2005: A Year in Review

Well folks, another year has flown by yet again. Since our culture seems to be inundated with "Year in Review" types of articles, whether in words or pictures, about everything from news events to the best and worst dressed celebrities, I have decided to be unoriginal, and follow suit. So, without further adieu, I present: 2005, In a Nutshell.

January through May
I've decided to lump all of these months together. Don't get me wrong, there were some memorable moments here: my birthday, and spring break for example. However, these months are mostly a blur of class, homework, senior thesis projects, horrible eating habits and stress. Lots and lots of stress. Ask anyone who was around me for a decent amount of time during this period, and they will tell you that it was ugly. When I wasn't stressed, I was completely unenthusiastic about everything, including graduating. In short, Senioritis sucked the life out of me.

May 7th
Graduation! Amazing what a little pomp and circumstance will do for the soul. After sitting through a three hour commencement, I officially became a college graduate. The next day I finished packing up my dorm room and moved to Denver.

Memorial Day Weekend
Went to a friend's (and former co-worker) wedding in Curt Gowdy State Park. It was a small, intimate affair, very suited for the couple. After the ceremony, all the former staff members who attended the wedding went to our old boss's house for a BBQ. After returning to Denver briefly the next day, I went to Boulder to hang out with my cool, completely in-shape friends and former coworkers who were cool and completely in-shape enough to run the Bolder Boulder. If I ever get the ambition to become cool and completely in-shape enough to run a 5K, I'm so running the Bolder Boulder.

4th of July
Went to a Rockies game with J, brother-in-law P and then boyfriend J. However, the only reason we went was to watch the fireworks show afterwards. For those of you who weren't aware, the Rockies, well let's just say, they could be better. Because of the seats we were in, we got to go sit on the field to watch the fireworks show. Watching fireworks not at Coors Field, but on Coors Field was definitely worth the 11 innings of baseball we had to endure beforehand.

Sheridan WYO Rodeo Week
I wouldn't normally mention this as a highlight of my year, but this was the only weekend J, brother-in-law P, and I could make it home. When we originally told our parents when we would be visiting, they contemplated not telling us it was Rodeo Week because they were afraid we wouldn't come. That's how much we don't want to be in Sheridan during Rodeo Week. Thankfully my family doesn't live Sheridan, so with the exception of the street dance, we avoided Sheridan rather successfully.

Labor Day Weekend
Went back to L-town with the intentions of going to a good friend's party and getting to spend a long weekend with my boyfriend, J. Ended up going to the good friend's party and ending my 3 1/2 year relationship with said boyfriend. I only mention this because this was an end to something that should have been done months before and I finally became confident enough in myself to actually go through with it. The fact that I actually went through with it is probably one of the single best things I have done for myself. Period.

September
Started dating P. A part of me still finds it hard to believe that it actually worked out. Things like this don't normally happen to me, I'm just so glad that it did. I've already dedicated an entire post about this turn of events, and even though I could write countless more, out of respect of P and his needed anonymity, I'll say no more. Those of you who know me (which I'm thinking are most who read this blog) know that I'm a very happy girl.

October
Started this blog and entered into complete unemployment.

November
From here on out, most of the major events have been previously posted about. Case in point, the Paul McCartney concert and the week that was Thanksgiving. However, I did fail to mention that two of my best friends from college who I hadn't seen much of, if at all, since our friend's wedding in May, came to visit. Oh, which reminds me, D and S, if you're reading this, we didn't get to do our girls' night out in December, it's high time we got together again!

December
First and foremost, as you all know, I got a job! A killer start to the holiday season. In the last couple weeks, I made the trek home again with the landlords and the cat to spend the holidays in Wyoming. We got in all the celebrating we could possibly fit into a week. Celebratory dinner for the new jobs and promotions? Check. Christmas Eve dinner including Torte and peppermint cheesecake? Check. Early morning, blurry eyed opening of presents? Check. Lazy Christmas day? Check. Attend party in loft of barn followed by a soak in the homemade sauna? Check. Meet friends at semi-disappointing wine bar? Check. Return to Denver to discover that I have been summoned for jury duty? Check. Officially ending my eight month reign as the eternal temp of affordable housing? Check.

New Year's Eve
In what should be the last in the string of parties that started with Thanksgiving, the landlords and I rung in the New Year with P, A, and three other friends. Good times were had by all that included a lot of food, (avert your eyes, Mom and Dad) just as much alcohol, (okay, you can look again) and everything from guitar playing to Apples to Apples. After toasting to the New Year with champagne, we spent the rest of the weekend recovering from the mass amounts of food and drink consumed within a short period of time. The award for best idea of the weekend goes to P, who decided the best cure for our New Year's pains would be to make a large, greasy breakfast of eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy and corn beef and hash for everyone. Mmmmm greasy breakfasts, no better way to say Happy New Year.

Alright folks, consider yourselves up to date. Tomorrow I start my new job and hopefully with the new year and new schedule and routine, I will be able to post a little more regularly.

Next up: Jury duty, looking for apartments, and thus completing my transition into the real world. Stay tuned.