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Monday, December 28, 2009

Decade in Review

As the year comes to a close, and we all reflect on 2009, I also find myself reflecting on the decade as it too comes to a close. It's always amazing how quickly time goes by, but to think back on the past 10 years, utterly astounds me.

Ten years ago, I was a 21 year old college senior, and like my fellow college students, we all greeted the feared Y2K with an inhuman amount of booze. In my recollection, we were so eager to get into a particularly hard to open bottle of champagne, we ended up using a screw driver to pry the cork out, and I believe I lost my college boyfriend at a party (it turned out he'd been barfing and passed out in a bathroom...ah...college days!).

So, without further ado, the 2000's of Jess in review:
  • 2000: Graduated college. Started graduate school, which also meant my first year of teaching a college class as part of my assistantship. Was so nervous before my first class that I threw up in the faculty bathroom.
  • 2001: Cont'd with grad school, started to get the hang of teaching and was surprised to find that I liked it, got engaged to college boyfriend (same Y2K puker).
  • 2002: Wrote thesis, graduated grad school, began teaching as an adjunct professor, broke off engagement to college boyfriend, spent summer living on a friend's couch and drinking copious amounts of alcohol. In the late fall, I met Jerry. We were just friends then.
  • 2003: Cont'd teaching as an adjunct, but was really making my primary living via waitressing -- such is the humble existence of someone who gets an MA in English. Began dating Jerry. Fell in love.
  • 2004: Moved to FL with Jerry. Cont'd teaching as an adjunct -- at 3 different colleges.
  • 2005: Jerry and I bought our condo (and got started on remodeling it), we got engaged and, 6 months later, got married. Started running. Started my blog. Still teaching as an adjunct.
  • 2006: We got Scooter. I started training for the Disney Marathon. Was awarded "Adjunct Prof of the Year" at one college that I particularly liked working for, and then got a Full Time Temporary position there.
  • 2007: Finally finished the remodel on our condo -- just in time to begin to see the beginning of the end with real estate. Completed the Disney Marathon, but was injured so missed my time goal by a wide margin. Took some time off, then began training for Chicago Marathon -- that ended in disaster (haven't aimed for a marathon since). Was finally hired as a Tenure-Track Professor at my preferred college. Got to drop the other adjunct positions and finally began to make a decent salary.
  • 2008: Turned 30. Ran 6 half marathons, as well as a variety of other distances. Got preggo!
  • 2009: Most of my year was consumed with being pregnant and preparing for the arrival of Norah, but I still ran until I was 32 weeks pregnant. The pinnacle of the year was, of course, Norah's birth on Aug 1oth. And, after her birth, returned to running and ran 2 races this year: a 10K and a 5K. I have more to say about this year, but will save that for a specific "2009 in Review" post.

So, here I am at the end of the decade and I have found myself with people and in places I could have never expected back when I drunkenly rung in the 2000's as a college student. What will the next decade bring? I honestly have no clue, but I hope to still be enjoying a happy marriage, healthy and happy children (yes, plural), a rewarding and enjoyable career, an aged but still lively Scooter dog, and running. Everything else is remains excitingly open!

23 comments:

Erin said...

That's pretty good. I think my decade would would have several of the same milestones/memories (college, boyfriend, move to FL, marriage, real job, house, baby, etc.). The one thing you forgot is to mention how you met the coolest group of friends after you moved to FL. ;)

lifestudent said...

I dont want to even think about a decade of my life. I dont think I could even compare the beginning and end of it except that my (now) husband was there at both points ... and in between. But, I am definitely looking forward to the next decade or so :)

Heather said...

I love the idea of reviewing the decade - it's crazy how fast 10 years has gone, but in other ways it feels like 21 was a million years ago.

Relentless Forward Commotion said...

great review! I think it's a very good thing most of us do not end up where we thought we would be when we were drunk college students!

Shellyrm ~ just a country runner said...

What a great decade of Jess recap!

How the time flies more quickly with each year.

Tom Degan said...

I can remember where I was ten years ago when this awful decade came into being. Believe it or not, when I rang in the new year on January 1, 2000, I was not only stone-cold sober - I was at church! My then-girlfriend and I attended a special midnight mass at the local Catholic church to welcome in, not only a new decade, but a new century and a new millennium. I remember feeling filled with optimism. By entering this new era, I felt, we could wipe the slate clean. Maybe this would be a new age of peace, love, brother and sisterhood. EVERYBODY SING!

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius!
Age of Aquarius!
Aquariusuuuuus!

How utterly naive on my part, huh? By year's end, all of that hope was out the window and into the toilet. In a little less than a year, an ideologically perverted Supreme Court would assist in a stolen election by stopping the vote count in the state of Florida, installing a corrupt little frat boy with the I.Q. of a half-eaten box of Milk Duds as president of the United States. It was all downhill from that moment on. From the birth of "Reality Television" to the worst attack on American soil since the Civil War, it was quite a strange ten years to say the least. Thankfully this awful decade is a mere three days away from being consigned forever to history's scrap heap. Hallelujah.

http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com

Tom Degan

Anonymous said...

Woah - stop the Decade Train right there. How can you do a decade review without rehashing the best bowling story of the double aughts?

Carly said...

Isn't it unbelievable how fast a decade can slip by? You have done so much and come along way. I love the idea of a decade in review.

Carolina John said...

very cool decade Jess! and remarkably similar to my recount of the 2000's. except non-college teaching and no grad school. here's to the next decade!!

TonyP said...

Wow...10 years ago you were 21...I am so old!

Wes said...

its been a pleasure Jess :-)

d.a.r. said...

Wow lots of changes in there! But it sounds like you are where you are supposed to be :)

Katie A. said...

What a fun way to look back! I can't believe 10 years has passed either! You accomplished a ton and I am sure the next ten will be just as fab!

Jess said...

I can't believe it's been almost a decade. Wow I think in 2000 I was in 8th grade that's crazy. You've surely accomplished a lot of great things in the last 10 years!

Anonymous said...

This was fun to read. I'm the same age as you and had no clue how different my life would be from New Years of 2000 to New Years of 2010.

Krissy said...

Love your decade re-cap, alot of stuff has happened in those ten years, it makes me want to do one too.

Also, your picture of Norah under the tree is really cute! She looks so happy with all those presents! hahaa...

Aka Alice said...

I'm trying to remember 1999...my kids were babies then! It is amazing how 10 years can fly by. I love the decade review!

Marlene said...

I remember Y2K so clearly... my Mom wanted us all to be together. Everyone was so paranoid.

What a decade it has been - congratulations on many good things and here's to the next 10 years. Cheers!

The Boring Runner said...

This was a really neat idea. With a baby in my near future, I can't help but notice all of the morning sickness didn't make the list but the barfing before class did. :)

Badgergirl said...

This decade seems like it has flown by! I like the decade review, made me think about what the last 10 years has been like for me.

SavvyFitChica said...

I learned a lot about you in this post- very interesting! You and Jerry are made for each other!

Cheers to a great decade!

N.D. said...

This is a great idea - decade post. Loved reading it. Where were you before Florida? Most of our years are the same, turning 30, getting married, fun fun!

Agate Lake Girl said...

What a great lookback. I may have steal the idea. :)
Norah's arrival at the end of the decade is like the icing on top of the cake, don't you think?!