Thursday, December 31, 2009

The “Zeros” Decade in Review

As the first decade of the 2000s comes to close, it marks an interesting point in my life to ruminate on the first decade of my adulthood.

I entered 2000 as a 16-year-old child and will enter 2010 as a 26-year-old woman. So I thought I take an opportunity to reflect upon the "zeros" decade...

2000:
I ring in millennium at a friend’s party. All Y2K fears are unfounded. I get varsity letters in two sports. I start to date my first love (spoiler alert, he is not the Mr). I complete my Junior Year of High School. I travel to Australia. The USS Cole is attacked. "First Love" and I are so in love and swear we’ll be together forever. George W. Bush narrowly wins the Presidency. We all learn about hanging chad. I submit my college applications.

(2000 - High School tennis)

2001:
George W. Bush takes office. I’m accepted into several colleges and chose the University of Southern California. I graduate from High School. I turn 18. I register to vote. I spend a summer traveling across Europe. I move into the dorms at USC and begin freshman year. I stay with First Love, long-distance. I rush and join a Sorority. The September 11th attacks happen. I watch the tragedy unfold but somehow still attend classes and parties. I meet many of my current closest friends. The US goes to war with Afghanistan. I finish my first semester with a 3.7 GPA. First Love and I decide to “take a break.”

(2001 - Senior Portrait)

2002:
I return to USC. I get my first fake ID. I frequent the campus bars. The European Union launches the Euro. I date several guys on and off – including First Love. The dot-com bubble bear market reaches bottom. I get my first internship in Public Relations. I move into my Sorority house and become House Manager. I maintain an honors-level GPA. I struggle with emotional “Sophomore slump” and consider leaving USC to be a ski instructor. I decide to stay at USC.

(2002 - Hawaii)

2003:
I begin to date a guy that I never liked. We date for months. I complain to my Mom that I’ll never find “the one”. The US starts the Iraq war while I’m on Spring Break in Mexico. Bush declares “Mission Accomplished.” It’s not. I break up with “guy I never liked” and beg “First Love” to get back together. We do. Arnold Schwarzenegger becomes Governor of CA. I meet the man who will become my husband (the Mr.) at the campus bar. I am invited to join several academic honors societies. Wildfires blaze across Southern California. My family and friends evacuate their homes. I break up with First Love for the last time. I am elected Vice President of Membership for the USC Sorority Panhellenic Council. I start dating the Mr. I celebrate Christmas and New Years on a two week Caribbean Cruise.

(2003 - San Francisco)

2004:
Trains in Madrid are the targets of a terrorist attack. I intern in Investor Relations. I turn 21. I join Facebook. I orchestrate a large part of a successful USC Sorority Rush as VP of Membership. The Mr. and I tell each other that we love each other. I vote in my first Presidential Election. George W. Bush is re-elected. I interview with a large consulting firm and receive a job offer. I accept it. The Mr. takes me to a Christian church for the first time in my life. I complete my last class at USC. I get my first iPod. My family takes a cruise to Mexico. The Tsunami swamps Indonesia.

(2004 - Sorority sisters)

2005:
I watch the USC Football team win the National Championship in the Orange Bowl, in person. I work at several ski resorts before settling into my real job. I continue to date and attend church with the Mr. I graduate from USC with honors. I start my job at the large consulting firm. I move to Manhattan Beach, CA. London subways are attacked by terrorists. I become a follower of Jesus Christ and begin to know Him as my Lord and Savior. Hurricane Katrina wreaks havoc on the South. I survive my first project at large consulting firm and begin a new one. The Mr. moves to Long Beach, CA to work in mortgage banking.

(2005 - USC Graduation)

2006:
I continue to work for large consulting firm at several clients. I achieve “diamond” status at Hilton from traveling so much. I join a Church life group and attend with the Mr. I am baptized. My Mom and I travel around the Midwest for a summer vacation. While there, the London liquid terrorists are stopped. We are the first to experience the new travel rules. Arnold is re-elected Governator. Saddam Hussien is killed. The Mr. and I celebrate the holidays together for the first time.

(2006 - Dinner in Manhattan Beach)

2007:
The Mr. and I become members of our church and lead a small group. Nancy Pelosi becomes the first woman Speaker of the House. The Mr. leaves the suddenly shaky mortgage banking industry for a job in insurance. It was a good call. My uncle has a massive heart attack and stroke. My family spends weeks in the ICU with him. He miraculously survives. The Virginia Tech shooting happens. The Mr. proposes to me on the beach on my 24th Birthday! I start planning our wedding. “Don’t Stop Believing” tops charts thanks to the Sopranos. I receive a huge promotion at work. The Dow Jones industrial average records it’s highest ever close. I’m a Bridesmaid in my best friend’s wedding. Wildfires ravage San Diego again. My parents evacuate their home for an intense five days. Unlike many others, their house survives. My grandfather dies after his battle with Alzheimer's.

(2007 - Right after the Mr. proposed!)

2008:
I begin a wedding blog to be wedding planning outlet and get hooked. The Mr. and I purchase our first condo in Long Beach, CA. The China earthquake kills 90,000. I spend most of my spring and summer living and working in San Diego. I have my Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party. The Mr. and I wed on 8/16/08 in San Diego. We honeymoon in Maui. John McCain selects Sarah Palin as his running mate. Wall Street falls apart. Barack Obama is elected President. I start The Newlyweds Next Door. We celebrate our first married Thanksgiving and Christmas together with our families.

