Ups and Downs in 2010

2010 is coming to a close and what's a blog for if not to share some reflections about the last year?  I thought I remembered making some resolutions, but according to my blog I did not.  I did, however have a few goals that I ended up working toward, and so I'll incorporate those into the following bullet-point list of 2010 highs and lows.

• The first couple days of 2010 were fabulous!  Rang in the new year on vacation with some excellent people, in one of my favorite places (the OBX).  Also tried making Giada's Roman Chicken recipe, and even the pickiest eaters claimed to like it.  
• Things went from high to low for another few days.  I was supposed to leave from vacation for an immersion trip in Kentucky, but instead I headed home to go to a funeral.  The day before the funeral I flipped my hybrid into a ditch.  Bye, bye hybrid.  :-(  
• BUT, once I got to Kentucky I was blessed by the people on my trip who welcomed me warmly when I arrived late, and supported me as I came out of my funk.  My immersion in Kentucky was a fantastic time - good company, great theological conversations, and a beautiful and eye-opening experience of Appalachian Kentucky.  
• February sucked.  I don't really remember why, it just did.  It's my least favorite month and I was so glad it was over.  Well, we had some snow which was cool. 
• Looking at my budget, I decided that I would not be allowed to plan any more international trips for at least all of 2010, so that I could try to build up my savings.  
• Did not succeed in building up my savings, partly because....
• I visited Chicago, Miami, and San Francisco this year!  Great cities.   Many thanks to Pam, Erin, and Sergey for hosting me, Kieron for graduating from Miami, and Lonely Planet for making awesome city guides.  
• I finished serminary!  And saw my brothers graduate from high school and college!  And had a great joint grad party with Justin Allen Callahan.  
• Continued to learn how to be Pecometh Program Assistant, with a fantastic 2010 staff and my fabulous and musically talented Leadership Team.  
• Went on a fabulous camping trip the the SheNANdoah Mountains with some of my favorite adventurers.  Visited Thomas Jefferson.  Climbed mountains.  Swam in waterfalls.  Susan and Belay fell in love.  
• At some point this year I decided to continue a previous year's resolution to be braver and more open with people.  I think that's coming along slowly but surely.  
• I continue to be amazed by the wonderful people who are in my life.  Too many to list without leaving some out.  Just know that I would probably hug you if I were less awkward.  Maybe I'll hug some of you anyway...
• Celebrated my 27th birthday with good friends and all kinds of shenanigans.  
• Almost broke my resolution to not travel internationally, but then Haiti went crazy.  If deciding on a whim to go to Haiti amid flooding, poverty, earthquake damage, mild violence and cholera doesn't count as being braver, I don't know what does (although I ended up not being able to go).  In any case it was kind of an uncharacteristic move for me.
• Revisited yoga and took up Zumba. 
• Finally moved into my cabin in the woods and it is everything I've ever wanted in a small cabin in the woods (which many of you know I've wanted since I read my first Laura Ingalls Wilder book.
• Overall I'm really happy with where I am at the end of this year, and a lot of really awesome things have happened for me.  
• I'll see in the new year with the amazing and slightly insane Shitama family, gathered in Gainesville, Florida (the place of my birth!) for Grampa Kaz's 90th birthday.  

Looking forward, I'm excited for 2011.  I'm starting out with work-related trips to North Carolina and London, and hope that I will be able to plan lots of non-work-related fun in both places.  In addition, maybe I'd like to visit Boston, South Carolina and maybe Arizona.

What with my new lifestyle in my cabin in the woods, my only resolution of sorts is to be intentional about living simply and learning to spend more time in solitude (I might just go to the Pecometh Day of Silence and Solitude in January).  As I continue to settle into my cabin (and gradually buy all the things I need like trashcans and toilet brushes) I would like to get rid of stuff I don't need, live more frugally, and spend more time developing spiritual practices.  I hope to blog more on that as time goes on.  We'll see how it goes...