I Love...

I miss writing in a journal. I stopped b/c I felt like all I did was whine and wallow. And I did…but I miss being able to look back at a year of my life and remember all the things that had happened to me, revel in the good and feel stronger b/c I made it through the bad. At the end of the year, I always seem to find myself looking back. Not in the cheesy, Hallmark way, not even always in a useful reflective way. 2006 went so fast. But overall it was a good year. Here are a few things I loved and hated about 2006.


Loved—going to April's New Years party w/ Mel (in her 5 minute "wild girl" phase).

Loved—the days of a job where I got a three week break in the winter (and summer too for that matter)…so what if it was technically unpaid?

Loved—Coffee Wednesdays w/ Shelley and Jamie when we were all on campus together.

Loved—movie nights w/ Neil.

Hated—going to the NADE conference w/ all those dowdy educators.

However, Loved—presenting w/ Jamie and "Chaz" and subsequently getting published.

Loved—our trip to NYC and our weekend of food (Kishore's homemade yogurt!), museums, walking in the freezing cold, Erin's 1 ½ hour getting ready routine, and dancing until the wee hours of the morning. Okay, some of those things sucked, but as a whole, it was a fab trip.

Loved (and feared)—introducing Chief and Karma…oh why can't they love each other???
Loved—Friday Girls' Nights w/ great food, too much wine, and even more digital pictures for the 'space.

A related love: stripper shoes and cowboy boots that caused such a sensation.

Loved—going w/ Shelley to SIUE's presentation of the Vagina Monologues, and I hope she reads one this year!

Hated—my students in the spring…seriously, the kids in the fall were so cool…I don't know what happened.

Loved—Saint Patrick's Day at the Scottish Arms w/ new friends and old.

Hated—that I had to work at 9 am the next morning.

Loved—my introduction to the Reeses Big Bite. Not all peanut butter is disgusting.

Loved—saying goodbye to a dead-end job at SIUE (and some of my more annoying coworkers) and moving on to a career w/ a future (ie, that pays me all year long).

Loved—depressing films at Frontenac...and the quote, "Seriously, can we see something where no one gets hung?"

Hated—not having an office next to Jamie anymore or seeing Shelley in the hallway at random.

Loved—belly dancing on Sundays.

Loved—visiting DC to hang out w/ Jeff and Butterstick.

Loved—evenings of drinks on the patio…any patio where we could people watch.

Hated—my brother moving away and having to move out of my fabulous old apartment.

Loved—that I had such good friends and family members (especially Rebekah) to help me move and let me stay w/ them when the air conditioner in my new apartment wasn't working!

Loved—summer pedicures.

Loved—getting a boss that took us on a shoe shopping trip during work hours!

Loved—yoga in the park, rock climbing, bike rides, and all those other summer sports.

Loved—margaritas by the pool, laying in the sun w/ spf 45 on, talking and laughing until we were almost melted.

Loved—going to Les Miserables w/ Elliott. Those were the best seats I've ever had…So good I was willing to drive through a tornado and sacrifice a strappy shoe to get there.

Loved—evening walks around the park, through the Loop, always farther than we'd meant to go.

Loved—how everyone had their birthday party at the Delmar Lounge.

Loved—Soulard Market in the summer time. Queen Anne cherries, fresh flowers, fruit tarts. A great place.

Loved—the Sunday night ritual…creative baking, movie watching, the Flava of Love, making fun of the poker boys, haha.

Loved—that some people found my blogs so incendiary that they dropped me from their subscription list.

Loved—fiction readings at Left Bank.

Loved—trying on giant diamonds in a jewelry store in Kirkwood.

Loved—waking up every morning to a big wet kiss from Karma. Seriously, I love that little animal.

Loved—learning to cook for real…finally. I've made things that turned out tasty!
Hated—the children in the daycare facility in the first floor of the building I live in (luckily, it closed down…and I didn't even have anything to do w/ it!)

Loved--waking up to fresh coffee...coffee makers w/ a timer are the best invention since electricity.

Loved—Laredo's night w/ lots of margaritas and tequila.

Loved—Chihuly in the Garden….why do I forget my camera when it counts?

Loved—Amy's weekend trip to St. Louis.

Loved—my trip to Chicago (Gin Blossoms!)

Loved—my 2 am drive home listening to Dane Cook and Mitch Hedberg to keep myself awake.

Loved—that Barak Obama wrote me back (not a form letter either) when I wrote him an e-mail about closing slaughter houses.

Loved—my birthday party. Seriously, I have the best, most fun friends in the world. Totally outdid 2005.

Loved—my Christmas tree. I haven't put it up in 3 years, and I'd forgotten how beautiful it is.

Loved—my new furniture arrangement…finally, I like my apartment.

Loved—the new tattoo born out of Shelley's b-day present to me!

Loved—those gorgeous earrings (which have been complimented every time I've had them on) from Jamie.

Loved—that Mel (safely) had her kid last night…If her little boy is anything like her, he should be the world's coolest child. I'm so proud of her, and she's going to be a GREAT mom.

There are plenty more, but this will do for now! If you didn't specifically make the list, I love you too and you know it!

A.

11/29/06