Things I (should have) learned in 2008

Top ten things I've learned in 2008.

Number 10: I have learned that I'm not a very good blogger. Perhaps I'm more self-conscious than I think I am. I'm not sure I have anything all that interesting to say. Plus, my camera is on the fritz and I find the whole process of picture-taking a little sad since I lost so many pictures on my computer this year. I'm scrapbooking (in the least crafty sense of the word) my college days and then all of the pictures from my childhood. That's right. Forget digital photography. I'm sticking with the old-school. Anyway, blogs without pictures are like movies without kissing. But I'm going to try to learn in 2009 how to be a better blogger, mostly for the sake of remembering that it's fun to spout off and say things that are interesting to me, even if they aren't to anybody else.

Number 9: I've learned that being a homeowner is both amazing and expensive. I really love my home. I loved making it my own and I love having people into it. I love taking care of it, although if it weren't so expensive already, I'd probably hire someone to clean it for me, especially the bathrooms. Seriously, what does one person need with 3 bathrooms? And if I don't use them, I don't have to clean them, right? Anyway, it's totally worth it.



Number 8: I've learned that the teenagers I work with have way more interesting dating lives than I do. I guess I already knew this, and I guess it doesn't really take much to have a more interesting dating life than I do, but somehow my ways do NOT rub off on them. At least it allows for some vicarious living.

Number 7: I've learned that a really horrible scraping sound upon trying to stop your vehicle means you need new brakes. And that these are the times when it is particularly advantageous to have a man around. I'd like to thank Jon and my dad for fixing said brakes and Toyota for creating a vehicle that can stand up to the likes of me.

Number 6: Speaking of my car, I've learned that texting while driving is dangerous. This bumper is evidence of sheer stupidity. I mean, if you saw how this happened, you would think my brain shut off momentarily or something. I am pleased to announce, however that this is something that I have LEARNED, not just that I should have learned. So if you text me and I call you back instead of texting, consider it a nod to my safety and that of the motorists and pedestrians around me. I am done texting while driving.


Number 5: I have learned that living alone is mostly wonderful. I choose the temperature at all times (my apologies to all my guests who are generally freezing. at least I have good blankets). I never go to the fridge expecting something to be there only to find it gone. I have full control of the remote. If there's a mess, I made it. I can have people over whenever I want for as long as I want. I can take up the whole garage. Nobody cares if or when I come home. Of course, that's the downfall, too. I do miss the good times with my fabulous roommate of a lot of years, and I wouldn't mind sharing this place with some handsome guy. But for now, this works.

Number 4: I have learned that it's okay to relax. Yeah, this one is still a work in progress, but I'm generally a little less of a workaholic this year than I was last year. I've gotten better at delegating and letting things go. This year, I am going on a real vacation in another country.

Number 3: I have learned that vacationing with small children is difficult. My hat's off to all you bloggers out there who do this. I mean, vacationing with kids is barely vacationing at all. Your whole schedule has to be planned around them. You spend at least half of your time preparing meals and cleaning up. But then they throw their arms around you or say something hilarious or just give you a killer smile and you feel grateful you got to spend some time with them, even if it doesn't really feel like a vacation.








Number 2: I should have learned by now to back up all of my files. Remember the previously-blogged-about incident with my hard drive? Many of the pictures that I didn't lose, I didn't lose because they were backed up on my ancient Dell laptop. Heaven forbid I would have learned to back up THOSE files with some other external device. Yes, that's right, my Dell hard drive has officially bitten the dust as well, taking with it the rest of my pictures and everything I have written for the past 10 years worth keeping. My computer-savvy brother-in-law, Jon is trying to retrieve the data for me using special Jedi mind tricks or something. Fingers crossed.

Number 1: Finally, I have learned, and I probably should have known this sooner, that this is the section of my life that's all about teenagers. With a calling in the Young Women's, my church and work lives have rounded out to being about having these magnificent young people in my life and having some responsibility for their lives and their progress right now. I can only trust that this is what I'm meant to be doing right now. That there are things that I can share with them now that will help them. But mostly I'm convinced that there are things that I can learn right now from these great kids that will help me, too. They teach me about pressing forward. They teach me about love. They teach me about give and take.


2008 was a great year. I'm excited for 2009. (First lesson of 2009--don't ever try to take down your live Christmas tree by yourself. If only there had been someone else there to take pictures of the compromising positions I found myself in. Four hours of vacuuming and picking needles out of my underwear--seriously--and actually the lesson is to buy an artificial tree)