Year in Review

Tis the season and its been a doozie of a 12 month so here I go :)

in 2008 I:

* Attended a 12th Night feast
* Threw my brother's California wedding reception
* Moved out of my adorable apartment
* Visited my best friend in Kansas
* Saw Mellowdrone in concert (x2)
* celebrated my 7th year home from my mission
* Saw Wicked (x4)
* Attended a drunken Asian St. Patrick's Day extravaganza
* Didn't get in to the Grad School program I wanted
* Sang in the Sunrise Easter Service at Forest Lawn
* Chaperoned a Youth Conference
* Went to the Hotel Cafe Tour at the Music Box and was changed forever
* Taught at a stake Inservice (this scared me SO much more than anything I'd done before)
* Visited my cousin in DC and saw the cherry blossoms
* Saw Lady Sinatra in concert at the Viper Room (x2)
* Attended a Syttende Mai celebration
* Visited the cousins in Phoenix (x2)
* Saw Greg Laswell at the Hotel Cafe (x4)
* Saw Raining Jane at the Hotel Cafe
* Saw Rogue Wave at the Hotel Cafe
* Saw Mandy Moore at the Hotel Cafe
* Saw Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers at the Hotel Cafe
* Saw Ingrid Michaelson at the House of Blues
* Saw Snow Patrol at the House of Blues and fell in love. Like REALLY in love.
* Saw The Swell Season at the Greek and was forever changed
* Went to The Magic Castle - Best. Steak. Ever
* Dated a louse of a guy for a stint
* Went to the midnight party for Breaking Dawn
* Was bitterly let down by Breaking Dawn
* Giggle-snorted and scoffed through entire Twilight movie
* Saw Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare in the Park
* Visited the brother in Salt Lake
* Went back to the Single's ward
* Watched a meteor shower (and still have Hannah's blanket in my trunk)
* Got lied to by the Chinese about many things including fireworks and birthdays
* Got grafted into my couch from watching the Olympics nonstop
* Planned my wedding to Michael Phelps (I've loved ya from the start babe!)
* Felt compelled to put an Egyptian sterility curse on Chinese gymnastic officials
* Walked in my college graduation commencment
* Turned 30
* Moved NaToya to San Diego and discovered what the definition of "sweating"
* Learned how and made 100s of beautiful paper flowers for a Wendy-bird's wedding
* Threw a cocktail/garden party for a friend's birthday
* Got called to be the Ward Music Chairman (for the 3rd time)
* Dyed my hair red finally, after 20 years of going back and forth on the idea
* Took a weekend of elegant leisure at a Palm Spring's resort and practiced extravagant lounging
* Played Rockband for the first time and didn't totally suck
* Was failed by Jet Blue for the first time ever
* Got courted and chased by a monster at a haunted house
* Went back to DC and saw the autumn awesome and Mt. Vernon
* Hosted a Roman Murder Mystery party
* Went to Wendy's fabulous outdoor wedding reception complete with a being rained on adventure
* Campaigned my little heart out for Obama and Prop 8
* Cried for joy when both came to pass
* Had my faith in American Government and the American (and Californian) people refurbished
* Almost got caught at the temple both times it went into lock down because of No on 8ers
* Attempted to write a novel (again)
* Got laid off (and couldn't be happier)
* Saw Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

Total books read: 47
Total concerts attended: 20
Total trips to The Huntington: 9
Total trips to The Getty: 7
Total trips to Disneyland: 5
Total temple trips: 30
Total life-changing films seen: 5
Total other fun movies seen: 75
Total times being sick: 2
Total migraines: 3
Total total freeway blowouts: 1
Total heartbreaks: 2
New restaurants I tried: 15
Foods I learned to like: 9
Total laugh fits resulting in face numbing and brain cell loss: 785
Total # of things I've left in other states on trips: 32
Total theater expeditions: 12
Things I want to change for next year: 378
Things I wouldn't change for anything: 308,876
New friends made: 24
Old friends reconnected with: 36
Friends I don't deserve: 89
new phones I've had to buy: 0 *high 5*
Speeding tickets I've gotten out of: 3
States visited: 3
Pedicures: 12
Nails broken: 14
Times I've fallen in love with California: 365
Mountain excursions: 6
Beach excursions: 5
Desert excursions: 4
Miles traveled: 20,000+
Ideas for next year: 2,396

Yay for unabashedly living life and yay for another year to do the same.

Top 10 Tuesday

Top 10 Reasons Why Oprah Should Make Me Her New Best Friend
10) I freak out really well and can do the head/hair shake as good as she can
9) I can down as much red velvet cake as Gayle can any day
8) I love trying new beauty products
7) I don't jump on couches
6) I love to travel so I could check up on the Girls School in Africa more often. Make sure no more funny business goes down.
5) She'll be the skinny one
4) BOOKS! We both love them. It's her thing, they're my thing. Its meant to be.
3) I could have warned her about the Dr. Phil investment before it came out he was a lying, cheatin', cold, dead-beatin', two time double-dealin', mean mistreating loving heart (I never liked him).
2) I live in California - I'm just down the road from her. I could look in on the dogs when she's filming.
1) I'm a super cook and can't find a man that isn't terrified of me either. We have a lot to talk about

Top 10 Things I Have Found a New Appreciation for in 2008
10) Haircuts - I never really had one before now. Hair was mom's thing so I ran away from it screaming but I've learned the power of a good hair day.
9) Crying - I've done a lot of it this year and I've realized the sooner I let myself do it, the easier it is to move on
8) The Economist - It's the next best thing to a crystal ball or the webbernet.
7) Institute - I kind of faded into the woodwork these last few years on the YSA front but I wouldn't trade my time at Institute this year for anything.
6) My US Citizenship - I really felt like I did something to deserve it this year and that I made a difference. Even if it was a little one.
5) Music - Its played a vital role in keeping me going this year and in relationships and elevating my thinking. I would really be lost without it.
4) Free time - its a disappearing animal
3) really tall heals - me and tall shoes have gradually been mending our relationship. I put the moratorium on them for about a decade while I was coming to terms with my height but we're doing well now.
2) Friendship - the real kind. I've seen faces of support and forgiveness this year that I didn't know were possible.
1) Love - the agape kind. I've been able to see just a little bit more clearly how truly surrounded by it I am and how much I desperatly need it.