(2008 - Wedding Day)

2009:
We watch USC win the Rose Bowl. The miracle on the Hudson River happens. We vacation in Breckenridge, CO and the Mr. falls in love with Snowboarding. Barack Obama is inaugurated. We vacation in Arizona. We worry about losing our jobs, but stay employed. Our new family member, Judah the kitten, moves in. Michael Jackson dies. I’m a Bridesmaid in a friend’s amazing wedding. We celebrate our one year anniversary. The H1N1 outbreak and vaccine scare Americans. We vacation in Boston. USC has one of its worst football seasons of the decade. But we are still fans.

(2009 - First Anniversary)


What will the next decade bring? ...

All I pray is that it brings faith, hope, and love.

(And a big house with a couple of kids wouldn't be bad either).

Considering that I'll be 36 by the time the two-thousand "teens" end, I'm sure there will be more change in my life in the next decade than I can even imagine.


Happy New Year to you all. Thank you for being my blog readers, my cheerleaders, my support group, and most of all, my friends. May your next year and decade be filled with peace, prosperity, and passion.

30 comments:

Rachel said...

Long time reader, first time commenter. :) I really loved this post and I hope that 2010-2020 brings you just as much joy and happiness!!

Happy New Year!!

Brown Girl said...

I love this post! Happy New Year to you both!

LWLH said...

Great post....it was cool to see what all you've been through throughout the years and before blogger :)

Have a Happy New Year!! : )

CJ said...

I loved this post! Very intersting and cool!

Happy new year and decade!

Geezees Custom Canvas Art said...

Can't wait to see what the New Year brings!!

Unknown said...

What a great look back! This is so great to remember all of these events. I hope the next 10 are just as amazing for you!

Sara said...

I really enjoyed this post! You've grown up in this decade. I'm sure the next will bring you and the Mr. much joy as well.

Becky said...

Great post! We are the same age and share a lot of the same experiences! happy new year.

Rachel said...

What a fun post! It's crazy how much happens in 10 years. Crazy, but pretty amazing! I can't believe we'll be 36 at the next decade change. That makes it seem even closer! Happy (almost) new year :)

Julie {Angry Julie Monday} said...

Look at you...gosh you are making me feel old now...lots of USC in the past ten years. I need to do this, but I can barely remember yesterday.

Chardonnay said...

LOVE this post!!!

Sonya said...

Great post! I don't think I could remember all of that from the last ten years! Very cool idea!

Welcome to Adulthood said...

Neat post. You are a great writer!

Ria @ Life as a Wife! said...

Really cool idea! I think your best year was 2005 - becoming a follwer of Jesus Christ! What a cool testimony :) Yay for your husband you brought you to church! That really blessed me - Happy New Year!

Ashley said...

What a unique post! I love it and I love that you can remember all of these events. Phew I don't think I could do that! :) Cheer to you and your hubs for 2010!

Ams said...

I love your post :)
Love it! It almost had me in tears... ummmm.. what's wrong with me!?
I can't wait to see what these next 10 years bring too. What an amazing decade it has been... I am ready for the next!
So glad that we "met" and can't wait to see what 2010 has to offer you and your sweet hubby!

Laura said...

Your post was a great way to summarize the past decade and I'm sure you'll treasure having that recorded for years to come! I love that you included your journey to Christianity from the very beginning when you first attended a Christian church all the way to being baptized! What a blessing! Hope you and your hubby have a wonderful New Year...and many more to come!

Jess said...

I LOVE this post!!! It's been fun reading all the 2009 recaps, but this decade recap is really great.

Clearly our lives aren't the same, but a lot of the milestones you reached (HS graduation, college, jobs) I was also reaching, in the same year/time.

I wish you a very Happy 2010!!!

Brittany Ann said...

Happy New Year!

Meagan said...

What a great post! I'm so happy you found the MR and life is good!

Kristen said...

Girl I didn't know you were on Panhellenic! 3 Gamma Phis at Alabama were in charge of Recruitment throughout the 2000s, including this past year. Snaps to you, what a big job.

Perfectly Imperfect said...

I loved this post!! So impressed you remembered all this.. I don't think I could remember what I did last month if it wasn't written down!! Here's to another great 10 years!

Crazy Shenanigans-JMO said...

I loved this post!!! I hope you have an amazing new decade! You deserve it!

Shoshanah said...

So much fun to see you get older through those pictures! And I had no idea who worked at a ski resort. I'm sure that must have been a lot of fun, and I'd to hear more about what its like to do.

Megan said...

LOVED reading this!! I just went and ready your post about getting baptized, it brought tears to my eyes. Such a neat testimony! Thank you for sharing!

shalay said...

I really loved reading this post! And wow, you've sure accomplished a lot so far. Good lot with your endeavors these next ten years!

Sweet Simplicity said...

I LOVED reading this! I'm sure it took a while to get it all down, but I think you will treasure it for a long time. I love all the history tidbits you threw in.

Erin Helgerson said...

Such a great post!!! I went through a lot of those same things at the same time! Loved learning more about you!!!

Anonymous said...

Your blog is so cute ! I know this is an old post, but I loved re-living the past decade through your eyes. I'm also 26 so some of my memories/experiences are very similar. :)

Anonymous said...

Your blog is so cute ! I know this is an old post, but I loved re-living the past decade through your eyes. I'm also 26 so some of my memories/experiences are very similar. :)

Blog Widget by LinkWithin