FULL OF WIN: last night's discovery that vodka enhances the gingery goodness of ginger beer.

FULL OF FAIL: I drank half a bottle of vodka last night.

I think that anyone who reads this will have realized by now that I like to travel. Luckily, I have a very flexible job schedule (and an understanding boss) that allows me to do this quite often. I also have a sister who makes a fine travel buddy. ;) Last year we went to Chicago for New Year's, then San Francisco in early January, Ottawa in February, New York City in March, and then I went to see her twice in Richmond over the summer. Good times, all around.

This year we are going to Chicago again for New Year's, then to Dallas for MLK weekend to see the Red Wings and Stars (yay more hockey!), and now she wants to go see the Devils in New Jersey. Don't know when yet- possibly in March for her birthday weekend, we'll see.

I also want to get out to SLC to see my friends out there since it's been nearly 4 years since I left. I'm looking at March 24-28ish because the Grizzlies play the Bakersfield Condors (and yes, Ianiero still plays for the Condors, which is a HUGE factor in my decision) so that would be perfect. Don't know if I'll do that for sure but I am definitely thinking about it. I do still love Izey for some reason and I'd love to see him as well as seeing all my buddies in Salt Lake. It would be a great time to visit.. so I am considering it.

And now I need to pack for Chicago! See y'all on the flipside. :)

I should possibly post some sort of poignant entry about my fam and vacation and all that jazz but the words are not in me right now. Suffice it to say going into our week at the beach I was a bit apprehensive and not really looking forward to it. But it turned out to be very relaxing and a lot of fun (and without the added drama of family conflict that often happens when we are together.) I truly am blessed to have such a great and tight-knit family.

Now.. here is a 2009 Year in Review and a 2010 Preview. :)

( cut for length )

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail,
The right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."

-Henry Wordsworth Longfellow


To those who are sad, sick, or alone today: best wishes and much love.

To those who are happy and surrounded by loved ones: best wishes and have joy of each other.

To those who are spending today someplace distant and dangerous so that the rest of us may be safer: best wishes, much love, and thank you.

Merry Christmas, everybody.

where you post the first line from each month, which is probably about as much of an annual summary as I am capable of at the moment.

January: I went to the Winter Classic today.

February: Tonight at work one demented homeless patient told me I was a bitch because I wouldn't bring him cookies (we don't keep them on the unit and he wasn't allowed to have sweets anyway) and by another demented homeless patient that I was the sweetest girl for bringing him ice cream (which we do keep on the unit and which he was allowed to have).

March: If OkCupid is to be believed, my soulmates are all either lesbians from commonwealth countries or het male Canadian jocks.

April: I had a sudden burst of energy two nights ago at exactly 12:05 AM, and unlike such bursts it has actually lasted for several days, and the result is that my living room and kitchen are so clean that I went to rest my head on one of the cats (this is what they get for sleeping on the back of the sofa) and noticed that his fur smelled actively good from laying on the super-clean and nicely scented carpets.

May: I heart Havlat.

June: My life contains a dearth of extreme cuteness and an excess of ants.

July: I have a yen to visit Iceland.

August: Macbeth is a much more coherent play when Lady Macbeth is a hottie.

September: I keep smelling jelly donuts really intensely in my room, which contains no jelly donuts.

In October, I failed to update LJ even once. Bad emmy!

November: Holy mother of God, online job applications are the WORST THING EVER.

December: I graduated from nursing school yesterday.

I am a terrible diarist and something of a spaz, but there's my year in review, anyway.