In reflecting on 2009, I realize how much I accomplished and how much changed. 

I started 2009 losing about 30lbs and getting into shape again. I started running and biking regularly.  I ran in Beat the Bridge (~6miles), Race for the Cure (3.1miles), and Run Like Hell (13.2miles).  I ran in a monthly first Thursday run for about 4 months in a row where we ran about 4 miles each stint.  Biking wise, we rode in Tour de Lab – a 18 mile ride bike ride.  And then we did a bunch of 14-20 mile rides on Sauvie Island over the summer in addition to our shorter rides in the neighborhood.  To say that diet and fitness has been focus for me in 2009 is an understatement.

In 2010, I want to run at minimum two half-marathons: Half Flat on the 4th of July & Run Like Hell Again.  I am considering the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Seattle too.  I am signing up for a running group to help me train for them.  While I did well on my own, it will keep me motivated having weekly runs with a group of people. My goal is to stay on the track I’m on – and do more.

Garbanzo and I started swinging in 2009.  We have had great experiences from the start and continue to have them.  I know neither of us have any regrets – other than maybe not having that conversations sooner.  It has been a learning process – mainly about ourselves and our relationship.

And for just Garbanzo and I, we spent more time away from the kids this year than we have in the past.

In 2010, we will be continuing on.  In January, we are going to attend our first house party.  And, we want to continue making friends and continue having fun. I don’t know if I have anything specific on my list of things to try as I am learning that people tend to bring out ideas in me better than my imagination alone.

On the work front, I took on a huge project at work – then (happily) got laid off.  To be honest, having that breathing room to truly sit back and think about what I want out of my next job has been important.  I am truly blessed to have that time without the stress.

In 2010, I want to find a job that gives me that excitement again. I want to feel good about going to work. I want to feel challenged – and I want to continue to build and refine my skills. 

I tackled the 365 Photography Project in 2009.  Doing this seemed like a huge undertaking at first – but I found it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be – and it has been a fun way of not only documenting the year as well as continue to learn more about my camera and develop my own photography skills (and post-processing skills).  I cannot tell you how much I learned about my camera this year – and I’ve taken some amazing pictures.

In 2010, I’m going to do the project again. I had fun doing it and really don’t feel like stopping.

2009 as a family has been a lot of fun. We did a lot of bike rides this year, went camping, played games – and generally were able to do things we have not been able to do before because of the age of Indigo. 

In 2010, we are going to do more of the same.  DJ wants to try to do the kids’ triathlon held locally.  Indigo has a list a mile long of stuff she’d like to do.  What Garbanzo and I both look forward to most is doing this stuff with them & watching them learn and grow and have fun with it.

2009 has been my first year of real blogging.  I end the year with almost 700 posts. (Thanks mainly to the 365 project.) I started the year with a couple followers and few subscribers – and end it with 49 followers and over 100 subscribers via feeds.  Not too bad given how I don’t really promote my blog the way I could be doing it.  Hell, I was lucky if I got a couple of comments in a week – and now I get comments all the time.  It’s funny how these things evolve.

And I have gotten to know many of you, my readers.  I have enjoyed exchanging comments – emails – and the like as we find common ground on topics.  The advice we all have to share has been fantastic – and the support even more phenomenal.  While it is easy for people to hide behind keyboards and fire off snarky, unhelpful comments that do the exact opposite of help or take a conversation forward, I am continually amazed at the number of people who use that keyboard for good, rather than evil. 

And above all, I have enjoyed calling many of you friends as we have gotten to know each other outside of blogsphere. 

In 2010, I plan to continue taking you through the journey that is my brain.  Letting you in on things going on in my life and my thoughts about them.  Letting you learn more about me.  I look forward to getting to know y’all better as we continue down this road together.

May you all have a happy New Year!