A Glance At The Last Decade

Thinking back, I realized that the "oughts" decade was pretty eventful for me. A lot can happen in ten years, and I am sure a lot more will happen in the next ten. I guess the middle years of one's life usually contain the most drastic changes. As we struggle to find out who we are and what we are good at and what we want out of this short little life of ours, we try on many hats. Locations may change, friend groups may change, priorities shift and sometimes life leads you somewhere you never thought you would be. It is all part of the joy that is our existence.

With old memories and new beginnings in the forefront of my mind, I created a list of accomplishments, major events, and unforgettable moments of the last 10 years for myself. It has been nice to reflect, mourn losses, and celebrate my life thus far. Especially in anticipation of what is ahead. A little brief navel-gazing never hurt anyone. So here goes.

In the first decade of the 21st century:

I rang in NYE 2000 at a fancy Arabic house party where we wore nice evening gowns and a belly dancer with the number "2000" on her ass danced in the new year for us

I got my first corporate job at the Marriott Hotel in Newport Beach, CA

I remember experiencing a crazy earthquake on top of a parking garage with my friend Jeff

I remember sitting on the hood of Jeff's car in a very dark and creepy forest listening to the newest Ani DiFranco album and being deeply moved

I transferred to Cal State Fullerton and finished there in 2003 with a double major in Acting and Radio/TV/Film

I remember being terrified on my first day of college at CSUF and knowing NO ONE and being shy for the first time in my life

I remember many nights up late philosophizing on my porch with Nate Milton once he came back into my life

I had a short online friendship with Kyle Gas from Tenacious D and got him to give me back stages passes to their concert and even come out and meet me for some shows in LA a few times

I remember when the towers fell and acting class was canceled, I went to a bar across the street with a few friends and watched the news for hours in complete shock while eating nachos

I remember realizing that my love for my best friend was not the kind of love I thought it was, and finally being at peace with that

I fell in love with a boy while watching him on stage and not only chased him but got him for a while

I got my first PA job doing game shows

I remember working all day and all night and being the Main Writer's assistant on one game show I worked on

I sang on stage in an LA club with singer/songwriter Matt Nathanson

I starred in the Shakespeare play "The Merry Wives of Windsor"...TWICE!

I lost both grandparents on my mom's side within a week of each other

I worked as a PA for E! Entertainment and got my first taste of television production

I waitressed my ass off and paid off my debts

I had my Blue Period after graduation

I had a fling with an Egyptian boy named Mohammed

I drove Cross-country with mom to Chicago

I saw the Grand Canyon

I found my own place and a job in my first week in Chicago

I tried internet dating

I took an Improv class at IO

I met my future husband at a 4th of July BBQ where he cured my hiccups with peanut butter

I remember the first timehe kissed me on Seminary Street after our first date

I discovered biking

I saw Detroit, The Wisconsin Dells, and the beauty of Lake Michigan hikes

I went to Hawaii for the first time, which was the first and last big family trip we took before we lost my dad

I remember swimming with sea turtles and hearing whales underwater in Maui

I remember Adam and I taking a nap next to Lake Michigan on our first camping trip together

I entered the official Chicago corporate world

I got licensed for insurance and investments

I performed in 4 plays in Chicago

I remember going on a drunken trolley tour of Chicago for a friend's bday and having one of the best nights of my life

I lived alone for a year

I completed massage therapy school and got licensed

I remember being on the plane to Fresno when I found out my father had cancer, and how the clouds looked out the window while I listened to some weird New Age-y music

I lost my father to pancreatic cancer in early 2008

I remember standing in front of a sea of faces at my old grade school church while I read my father's eulogy

I got job at a spa while still working my other corporate job

I discovered kickball and volleyball

I moved in with my boyfriend

I remember my first experience at a lake house when I just spent hours in the lake floating and drinking and having one of the best times ever with some really great people

I remember my first New Year's Eve party in 2008-2009

I visited a tiny Mexican town and camped on the beach in Mexico

I saw my sister get married and learned about my future niece's arrival (coming soon!)

I skydived

I got engaged

I remember landing from my sky dive and seeing Adam get on one knee and being so utterly shocked

I turned 30 yrs old

Well, that is all I could think of thus far. What a decade it has been!

Here is to 2010 and more growth and learning to come. Thanks for revisiting those times and places and memories with me. Cheers!