I write a holiday letter every year that I enclose in my holiday cards. The edited highlights:

- I am continuing to run my own business
- I have a sweet contract with a major IT company :)
- I got a new server (read: desktop that I transformed into a server)
- We got a Tivo and a good sound system, and I got an iPod
- DH is in business school (and I never see him any more :( )
- I became a Microsoft Certified Professional (ah, the dark side...)

Europe

• Watched the NY begin under Big Ben from Parliament Sqr.
  Took a job at a University in London, moved in with some kids I met (London South Bank)
  Bought a bike to ride the streets of London each day from W1 to SE1
  GF & I speak of marriage
  Got a partial scholarship to UK Law school, a full scholarship to UL - decisions to be made
  Took a job at a pub (The Metropolitan at Baker Street, The Volunteer next to Regent's Park)
  Prague for Easter (5 Go Mad in Prague - Running from Cabbies, Absinth, Jazz, overcrowding hotel rooms, changed locks)
  Theatre (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Phantom, Sweetest Swing in Baseball, Reduced Shakepeare, Reduced Bible, Oleana, Blood Brothers, Bombay Dreams)
  British Friends (Liam, Catherine, Alpesh, Cecile, The Croatian girl, Nishma)
  American Friends there (Sandy, Ky, Adam, Em, Tabb, Syd, Carolyn, Joe, Esme)
  Oxford/Cambridge Boat Race then Oxford Uni
  Friday Night TV night (Sex in the City, Friends, Distraction,
  Bilbao/San Sebastian Spain for a Weekend Get-Away (Coming out of the club to daylight, Art, Beautiful Waters, Beautiful People)
  Corfu Greece for the next weekend get-away (Ferry Ride, Swimming Out to the Island, Pink Palace, Broken Plates, Broken Promises, Great Food, Red Bull & Vodka)
  Brindisi Italy (Maurizio getting in a fight with the policia, huge lemons, free gellato, free lemondrop shots, great food, good beer, great guy)
  Saw my Favorite Artist --> The Streets in Brixton
  Traveled England (Cotswalds, Bath, Oxford, Stonehenge, Shakespeare's home, etc)
  THEN I TRAVELED (Pompeii, Capri, Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, Grindelwald, Gimmelwald, Munich, Salzburg, Halstadt, Vienna, Budapest - so many people so many memories...none more pleasant than Gimmelwald)
  26 hours in the airport after missing my flight

Back Home

• Girlfriend leaves me, finds another guy (deep depression ensues, lots of drinking - half inspired by missing Europe, mostly her)
  All my friends, perhaps inspired by me, leave (Katie - Calie, Dang - Phoenix, Nall - Belgium, Clint - DC, Todd/Chad - Etown)
  Get the new The Streets Album - more sadness

School

• Law School starts
  Poker Night
  iPOD + myTunes = lots of great new music
  Beer Golf Invitational begins (too much money, too much booze, too much fun)
  I LOVE LAW SCHOOL
  Realize that I've got so many great things ahead of me...vying to do well in school, to move to another place (hopefully N.Y.) & then plan my next travels (probably Norway & Sweden) & I'm happier than I've been in a long time.
  I end the NY with my law school buddies, drinking in a piano bar in Louisville

Perhaps the greatest year of my life...I'm stronger than I've ever been, I've been hurt & I know I can heal, I've seen great things, I've met great people...I'm happier perhaps than I've ever been...I'm sad to see this year go.

two of my favorite bars in London! when i went to school in Regents Park so we probably went to the Volunteer about 4 times a week!

Hmm, my year in review.
~*~Started 2004 in my mom's appartment in Oregon, drinking entirely too much champagne and getting ready for my UKent at Canterbury phone interview.

~*~Back in Alaska, I began a great job at a museum, working in the education department. And was taking graduate art history to prepare for the fall. During this time I served as alumni association rep. for my school's Greek Council.

~*~Had an innocent fling in April with my old physics lab partner from second year.

~*~Went to my sorority formal with my best male friend, and had a great time! Drama ensued at formal which was bad. Received my beautiful handmade graduation stole, which was v. good. I had my Circle Degree, the highest degree of membership in Sigma in April, which was very special.

~*~Walked in graduation in May, even though I graduated in December 2003, with my degree in biology Summa Cum Laude and a university honors scholar, and leadership honors :D I was weighed down by all those honor cords, hehe.

~*~Painted four murals over the summer, in return for which I didn't have to pay rent as I was increasing the value of the house. Then in August, a friend and I drove from Alaska, through Yukon and B.C., and caught the ferry down to Washington, then drove to Oregon, where I hung out with my mom for a few weeks. Lef the US for a long time. Spent three weeks travelling around the UK, staying in London, Glastonbury, Bath and Edinburgh before moving into St. Andrews.

~*~Started something with a guy in my building who then decided he fancied me but didn't want a relationship. Then he proceeds to whine about how girls don't fancy the nice guys (bullshit!).

~*~Spend the term writing papers, enjoying Scotland, seeing the Barenaked Ladies in concert and then partying with them at the aftershow. Hanging out with the Bella Mafia (Spooks, the Bear, Kia Ora, da Vinci and Turmet), going to entirely too many pubs - MaBell's is my favourite.

~*~Recently spent Christmas in bed after an injury and am dreading my appointment with the orthopaedist about a possible knee surgery. Rang in the New Year on the Castle Sands beach near a campfire and watching fireworks. All in all, it was an ok year, not spectacular, but not shite either - I'd give it a 6/10.

My year:

That's awesome...when were you there? The Volunteer had the atmosphere, The Met had the good drink prices!

-broke up with the controversial b/f on my own terms and reasons
-fought with my sis's fiance....like a real family should :)
-started cosmetology school yay!
-started standing up for myself with the 2 most difficult ppl in the world, but both of which i love dearly
-came thisclose to paying off my credit card, and then i can't remember what happened...... :p

here's to a more happenin year!

the summer of 2000. it seems like so long ago now!

My 2004 in Review:

-My car got totalled (NOT MY FAULT) one month after I made the last payment. Bought a new one that I now love.

-My mother announced she is opning her own business--very exciting!

-I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and went on a Gluten-free diet.

-We moved and got a new apartment, complete with some new furniture (good-bye, college hand-me-downs!).

-and finally, I GOT ENGAGED!

All in all, a good year.....

We think my nephew has that. They did all the tests and they all came back 'inconclusive'. Unfortunately the little guy has all the symptoms so he is now starting gluten free foods. No soy sauce!

2004 kind of sucked.



Anyway, next year will be better

I agree. Bye 2004, you sucked.

2004 for me
 

Let's put it this way:

2005 is going to be the best year of my life.

I'll leave it at that.