2009: a year in review

2009 was a good year, in retrospect. Overall, I had a good time, traveled some, played more frisbee than my back account could probably take, and made some amazing friends. I'm not going to do a month-by-month recap, because honestly my life isn't that exciting. But I will hit on the highlights and some of my favorite things.

Traveling:

Clearly this is one of my favorite things to do. I LOVE traveling almost more than anything. I wish that I could find a job that would pay me to travel and just experience life while traveling and the place I am in. Unfortunately I doubt I qualify for any of these jobs. I mean, I could try to get a job on someone's crew at the travel channel, but then I wouldn't get to do any of the fun stuff and I would have to travel with lots of other people. I like traveling alone as it turns out.

Once again this year I got to take one big trip that didn't involve ultimate and did involve an airplane (my new goal in life is to take one trip a year that meets these two requirements). I went to Washington D.C. to visit with some old friends and then to Fredericksburg to visit my brother. It was awesome! I got to see D.C., which is something I've always wanted to do, and I can't wait to go back to revisit a few places I didn't get to enjoy as much as I wanted (due to stupid people with no manners on how to act in public) and see my friends again. J-vo was a great host, and I got to see A-town, Rachel, and Jennie Yang while there. Hopefully next time Manhands won't lame out and Sarah will be in town. That sure would be nice :)

Other than that major trip, I mostly traveled for Ultimate. I didn't play as much as I have in the past, but it's harder to play all the damn time when you aren't in college and have to work as much as possible (instead of skip class on Monday because you got home at 4am). I didn't get home enough to see my family, but I did get to see three of my very favorite people get married this year, and I had 2 more get married (sorry I wasn't able to be there Amy and Matt!). I can't believe that of the three people I grew up with that Josh and Amy are married, and Lacey is getting married this next June. Hopefully only a few more trips for weddings in 2010 before I (hopefully, fingers crossed) move out west next year, for something.

Career:

My career is still on hold due to the terrible economy going to shit, but I have goals. I have decided that I want to go back to graduate school (third time's a charm, right?) for geography. At least that is what I thought before I finally got my Colorado teaching license (temporary). So now I am applying for both, graduate school and jobs. Worse case scenario: I get offers for both and have to choose. Best case scenario: I get offers for both and have to choose. The unthinkable scenario: I get no offers and have to stay in Atlanta for another year. Atlanta, I love you, but I can't stay in employment purgatory another year.

So that is that... you can almost say that my New Year's resolution is to get out west... for real in 2010. It's been time for something new for a while, so I'm exploring all options to make that happen. I mean, I have to start acting like a grown up at some point in my life, and the year I turn 26 seems like a good time to start (I think).

Ultimate:

I once again played ultimate almost every weekend from January until the middle of October, with a few more weekends dispersed from October until the end of the year. That was not the plan for the fall of 2009, but I'm glad it worked out that way. I got to play ultimate with an amazing group of people on a team called Midnight Train to Georgia. It was some of the most fun I've had (at least socially) in a really long time. Otherwise, I went to my usual tournaments, enjoyed myself, and didn't hurt myself-- shocking!. It was a great year for me and Ultimate. Hopefully this next year I'll get to play with some more new people, see all of my usual friends at tournments, and hit a few new tourney's as well.

2009 was awesome. I learned who and what in my life were important, and starting trimming away the things and people that aren't. I traveled and learned a lot about myself and will hopefully continue to do those things as well as find out who I am some more in relation to the people and places and things in my life.