Where did the time go?

I cannot believe another year has already flown by! 2009 was certainly a year of ups and downs, and I'm more than ready for a new year to begin. Its time for a fresh start, a new beginning and a clean slate...it's time for 2010!

I want to do a 2009 recap and initially considered going month-by-month, but I think it'll be easier to follow Classy in Philadelphia's lead and do more of a listing of the highs and lows of the year.

So, please come along with me as I share my year (in no particular order):

The Highs: My best friend, Jamie, moved back to Denver for a year-long position at The Denver Zoo (January); I officially ended a bad relationship with my less-than-stellar Ex, 2 months after the break-up (February); I visited my Baltimore Bestie, Corey, and her fiance, Matt, for the first time since their move in 2008 (April); My love for history and museums was nurtured with a trip to D.C. (April); I celebrated my one-year anniversary at my beloved job (December); I went to Virginia Beach with 3 wonderful friends (September); Family vacation to Mount Rushmore (May); I bought my first original piece of artwork (December); I celebrated my 23rd birthday with friends, family, dancing and happiness (June); Saw Wicked, and loved it (October); Played hookie in Vail for a day (September); Went hiking with Jamie (April); Lost weight and started living healthier (all year); Incredible visit from Corey and Matt (May); Dancing in Denver with Olivia and Jamie (March); Got a new car (January); Corey came out for a visit (August); Moved into my own apartment (July/August); Went to The Molly Brown House (November); Finally got rid of the Ex *fingers crossed* (December); Corey and Matt got engaged, and I was asked to be Corey's Maid of Honor (July); my parents provided unconditional love and support through everything (all year); Cirque du Soleil (August)...and sooo much more, I'm sure!

The Lows: My car was totaled in an accident (January); My friend Justin died suddenly of heart failure (July); One-year anniversary of the death of a good friend who was killed by a drunk driver (July); Extensive hail damage to my poor car (July); My grandfather passed away (September); Baby Jake died (December); I was unable to attend my grandfather's funeral and am still bothered by this (October); The Ex proved just what kind of person he truly is and refused to pay the $400 in back rent he owes me (April-July); My grandmother was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and while it was successfully operated on, still greatly changed her life (November); Great-Aunt Dode passed away (December)...

The highs of 2009 certainly seem to outnumber the lows, but the lows this year were pretty intense. There was a lot of death, which is always heartbreaking, but I certainly think makes a person stronger. And, the numerous battles with the Ex, while being redundant and frustrating taught me a lot about myself and really showed me exactly what I will not stand for in a guy. To say that my standards have been raised is certainly an understatement. I found myself this year more than in any previous year, and for that I will always be grateful! Even though 2009 has not been one of my favorite years, it was a year of growth. I know just how much I've changed in the past year, and I know that it's been noticeable to my friends and family. I do not regret a single choice that I made in 2009, and to me that means it was a successful year. Nonetheless, I am very excited to see what 2010 has in store for me!

I hope everyone has a very Happy New Year and a safe and fun New Year's Eve!!

I just wanted to share...

Obviously, I'm avoiding work because this is my second post in roughly an hour...meh!

I just felt the need to share this lovely ee cummings poem with you all. You may recognize it from the end of the movie In Her Shoes...I love it. I think it's romantic, truthful, heartfelt and simply lovely; plus, ee cummings' poetry always fascinates me.

Please tell me your inner sappy romantic sighed just a touch at this...

Where in the World Wednesday

For weeks now I've been meaning to participate in Classy in Philadelphia's "Where in the World Wednesday", but each week Wednesday seems to pass me by with no post. So, I'm finally doing it! I cannot guarantee that this will be a weekly thing, but I would like to get more into a habit of participating. The majority of my travels are within the US (hey now, I'm poor but still have the travel bug!) but I'll try to dig out pics from my European travels 10 YEARS AGO (pre-digital camera era)! Wow, has it really been that long?

Anyway, the idea of WITWW is to post a picture of you someplace in the world...it doesn't have to be somewhere foreign or tropical. Just a picture of you somewhere that you consider traveling.

