The Year in Review: 2009

2009 shall go down in history as the first time that I left the party before midnight because I was tired and had to drive myself home.  Seriously, that could sum up the year for me.


At work, it will go down in history as the year that my boss, Dave, retired.  I have spent most of my career with Dave.  He was the best mentor a punk kid could have had and I am just beginning to understand what a difference his guidance made every day.  This makes it sound like I accomplished nothing this year, which isn't true.  But if you ask me in 10 years what happened at work in 2009, it will be about Dave.

At school, it will be the year that I finished the coursework for my masters degree.  I'm over it.

At home, it was the year that Mold took over our lives.  It cost a fortune.  My previously finished basement is now unfinished.  My African Grey is still on anti-fungal meds because she can't quite kick the aspergillus out of her system.  The only upside is that the two weeks I spent living in a hotel earned me elite status at the Holiday Inn.

Oooh.  In Travel:  I went back to New Orleans for my summer vacation, which was lovely.  Didn't stay out past midnight even once.  I visited two "new" cities - Seattle, which kindly introduced me to crumpets and Nutella, and Franklin, Tennessee.  I am not entirely sure that Franklin counts as a "city".  The "city" would be Nashville and I'd already been there.  Whatever.  Good road trip.  I also learned how much better life can be on the airlines with Premier status.  And I just learned that United re-upped me for 2010.  Yay!

In Volunteering, it was the year Glenview broke ground on the new Library.  From its July 2006 inception through mid-December 2009 the Used Book Store had raised over $57,000.  That's just the book store operation - it doesn't even count the other fundraising that the Friends group does throughout the year.  I don't have statistics on successes at the Rescue but thank you, Internet, for motivating me to ask for some.

In reading, I started on a Civil War kick that is not over yet.  Since I found one of Professor Blight's tomes at Half Price Books last weekend.  Which reminds me that I had better get back to my book.  There is still half a prayer that I might make the 50 Book mark by tomorrow.  Happy New Year.