Time for a 2009 Retrospective

[kangaru]

I don't update much here anymore, but the yearly retrospective seems to be something I should keep up, even if it's only for my own enjoyment and reference. I tend to be overly wordy, so I'm just going to go with the every popular list/bullet-point.

Here's my 2009 in a nutshell:

• Freaked out about how this was my first full year out of college.
• Looked for and applied to jobs and generally freaked out about being unemployed not-so-fresh out of college.
• Studied for the GRE, but DID NOT TAKE IT -__-'
• Actually used my Twitter account.
• Got into a bunch of TV shows - Bones, Criminal Minds, Fringe, Glee, MERLIN
• Catherine tried to grow strawberries - they grew and then the freak weather changes did them in.
• Got a temp/part-time job in March!
• Learned how to drive freeways by myself (big accomplishment!)
• Visited NorCal/UC Berkeley (wooh, alma mater!) on Cal Day - saw my fellow Benvenuts and Cal friends for the first time since graduation.
• Did some light-writing in the driveway.
• Started exercising / stopped exercising.
• Saw my younger uncle again for the first time in a loooong time.
• Catherine finished her first year at UCLA!
• Saw some shooting stars.
• Went to Disneyland & California Adventure TWICE in the summer w/the summer fun pass.
• Luce returned from Korea!!!
• Got 2 of my wisdom teeth out. Not fun.
• Family did Cash for Clunkers and I said goodbye to "my bro", the old Volvo, which was only 1 year younger than me.
• Karaoked in K-Town: somehow, "My Humps" has become my Song. Um.
• Lots of eating of shaved ice, yogurt, and boba.
• Lots of playing of board games and Speed Scrabble; discovered "Bananagrams" at some point and raged at the world and our own lack of entrepreneurship for not patenting Speed Scrabble and marketing that shizz because Bananagrams IS the "Speed Scrabble" we've been playing ALL THESE YEARS SINCE LIKE HIGH SCHOOL.
• Turned 23. Dear me.
• Lost my other grandpa.
• Went to Hong Kong and Taiwan.
• Got tricked into eating frog! D:
• G got a house / went to her house-warming.
• My old, little laptop sort of died. :(
• Got ridiculously into Merlin and started having Merlin parties and in-jokes.
• Became OBSESSED with BEATLES Rock Band, and consequently fell in love with the Beatles.
• Saw Jason Mraz at the Hollywood Bowl. He never disappoints.
• Actually started regularly making use of the A Nudge in the Right Direction blog!
• Alz leveled up her jewelry making.
• Went out with friends on Halloween; I was Alice in Wonderland (finally!).
• GOT A FULL-TIME JOB!!!
• Did NaNoWriMo - word count not as good as last year, but twas a valiant effort.
• First Thanksgiving at my cousin's w/their new kid.
• First Thanksgiving without my grandpa.
• Learned to make Rice Krispies treats with Fruity Pebbles!
• Free OK Go concert @ the Grammy Museum!!!
• Reading binge - FINISHED Percy Jackson & the Olympians series! Also, PATROCLES.
• New haircut - straight bangs, which for once, I actually rather like.
• Epic remodeling-type stuff going on at my house - parents re-did their room, took out all the carpet & put in wood floors, new doors on my room and study, new paint for some rooms.
• 1 year since my grandpa's passing.
• Decided I wanted to rework a very old story of mine.
• Received an invitation to my FIRST wedding - as in one of my friends' weddings, who is like my age!!!
• Adopted a doggy.
• Saw my roommate of 4 years for the holidays.
• Dec. 31st: saw Avatar and LOVED it.

I'm not going out tonight since I'm kind of just in the mood for low-key activities and relaxing and being warm. 2009 has been a hard transition year for me, but it's also been very good. May 2010 be even better than 2009 for everyone!

Can't believe it's been a decade. I'm getting OLD.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!