In Review...or A Bit of History

I've seen many other bloggers reviewing the past decade.  Just the other day, I was talking with a friend about how this is the first decade I'll actually completely remember.  As I sit here, alone (by choice), on New Years Eve, I think it is the perfect time to reminisce.  To review the lessons learned.  To see how much I've changed.  To let go of the past, and embrace the new year.

2000
I entered the new decade (and millennium) 11 years old, and loving grade 6.  It was a great year of school - I had my all-time favourite teacher and I was the tallest student in the school.  My family moved into a new house.  In soccer, I was dipping my feet into being a goalie.  I remember hitting my head on the goal post diving for the ball, and being so proud that I made the save.  Summer left me with memories of camping with my family and friends.  That fall I entered junior high and french immersion.  I met a lot of great people, struggled to learn in a new language, and surpassed many people's expectations.  Playing on the junior basketball team was fun, and I got an award for "Best Defenseman".

2001
The most important occurrence of 2001 by far is I went on a snowboard trip with school.  I spent the entire day side-slipping down a black run since I couldn't get up the T-bar.  I fell in love.  This year brought with it my very first boyfriend.  It was a month filled with holding hands, hugs and long phone conversations.  The relationship ended because I wouldn't kiss him.  I played on the school badminton team and still loved being a soccer goalie.  That fall I made the school senior volleyball team and junior basketball team.  My Grade 8 homeroom teacher barely spoke English, so my French improved drastically.  I started my first job at the public library shelving books in December.

2002
There was a teacher strike early in the year, so we had about a month off of school.  I had my first kiss, and there was absolutely nothing romantic about it.  The boy does not remember this at all now.  An acquaintance from my gym class started to work at the library.  She became my best friend.  This year Jill taught me all about fencing, British humour and how to walk extremely quickly.  The outdoor soccer season was a great one.  I loved being a goalie, and was showing my talent (if I do say so myself).  Grade 9 started that fall; it was a year of experimentation with clothes, hair, make-up and everything else that went with being "popular".  I really dislike the person I allowed myself to become this year.  In the fall I played in a recreational volleyball league and had one of the most enjoyable sport seasons ever.  I also made the senior basketball team, and worked my butt into fine shape.

2003
This was the end of junior high.  In shop class I discovered drafting, and made a safety video where we had a near-disastrous accident while filming.  It was a blast, and I still have the video.  I went to Grade 9 Grad with my friend Malyssa as a date.  We became really close that summer, and when high school started in the fall I would walk over to her house at 6:30am so that I could get ready at her house.  I made the decision to quit soccer and try lacrosse instead.    That summer I did a volleyball bootcamp, and discovered I wasn't as talented as I believed.  Grade 10 brought lots of new people into my life.  In the winter I joined a freestyle snowboard club, and had a blast falling and learning.

2004
I turned 16.  I'm pretty sure Jill took me to M.A.C. for my first make-over, then we went back to her house for a sleepover.  The summer was crazy.  Jill and I went to the gym 3 times a week, and got super in-shape and toned.  We totally ruled the library.  I got a summer job at Little Caesars.  At the end of summer, I got a job Chapters and quit the library.  In hind-sight, I should've just stayed.  I transferred to a new high school for Grade 11.  It was a self-study school, and I wanted to take extra courses.  It meant dropping out of french immersion.  I made the senior volleyball team, and then quit a month later when I never got played.  Self-study was a huge fail on my part, but I met Steve who is one of the few people from high school I still see on a regular basis.  That Christmas, my mom told the manager at Chapters I was quitting.  This amuses me now.  I joined a new snowboard club, Riders on Board, and met some awesome new boarders.

2005
I transferred back to my original high school for second semester.  My motivation towards school began to wane, and my grades slowly dipped.  A couple weeks after my 17th birthday I got my driver's license.  My parents let me drive myself to work.  I was working back at the library, and was one of the "senior" pages.  I began to lose interest in lacrosse, but still loved snowboarding.  Grade 12 involved a lot of relationship drama.  I got into a semi-serious relationship with a boy, and developed a friendship with Kaylee on the bus rides home.  My snowboarding "career" took a leap forward as I got Karine as a coach.  She really helped push my skills to the next level.

2006
I turned 18, and got 5th place out of 50 girls in a snowboard competition the next day.  My first (and only) finalist finish and my parents were watching.  The boy kissed another girl, broke up with me, and then cried for a week until I took him back.  We went to grad together, and while it wasn't a bad experience, I definitely wish I'd made some different choices.  I graduated with Honours.  Barely.  Summer came, I got a job at Claire's and at another library.  I finally broke it off with the boy.  My parents found a car for me after 10 months of searching.  A girl from work took me to the club for the first time, and I was a nervous nerd.  Some friends introduced me to a "bad boy".  I was hooked.  It was a rollercoaster ride, and no one else liked him.  I got multiple piercings and two tattoos this year.

2007
The 2006-2007 snowboard season was THE best.  I was riding with an awesome group of girls.  We pushed each other, and laughed, and were just all-around stoked on shredding.  I sent an audition-video in for Canada's Next Top Model.  The video is here, and is too hilarious (and embarrassing) not to watch.  I got a call-back, and spent 10 minutes talking to a producer and model agent in a bikini and heels while being filmed.  Then I had to strut my stuff.  I didn't make it on the show, but I had a blast.  My friend Kim named my car Putt-Putt.  I got my "Live.Laugh.Love" tattoo at the end of summer.  My mom told me to take up scrapbooking instead of getting inked.  That Fall I went to the University of Calgary, and took a random mix of classes.  The goal was to get a Bachelor of Communication and Culture with a minor in Architectural Studies then go on to get a Masters of Architecture.  I lost motivation, and dropped out of 3 of 5 classes.  At this time, I decided to try out Lavalife.  I met Jason.

2008
Obviously, I did not continue with University.  I worked a few different temp jobs, then went back to the library to work at the check-out desk.  My snowboarding was going quite well, my coaches thought I should try competing at the national level and my club offered me the chance to try for a bursary.  I decided I wasn't committed enough to the sport, and my interest declined rapidly after that.  Story of my life: giving up when it stops being easy and starts taking effort.  I went to San Diego with Jason and another couple that summer.  My first trip outside of Canada.  Surfing was amazing.  We went to Disneyland, and I was a grumpy-pants the entire day.  I get like that when I don't get enough sleep.  In the fall, Jason got a job in Fort McMurray.  I went back to school, SAIT, and took Architectural Technologies.  I enjoyed my classes, but decided it's not what I wanted to do as a career.  I slacked off, and decided to move up to Fort McMurray.  Jason came home for Christmas, I packed my car, and we took off.  I arrived on December 28th.

2009
I got a job as a receptionist at a dental clinic, and Jason and I moved into a 2-bedroom basement suite.  I became friends with the girls at work, and some people from Jason's work.  Life in Fort McMurray was enjoyable.  We started house hunting, and finally found something we liked in our price range.  April 1st we got possession and had a pizza party on the living room carpet.  Jason proposed.  We ripped out the carpet and linoleum, and Jason put in bamboo hardwood.  Both our parents came to visit during the summer.  On August 1st we adopoted Dexter and Gizmo from the SPCA.  In September, I started evening courses in a Business Administration and Accounting program.  Working at the dental office became too stressful, and I got a new reception job.  Somewhere during all of this I became depressed.  I finished the school year with amazing marks, and came up with a plan to become happy again.

What was your favourite memory from the past decade?