2009 wrap-up / State of the Karla
Jan. 4th, 2010 01:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ravnsdaughterI never did get around to doing that 2009 wrap-up post before 2009 ended, but I still want to do one, so here we go.
I've had a lot of friends and acquaintances say that 2009 sucked for them. There's been jobs lost and breakups and divorces and financial troubles all around, and in some ways I feel slightly guilty that I'm so happy with things when they're going through a bunch of crap. But they know they have my support, and I know they're happy for me finally starting to get my own crap together. 2009 was an absolutely amazing year for me, overall. It had its low points, but on the whole, I can honestly say it was the best year I've had in probably the last 8-10, and quite possibly EVER, and I'm really looking forward to 2010 being even better.
Work
I started the year unemployed, but having just taken 2 months off to work on some personal stuff, with the intention of starting to look in the new year. It took me a few weeks to get ramped up with that, but by the end of February, I had the job I'm at now. Except for a hiccup in October-ish, work has been great. The fact that I have a 7 minute walking commute and a 30 hour work week is just icing on the cake.
Relationships
After about 5 years single, I met Ian online at the end of December 2008, and we had our first date on January 3, 2009, which means we just celebrated our 1 year anniversary yesterday. Things are wonderful on this front, Ian and I have so much fun together and have weathered the bumps in the road together very well.
My relationships with other people have improved as well. My family is still a bunch of rednecks, but I'm pretty close to my mother, and I'm getting closer to my sister as well, now that we basically just avoid the topic of religion altogether.
Relationships with friends have gone up and down, and this is something I want to work on a lot more in 2010. One of my two resolutions is to be more social, and this is going to be one of my areas of focus for 2010. For starters, I'm planning to start inviting friends over for dinner on a regular basis, because I love cooking for other people, and spending a few hours with a friend or 2 is a good way to get to know them better.
My relationship with Ian, however, has brought other new relationships into my life - with his family. His mother and 3 sisters live in the Vancouver area as well, and we see them probably once every month or 2 on average. It's been really nice, actually. They've all welcomed me into the family with open arms and really made me feel welcomed, and it feels wonderful, especially after how I was treated by my ex's friends and family. They apparently all think I'm pretty cool, too. :)
Health
I continue to struggle with my health constantly, but overall I do believe I've made considerable progress with it in 2009, notwithstanding the numbers on the scale only having moved about 20 pounds (downwards, at least). I struggled with my back injury in the summer and early fall, but finding a good chiropractor helped with that. My health and weight is going to be another big focus for 2010.
Home
I started the year still in the same basement suite I'd been in for the three years previous, with the same pain in the butt roommate. He spent the spring driving me up the wall, as he'd done since he moved in. I gave him notice to move out for the end of June, and Ian was going to move in with me, and then my landlords gave ME notice to vacate so they could take over the basement suite as well. So Ian and I found a gorgeous brand new condo to rent, only about 5-7 minutes walk from my work. Other than the fact that it's a little cramped, it's pretty great. I'm looking forward to actually doing some decorating in 2010.
Spirituality
This is one area where I didn't make too much progress. I'm still a member of both Ar n'Draoicht Fein and the Sisterhood of Avalon, but I haven't really done a whole lot with either group or my studies. This is another area to work on for 2010.
Hobbies
I'm still spending too much time playing that damned game (World of Warcraft). I did, however, get back to the SCA - I went to one event in the summer and 2 in the fall, and I'm really looking forward to getting to more events in 2010. I've gotten going on the crafts again (I'm going to have some knitting pictures to post shortly), and started putting in some practice time on both the piano and the harp.
Overall, a great year. What I'm most pleased about is the fact that instead of working on what I consider core survival issues (money, work, etc.), those are all to the point where they're just moving along swimmingly and maintenance mode, and now I can work on the fun stuff - hobbies, decorating etc.
And to all of you reading this, may 2010 be the best year yet for you, and much love and hugs from my little corner of the world.
I've had a lot of friends and acquaintances say that 2009 sucked for them. There's been jobs lost and breakups and divorces and financial troubles all around, and in some ways I feel slightly guilty that I'm so happy with things when they're going through a bunch of crap. But they know they have my support, and I know they're happy for me finally starting to get my own crap together. 2009 was an absolutely amazing year for me, overall. It had its low points, but on the whole, I can honestly say it was the best year I've had in probably the last 8-10, and quite possibly EVER, and I'm really looking forward to 2010 being even better.
Work
I started the year unemployed, but having just taken 2 months off to work on some personal stuff, with the intention of starting to look in the new year. It took me a few weeks to get ramped up with that, but by the end of February, I had the job I'm at now. Except for a hiccup in October-ish, work has been great. The fact that I have a 7 minute walking commute and a 30 hour work week is just icing on the cake.
Relationships
After about 5 years single, I met Ian online at the end of December 2008, and we had our first date on January 3, 2009, which means we just celebrated our 1 year anniversary yesterday. Things are wonderful on this front, Ian and I have so much fun together and have weathered the bumps in the road together very well.
My relationships with other people have improved as well. My family is still a bunch of rednecks, but I'm pretty close to my mother, and I'm getting closer to my sister as well, now that we basically just avoid the topic of religion altogether.
Relationships with friends have gone up and down, and this is something I want to work on a lot more in 2010. One of my two resolutions is to be more social, and this is going to be one of my areas of focus for 2010. For starters, I'm planning to start inviting friends over for dinner on a regular basis, because I love cooking for other people, and spending a few hours with a friend or 2 is a good way to get to know them better.
My relationship with Ian, however, has brought other new relationships into my life - with his family. His mother and 3 sisters live in the Vancouver area as well, and we see them probably once every month or 2 on average. It's been really nice, actually. They've all welcomed me into the family with open arms and really made me feel welcomed, and it feels wonderful, especially after how I was treated by my ex's friends and family. They apparently all think I'm pretty cool, too. :)
Health
I continue to struggle with my health constantly, but overall I do believe I've made considerable progress with it in 2009, notwithstanding the numbers on the scale only having moved about 20 pounds (downwards, at least). I struggled with my back injury in the summer and early fall, but finding a good chiropractor helped with that. My health and weight is going to be another big focus for 2010.
Home
I started the year still in the same basement suite I'd been in for the three years previous, with the same pain in the butt roommate. He spent the spring driving me up the wall, as he'd done since he moved in. I gave him notice to move out for the end of June, and Ian was going to move in with me, and then my landlords gave ME notice to vacate so they could take over the basement suite as well. So Ian and I found a gorgeous brand new condo to rent, only about 5-7 minutes walk from my work. Other than the fact that it's a little cramped, it's pretty great. I'm looking forward to actually doing some decorating in 2010.
Spirituality
This is one area where I didn't make too much progress. I'm still a member of both Ar n'Draoicht Fein and the Sisterhood of Avalon, but I haven't really done a whole lot with either group or my studies. This is another area to work on for 2010.
Hobbies
I'm still spending too much time playing that damned game (World of Warcraft). I did, however, get back to the SCA - I went to one event in the summer and 2 in the fall, and I'm really looking forward to getting to more events in 2010. I've gotten going on the crafts again (I'm going to have some knitting pictures to post shortly), and started putting in some practice time on both the piano and the harp.
Overall, a great year. What I'm most pleased about is the fact that instead of working on what I consider core survival issues (money, work, etc.), those are all to the point where they're just moving along swimmingly and maintenance mode, and now I can work on the fun stuff - hobbies, decorating etc.
And to all of you reading this, may 2010 be the best year yet for you, and much love and hugs from my little corner of the world.