A Decade Older, Quite the Wiser

It seems, now that it's 2010 - a new decade - that a reflection on the past 10 years of my simple life is in order. This should be interesting, shouldn't it?

2000 - Freshman in HS. Church lock-ins and Veritas. The year my brother graduated HS. Awkward physical transitions and craving independence. Family visit to South America. Funky nail polish. A passion for my Spanigh heritage found. Kanakuk camps. Fuzzy Navals.

2001 - My first car, the red eclipse. 911 attack. First cell phone. Getting my hardship. Forest Hill and Czech boy parties. Off campus lunch wars. Napster. Mr. Remenar. Stalkers and restraining orders. Prom. Media club.

2002 - Down under bowl cheerleading in Australia where I met two of my closest pals I still call my dear friends today. Senora Koester. DUIs and MIPs. Community service at the police station. Beginning of my senior year in HS. Struggle for independence and devastating heartache trying to get there.

2003 - Cheerleading. End of my last year in HS. The lake. Betrayal from your closest friends. Senior slave day as a donkey. First year of college at U of A. Parties. The dorms and Focker and my pink dorm room in Humphreys, where another round of precious friends who still bless my life today appeared. Drunk girl. Frat parties.

2004 - South Padre Island at Spring Break. Jon Champagne and JRs. 703 N Meadowlands Drive. Block parties. The summer. Fort Smith. Cleaning my brother's house for payment in beer.

2005 - Farzad. Finals and adderall. Crosswords. Grubs. Entering junior year of college and planning for study abroad. Roomate struggles. Stormy, the red-headed neighbor kid.

2006 - Barcelona, Spain and a refined passion for Spanish culture! First internship (SVI). Turning 21. Coffee. Traveling across Europe and finally coming into my independence. Andy. Shiny new car. Imraan. Falling unexpectedly in love.

2007 - College grad with a double major! Phoenix, Arizona! Kate. Unpaid internship and retirement city living. Wine bar waitressing. Feeling torn with long distance relationships. Near-loss of my left index finger. David Sedaris.

2008 - Experiencing the tragic passing of a dear friend's father and pondering my own mortality. Coming into my own in a new city. Coffee. First apartment in my new city and first paid job in the tourism industry. Executive committee meetings. New friends and Las Vegas.

2009 - First half marathon. Panama trip to discover more family and heritage. First cavity. New job in advertising! Diet coke. ECHO clinic. Michael Jackson's death. Waivering with men and juggling too many options. Daddy's 60th birthday. Itching to get out and explore. Aunt-to-be.

When you look back at it all, it's staggering how much has changed in only 10 years. I do take into account that these are 10 years that inevitably, a good deal of change has to occur. But, it makes me excited for what's to come not only in 2010, but in the next decade. 2010 and beyond. Bring it.