. Four. This is awesome. I finally have a great job, one with a name plate on my desk, health insurance (holla!), an only partially obstructed view of the sky and as many paperclips as I could possibly want.

My biggest failure is not learning how to say “no” soon enough. Or strong enough. Lesson(s) learned. There is a moment that will forever be etched in my memory as the day I discovered my limitations and also the day I discovered my strength. It was both terrible and…and enlightening. It kind of felt like being born, of rising out of a pile of smoking ashes and taking flight on a pair of shaky wings. Those first scary minutes you don’t know if you’ll fly or fall back into the flames; I learned how to fly. I guess that isn’t really a failure, in the end.

I didn’t fall in love this year, not in the traditional “boy meets girl” way. But I learned to love and respect myself. I love the person I have become, it’s been a hell of a road, but I am finally in love with me. I also learned not to hate anyone this year. Hate is a really strong feeling, a dangerous feeling, and one I don’t want in my life. I finally let go of the last remaining bits of hate I have been harboring for several years, I don’t hate anyone. That being said, I also learned how to say “no” to eliminate the toxic people from my life. I don’t hate, but I will no longer tolerate abusive or manipulative relationships.

My New Year’s Resolutions for 2010 were kind of hit and miss; some I kept, some I didn’t. New ones will be made–per tradition–for Chinese New Year in a few weeks. Happy 2011.