So, without further ado, my first WITWW post:

April 2009 - Washington, DC with the bestie for the Cherry Blossom Festival

Christmas 2009...it's all about the traditions!

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas this year!!

Christmas in my neck of the woods was low-key and relaxing; absolute perfection. I was off of work from the 23rd until today, so it was a nice chunk of time to just spend with friends and family. My best friend, Corey, and her fiance were in town for the holiday (as I mentioned...ok, raved about earlier) and it was wonderful to get to see them and spend time with them over the past week. I miss having her around and Matt is one of the craziest, funniest kids I know! There was a lot of laughter, which is always a lovely thing in my book!

Other than Corey and Matt, I spent most of my time with my parents. We always do Christmas just the 3 of us, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Obviously, having grown up with quiet, intimate Christmases, I don't know any different, but I also don't desire anything else...I like our little family tradition. My mom and I browsed the stores on Christmas Eve so we would know which places we wanted to hit on the day after Christmas. This is tradition! I was able to meet Corey and Matt for lunch so I could see them one final time before they headed south to see Matt's family and then back to Baltimore after the holidays. This good-bye wasn't as bad as others have been, probably because I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll be moving back in 6 months...and, I plan to fit in another East Coast visit between then and now. Following lunch, it was back to my parents' house for drinks and hors d'oeuvres with my Dad's best friend. Another tradition! Anyone seeing a theme here...? This lasted most of the evening and then it was time to wind down with some TV and a book and off to bed to anxiously await Santa's arrival!

Christmas started off with coffee and quiche-making, followed by mimosa's and presents! We went through stockings and started in on the gifts while the quiche was baking, took a little break to devour some deliciious quiche and then finished up round 2 of presents. I got everything I wanted and more, including (finally) a new winter coat! But, jewelry seemed to be the theme this year, both for my mom and for myself. And, my Dad surprised my mom and me with gift certificates to get manicures together; he can be so thoughtful! After presents, the 3 of us just lounged around, took our sweet time fitting in showers, and basically munched our way through the day. Dad cooked an amazing beef tenderloin for dinner and made hot fudge for dessert...yum! All in all, it was the perfect day!

The day after Christmas began early for Mom and I with stops at Pier 1 (they have the best after-Christmas deals and are rarely busy in the am), The Cupboard and Perennial Gardner/ Sense of Place (amazing local stores here in my town). Obviously, we fit in coffee and a scone while waiting for a couple of the stores to open up. Going shopping with my mom on the day after Christmas has been a tradition (there's that word again!) for as long as I can remember. We used to hit more stores and end the morning by going out to breakfast with my dad, but we've gotten more low-key over the past couple of years. I love being able to re-stock my gift stash at amazing prices, but I find I am more controlled in my purchases, which is a good thing. After the shopping, things went back to being low-key. Mom, Dad and I ate a little lunch, I headed back home where I cleaned and did a few things around the house, then I hit the gym and settled in with my book. 'Twas lovely!

And finally, the highlight of yesterday was seeing "Sherlock Holmes" with my parents. It was a great movie and I highly recommend it! I read the Sherlock Holmes books when I was younger and have always enjoyed the characters. The story kept me interested, I liked the way the movie was filmed and the cast was superb!

How were all of your Christmases?! I hope this holiday was as wonderful for you all as it was for me!

I believe...

I just finished watching the "new" Miracle on 34th Street -- not to be confused with the original black and white version -- and cannot believe that: a) it took me all the way until December 23rd to do so; and b) I had almost forgotten just how much I truly LOVE this movie!!! I think it speaks to the magic that fills the air around Christmas and to the lovely, child-like quality that embodies the holiday (at least for me). It's all about believing, and even though I'm 23 years old, I honestly still believe in Santa and Christmas miracles. I think Christmas reminds people to be selfless and to appreciate the way it feels to give to others. And, of course receiving is fun, but don't you feel giddy when you give someone that perfect gift or when you adopt a child in need for the holidays? I know I do.

And, an added bonus to Miracle on 34th Street is the most perfectly gorgeous traditional house at the very end...how can you not want to call that place your own?

In case I don't make it back to blogland before Christmas, I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas filled with laughter and surrounded by loved ones!

