goodbye, 2008.

my year in review: juno. obama won the iowa caucus. started my final semester at urban. i was rejected from being a poll worker. adventures with ziggy. a thirty day caffeine hiatus. chris and michele came to visit. i talked a lot about politics. a lot. i met julie in tahoe. i voted on february fifth. lesley and lori came to visit. i bought a scooter. i changed insurance carriers. i joined the monday night group. i felt the most misunderstood i've ever felt. ever. i went to a lakers game. and to a poetry slam. had easter in yosemite. hoola hoop party at dolores park. dan turned twentyfive and we surprised him. i got hired to be a therapist for late age adults. i went to the final three c reunion and spring sing. symphony. the swell season concert. i said goodbye to my fourth semester of urbanites. tipping point benefit. westmont graduation. ben taylor concert. i made my first pies. burned my hands making pies. i visited lori in santa cruz. my step-dad became a loser and the worst role model. riley turned one. started training for a half marathon with julie. i went to alcoholics anonymous and sex addicts anonymous, but not because i'm an addict. i jumped out of a plane. i voted, again. i killed a pigeon. swedish midsummer party. sb for jonny's wedding. patty's class. samuel turned one. i experienced major anxiety over a hand mixer. shonna came to visit. i made baracklava. i talked a lot more about politics. spontaneous road trip to monterey. i decided to end at urban. julie turned twentyfour. i became a professional house hunter. i saw coldplay with anna. the ladies came to town for a conference. we signed a lease. saw john mayer. i ran a half marathon with julie. michael phelps kicked ass. i had an ankle injury. i met my cute physical therapist. i switched scooters. i baked. and i baked. and i baked. i bought some more kitchen products and pyrex. i had my first client; i became a therapist. i saw patty griffin with lori. i started lending on kiva. i helped with keith and leslie's wedding. i went to the sugar shack again. i ran into a turnstile. i turned twentyfour. i learned a lot more about politics. dan. relay triathlon with julie and dan. I SAW SAM BEAM LIVE. i learned more about taking risks. another caffeine kick. shonna's housewarming party. my own therapy. getting accepted to go to israel for free. more politics. i blogged three times in one day: election day, november fourth. i did yoga. i told you some of my secrets (chuck e, trombone, etc.). i started saving pennies. some of westmont burned down. my friends lost their homes. i celebrated thanksgiving early. mint. milk. slumdog. losing my first client. playing in seattle. the second annual gingerbread house making party. supporting my three closest friends in their pain. figuring out how to receive the most generous gift, ever. and then experiencing that feeling all over again eight days later: you really are crazy.

and in this year i am changing and becoming. i pray that i continue to become and continue to grow and mold and fight and cry and get angry and have joy and laugh and listen and learn and be still. and most of all, i pray that i can continue to give. it might just be the one thing that i believe the most in.