Goodbye 2009.

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It's been a long December but there's reason to believe that maybe this year will be better than the last...

Another year survived... another decade past. Closing out 2009 closes out many chapters of my life and 2010 brings many new beginnings. It reminds me of an old favorite quote from Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, the last line of Save Me the Waltz:

"I just lump everything in a great heap which I have labeled “the past,” and, having thus emptied this deep reservoir that was once myself, I am ready to continue."

I am ready to continue...

18: Shop

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Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year?

I honestly have no idea, but I suspect it was Banana Republic.

17: Word or Phrase

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A word that encapsulates your year. "2009 was _____."

Eye-opening.

16: Tea of the Year

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I can taste my favorite tea right now. What's yours?

There are really two teas that characterize 2009 for me--the first is the Fairmont Empress's inhi Victoria, BC, Centennial Blend. I actually first tried it in December 2008 (The Fairmont Empress's actual Centennial) but since I gave my roommate a small tin with bags for Christmas, we enjoyed it throughout my final few months in Vancouver.

Also, there was an apple/hibiscus blend of tea at the coffeeshop we would always mix into other teas. You could also eat the dried apples out of it... very fun.

15: Best Packaging

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Did your headphones come in a sweet case? See a bottle of tea in another country that stood off the shelves?

The most exciting was when I came home and there was a bright pink RueLaLa box sitting at my door. It certainly was attention grabbing... I'm happy no one stole it because it was my brand new Lululemon yoga clothes for the Bikram I had just picked up a few weeks earlier.

14: Rush

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When did you get your best rush of the year?

Dogsledding in Churchill. To be flying across the tundra, trusting a team of huskies not to flip the sled and not throw you into a tree. It truly was incredible... I even got to tell them to "Mush"!

13: Best Change (Place)

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What's the best change you made to the place you live?

Having a place all to myself! I really got along well with my roommate in Vancouver, but I've had some not so great roomies in the past. It's nice to be able to do whatever I want, whenever I want. If I want to leave a dish in the sink or wash them all immediately, it doesn't matter. Or if I want to blast music in the morning or keep the temperature absurdly low, I can!