Reunited At Last!

There is nothing in the world quite like that sense of belonging that comes from time spent with those who know you best (and love you despite yourself). And that is exactly what I got to do this weekend: My 2 best friends in the entire world were both in the same town with me! *gasp* That's right, the Baltimore Bestie (aka Corey) is in town for the holidays and the native Minnesotan currently calling Denver home but ready to fly off for Aussie adventures (aka Jamie) came up for the night! The last time this happened was in August, and while 4 months doesn't seem like a long time, we had been used to seeing each other multiple times in a week, if not daily, so really once every 4 months is practically a lifetime.

(in Denver back in August)

After lots of airline drama, Corey and her wonderful fiance finally made it to Colorado around 4 am Saturday morning, and as of 11:30 she was all mine! I dragged her along on a few errands with me, took her by my parents' place because they love Corey as much as I do and then we went downtown to our favorite coffee place, Starry Night. This is where we used to spend every Monday after classes, just gossiping and chatting away with our closest girlfriends. I still miss those Monday coffees every single week. After sipping on hot chocolate and catching up for over an hour, we moved on to a little last-minute Christmas shopping and then it was pedicure time! Heck yes! Corey went with a lovely, festive reddish-pinkish color and I went with a dark purple...not exactly festive. but still fun. Pedicures are just kind of our thing. We always get them when she comes to town and it's something I look forward to splurging on with her.

(at Lucky Joe's)

Jamie made her appearance after the pedicures and it was just like old times again. After Christmas gifts were exchanged and clothes were changed we headed back downtown to hit up our very favorite spot: Lucky Joe's. Once again, another tradition. This is by far my favorite bar in town, plus it has great food and a lively atmosphere. We gorged ourselves, indulged in a couple drinks, continued with the constant chit-chat and eventually made our way back to my apartment...after a quick stop at the liquor store and Target, of course. Jeans were quickly exchanged for pjs, Jamie played bartender and created some lovely mixed drinks and we settled in to play Partini for the first time. Technically, this game is meant to be played with at least 4 players in order for teams to be established, but we tweaked the rules a tad and had a fabulous time! I highly recommend giving this game a go at your next get-together!

The night ended with a bottle of vodka downed, half a bottle of wine enjoyed, therapuetic tears shed (Jamie's nephew did just pass, and it's only been 4.5 months since we lost our mutual friend, Justin), laughter and reminiscing shared and that comforting sense of a "forever friendship".

Next to nothing beats time spent with these 2 amazing gals, and I cannot describe to you all just how happy I was to have my 2 best friends home again. They are the 2 people who know me best and I cannot imagine my life without them.

A successful evening

I think I've discovered my key to a great cardio workout: an addicting book! I find that I ride the bike harder at a higher level for longer, or stay focused on the elliptical for more miles when I'm reading an engrossing novel than when I just have my iPod or an ok book. I know, I know, another post about reading...oh well! I completely lost track of time while I was at the gym tonight. I was 60 pages away from the end of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and before I knew it, I had been riding the bike for nearly 50 minutes and my book was finished. I rode the entire time at a level higher than I usually do and never once realized just how long I had been at it. I'm sure my legs will be sore in the morning, but I feel great now! And bonus, the book was lovely!

As promised, I'm happy to report that last night's first book club gathering was a success! Despite no one in our group knowing the best way to structure the discussion, we delved right into everyone's thoughts and opinions on the book and then went from there. I think it was great! It was nice to hear everyone else's take on the characters, ending and story in general. There were mixed reviews on the book and a lot of insight into the motivation(s) behind the characters' actions. I'm already looking forward to our next get together! We're read The Language of Baklava this time and I can't wait to pick up a copy and start reading this weekend!

Oh, and I have to give a shout-out to Lisa for the amazing sangria she made and for hosting last night's book club. Each lady brought an appetizer and/or wine. All of the food was wonderful and you all know I never say no to a glass of wine. Like I said yesterday, good food, good wine and good company make for a lovely evening!

Now, I'm settling in with my blanket, pjs and the 2nd disc of Roar. I do so love (and miss) Heath Ledger!