I don't know why I always feel the need to muse around the turning of the year. But the end of December comes along and I always seem to need to reflect back on the year. This year contained the top two of three lowest moments in my life along with several other hard times in my friend's lives ... but it all led to growth that I needed to do. And I guess it wasn't going to happen on its own. And although my mind jumps to the bad moments first, I can't deny the amazing year that it has been all the same. 2006 ends with a somewhat confusing emotional state that I really don't understand much less think I can expand upon online. I guess I am just realizing that I am more complex than even I previously realized.

1.) Where did you ring in 2006? In Joe's friend's basement. Woo. But seriously I spent it with Joe and that's all I could ask for.
2.) What was your status by Valentine's Day? Celebrating my 1 year 2 day anniversary with Joe.
3.) Were you in school (any time this year)? Unfortunately for the majority ...
4.) How did you earn your keep? Hallmark slave and Bradley Student Worker (So basically reading greeting cards and surfing facebook ...)
5.) Did you have to go to the hospital? Not personally ... but .... yeah. :-/ Top 3 worst nights of the year
6.) Did you encounter the police? ... :-/*sigh* Lowest Point #1
7.) Where did you go on vacation? Spring Break to California with the freshman year crew
8.) What did you purchase that was over $500? A college education and related expenses, and I'm sure that I spent over that much on alcohol and eating out over the year ...
9.) Did you know anybody who got married? Not that I recall ...
10.) You know anybody who passed away? Not anyone close to myself
11.) Have you run into anybody you graduated high school with? Fortunately yes! Most importantly the ones who matter. But also notably, most of Fenwick at the bars over Thanksgiving.
12.) Did you move anywhere? Into 1607 in June
13.) What sporting events did you go to? Um ... my sister's all star basketball game. That may have been it.
14.) What concerts did you go to? Dashboard Confessional @ Bradley. Gaelic Storm. Goo Goo Dolls/Counting Crows. JOURNEY!/Def Leppard. It was a good year for concerts ...
15.) Are you registered to vote? Yes
16.) If so, did you do your patriotic duty on Nov. 7? No. Must work on that this year ...
17.) Where do you live now? Currently Forest Park. Majority of the year, Peoria.
18.) Describe your birthday. In a word: FABULOUS. In a few more ... 21. Rehab. My Girls. Cheddar's. Friends. Joe. Semi Formal Dress. Great chats. Crusen's. 17 shots. Water! Not dying. Feeling loved. Skittles. Pizza. Floor. Victoria's Secret. Mail. Crown. LOVE.
19.) What's the one thing you thought you would never do but did in 2006? See next question.
20.) What is one thing you regretted this year? Two things. If you know me you already know what they are.
21.) What's something you learned about yourself? Uf, not enough time to answer this question, but let's say that I am still learning it ...
22.) Any new additions to your family? My family added a new guinea pig ... Al Bino.
23.) What was your best month? Best month ... wow. Let's see ... Febuary was pretty fun with Anniversary, Valentine's Day, KD 80s date party. March was damn fun including California. And November with the whole 'turning 21' thing had some great perks ...
24.) What from pop culture will you remember 2006 by? Whatever the television program I <3 2006 will tell me in a decade or so ...
25.) How would you rate this year with a scale from 1 (shitty) to 10 (excellent)? Hmm ... Well. I had a lot of really fun times. I got closer to many people that brightened my life. I also made many mistakes and had a misstep or two. But I had a lot to learn from everything this year. Hopefully I've learned the right things ... So all things considered I guess this year was a 6. I see a lot of potential for a better year this time around ... Although I know that this year will have its share of growing as well ... I think I know what I need to work on.

Here's to a good year ahead of us all ...

I have never felt so assured and content with life yet also felt so confused and well ... uncontent. *hmph* I hope that my emotions and thoughts sort them out soon ... I'll eventually get to them ...

Currently wearing red and white striped socks that read "Dear Santa, I can explain ..."

Funny how true that is this year, except I really can't explain ... What a year ...

To Be Continued ...

I just cannot get enough of that boy ...

So I am wondering, has any one studied the psycological and sociological effects that the invention of the digital camera brought about? For example, before the advent of these digital cameras, did people develop entire rolls of themselves posing with a friend making 12 different faces? I'm just wondering if this is a recently formed behavior or if it has always existed and just not had the internet to be published on ...

Just the musing of a girl left home alone all day ...

Except for a wonderful visit from Susie! I swear I don't appreciate her nearly enough. And why the hell don't people have what we have? (I'll leave it at that, but you know it Susie! So true!)

I think that this break is going to be good for me ...

So I attended my little sister's all star basketball game tonight ... and I completely flashbacked to grade school. I was listening to 4 7th or 8th graders (2 boys 2 girls) talking/flirting behind me in the bleachers. And I remembered how ridiculously naive and self conscious and silly we were at that age. The crushes and the gossip were so innocent as much as we thought they were so very crucial. And I began to think about how all of those feelings don't amount to much anymore. The fact that I was never the girl that the guys had crushes on back then, the fact that I was the fifth wheel to the group, the fact that my embarrasing crushes were often not as secret as I thought they were ... I eventually grew past it. But then I realized that I was lying. Because if all of a sudden grade school alumni such as myself walked into that gym, I would find myself right back where I started from. Or so I felt like I would. It's amazing how much of our lives we spend trying to be like the cool kids. I'm assured of my identity and my friends now ... but if I was thrown back into a room with the 7th/8th grade crew I know that I would revert back and be completely self conscious and fake. Is that wierd? Just thought that I would share ...

I have a lot of stuff to figure out about myself, where I am, where I've been, and where I want to be, and who factors into all of that. I hate self analyzing. I know so little about things I like to pretend that I know so much about ...

I don't know if it's just this christmas season thing starting to get at me but I am seriously ridiculously happy right now. I am so excited for this life I've got going and although nothing spectucular is going on and I don't have anything super exciting in front of me ... I'm just happy. I don't know how to explain it.

I can't wait to be home for Christmas. Thanksgiving break got me excited to finally see friends from home I desperately miss since I wasn't home over the summer. I think that my semester is going to end well grade-wise. I'm loving the roommates. I love our rehab Christmas we've got going on here. I also love rediscovering childhood Christmas movies. I bought Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer at Target today, Jamie returned me on to Muppen Christmas Carol, and I just downloaded said soundtracks off of Limewire.

WHEN LOVE IS GOOOOONE ... :-D