2008 Highlights

Per Dreher's request, I decided to post my year's highlights....

January--I took/passed the most difficult exam of my life, up until this point. I witnessed a large dose of reality in Louisiana, as I did relief work with Salvation Army--this experience had a significant impact on me. I began my end-of-education full-time internship at a Homeless Shelter in town, attempting to utilize all I had learned up till that point and get a good grip on the life I'd signed up for. This month was the end of the hoorah that was working at the Boys and Girls Club. This was also the first time I'd had my own room since I was 10!!!!

February--Oh this was the month of my most intense and interesting Client while working at Vincent House. She was 21 but had the logic/mental level of a 12 year old. She once said "My mom doesn't like me to go anywhere alone. Everytime I go somewhere alone I get raped." This month and next was also the month of my craziest client who called the Sherriff's department on me. Too much professional/emotional growth/thoughts to list.

March--This was a good month, mostly because its when I was born ;0). I accepted and internalized my professional self in this month. One day I just realized "I'm doing it," and couldn't believe how far I'd come to get to this point. Oh, this was also the month I started engaging politically. I was pro-Obama this month ;0). Really, I was just working through the process of learning what it means to vote responsibly.

April--Hard month. I was sorting through a fair amount of emotional issues. And my dog died this month :0( I felt like reality of growing up hit me like an 18 wheeler.

May--End of my internship, appropriately it was pouring rain--definitely broken hearted for a few weeks. Graduation. Moving into our apartment...ie up 3 flights of stairs. Haha--I made a list of 16 goals for summer, and I accomplished 5: Hanging curtain rods, buying a new CD, smoking a cigar, making a "dye my hair" pro/con list, and eating a tamale. That is success, my friends! This was a hard month, no wonder I didn't accomplish more practical goals.

June--Diary of a Mad Black Woman--revolutionalized my life. The rejection of the SCAN job--good intervew lessons. The beginning of the Cleveland extravagabonaza of 2008. The beginning of my involvement at Broadway Christian Church, even though I'd been "pew surfing" for a year. Harmonica obsession. I decided that I either needed to really choose Christianity holistically or let it go, permenantly---I choose it, for the record.

July--Lots of Gilmore Girls. Oh, this is also the month that Cleveland said "thanks for the memories" to everyone except myself. And then I wigged out on him after 2 weeks of working 8-10 hour days with him...intense.

August--Important month of revelations: 1. The problem with Christianity: part 102. 2. The seemingly genetic characteristics of pro-writers--the lurk, the buggy eyes, etc. Promotion to "Associate Director of Campus Safety," this is when life REALLY started to take off. ;0)

September--Lots and lots of political thoughts, researching. This month I decided I didn't like either candidate. Lots and lots of CRAZY residence life issues ie "the devil rocks incident." I became a Church member this month.

October--Announcement that Taylor is closing. This was a ridiculous month. Many more political thoughts, lots of SNL watching, watching debates with Dreher and giving the candidates points for "hogwash."

November--Job searching. This was a really good month in learning to just live well, simplistically, getting the details of my life in order. This was also a month of a lot of thought as it relates to American Christians and poverty...still working through that one.

December--Park Center job application/interview/acceptance. Chrissmakkuh. The New Years party ;0) Fun month.

I'm always amazed at what a rollarcoaster each year is. I was so entirely different emotionally, professionally this time last year. I learned a lot of hard and good things this year, that I feel many full grown adults never come to grips with. I think Confidence, Discipline, and Responsibility were the big themes of 2008. And it all begins again on Monday when I start at Park Center...where's my rollarcoaster "motion disturbance" bag ;0)