2005, Looking Back

An abridged list of the highlights of this past year:

1. I learned how to play roll the pigs.
2. I had my first art show.
3. I threw my first ever kiddie birthday party.
4. My sister had her first baby.
5. I became better friends with my mom.
6. I had my three year wedding anniversary.
7. I ran a half marathon in Disney World.
8. I applied to, and almost enrolled in classes at, a seminary.
9. My parents moved from my childhood home.
10. We adopted a dog, Tuna.
11. I started writing for a 'zine.
12. I got back in touch with long lost friends.
13. I started answering the phone.
14. I went to 2 civil unions.
15. I became a certified HIV Test Counselor.
16. I hugged a lot of "negative" people.
17. In 8 months time, I went from being a CRMA to an Office Bitch to an HR Guru to head of housing for people with HIV/AIDS in Maine. My dream job.
18. My friend bought a restaurant. His dream job.
19. I got pregnant with my second child.
20. I turned 28 (well... I will tomorrow, anyway).

I cried and giggled and stressed and hollered and had so much fun. And that's saying a lot about a year.

thick skins

i'm learning very quickly that i will need to have a thick skin in this new job. being the boss is kind-of ostracizing. the transition has been really hard for people around here-- seeing some very loved people leave-- and they are kind-of taking it out on me. i'm being ignored in many ways. everyone goes out to lunch together and "forgets" to ask if i want anything, i'm greeted at the door with "i need a check from you". lot's of roar.

i know that i am also super emotional due to all of my hormones, and so i'm trying not to let it get to me. but it is, sort of. wah wah. pity party.

this was what i wanted. so i guess i had better just suck it up and do it right.

updates

i am utterly exhausted.
and the holidays haven't even started yet.
plus i can't believe it's been about 6 months since i last posted on this. where has the narcissism gone??

much has changed since summer.
first of all-- i got my dream job, within the same agency, so now I am the head of residential services for people living with HIV/AIDS in southern maine. i've got two different facilities to run, one is a transitional house and the other is a long term assisted living facility. it's a huge job and i'm psyched. but busy and overwhelmed and still trying to get my head on straight.

secondly, our two-unit apartment is this close to being ready to rent. So that feels good and is wonderful. we are ready to get somebody in there, and maybe two somebodies, so that we can buy another place. now the debate is, do we go for more city life? or do we move up to "the county" (as we call it around here) and live off the fatta the land with 15 kids as farmhands.

and so that's the other major development: we are, infact, expecting bambino number 2! this is awesome and very exciting, but it's hard for me to be excited all the time since i feel like i'm about to vomit at every moment. i did not get physically ill when i was preggo with O-Bird, but for some reason, this one is making me nauseas, lightheaded, and leaving me with a general feeling of malaise all day long. i know it won't last forever, but i'm ready to start glowing, dammit.