i do resolve

2010 has officially begun and for the first time in a very long time, I didn't feel like sending 2009 out with my middle finger in the air. I celebrated with some of my favorite people in the world, and as I am very excited to see what 2010 holds, I am a bit sad to say goodbye to a year that was full of firsts for me. My first full year at my job. My first year of living by myself. The first year I haven't actually thumbed my nose at the thought of a relationship. My very first time seeing my favorite band of all time. My very first trip to the far East. And the first time I am able to say that my life is very much my own.

2009 was also the first time I kept all of the resolutions I had made. Here is hoping it's not the last. Whether by stopping or starting certain behaviors, everyone makes these resolutions with the best intentions of keeping them. Some are a bit personal, but here are three that I would like to share.

1. I will try my very very best not to use plastic ware. Whether it's a knife and fork at lunch, or a coffee cup at Starbucks I will find the room in my very large purse to always have a reusable mug, knife and fork, Nalgene, whatever.

2. I will be fluent in Spanish by 2011. It is my mother's first language and I am (almost) 25. It's time I learned the language that is very dear to my heart.

3. I will travel to yet another distant far off place. Beijing was, to say the least, an eye opening experience. Their culture, history, and way of life left me speechless and quite frankly a bit embarassed at most things that are assocaited with being a "typical American." While I am most proud of my country and everything it has done, I belive that every once in a while we should be humbled at just how new to the game we are.

ditto.

"you say you want
diamonds on a ring of gold
your story to remain untold
your love not to grow cold
all the promises we break
from the cradle to the grave
when all i want is you.." - u2

it's in the number 4

I watched this week's Monday night game with mixed feelings. I LOVE rivalries and I love drama so this was right up by ally. But as a football fan I can't imagine how horrible that game was for Packer fans. And the reason I can't imagine that is because as a Washington Redskins fan I have not had the opportunity to enjoy a winning season since I was five. That's right, I was learning how to spell "Anna" when the Skins went to their last Super Bowl. I was singing "ABC, 123" the last time "Hail to the Redskins" was sung proudly through out the District and its surrounding areas.

So Green Bay I don't think its thaaaaaaat big of a deal that Favre went to Minnesota. Because the entire time you were winning, I was watching the Redskins miss extra points and lose to the Arizona Cardinals when they were the laughing stock of the NFL. Or have the living shit beat out of us by Dallas, at home, on Thanksgiving Day.

I actually think you should thank him for giving you 16 amazing seasons of football. 16 seasons of always knowing you've got a chance to go to the playoffs. 16 seasons of him running around with that infamous pointer finger held high and that darling grin from ear to ear as he threw yet another touchdown pass. And as the man who created his own legacy he has earned the right to finish his career in whatever city he wants. I completely understand his sense of entitlement and as fans who own part of the team I would think you'd understand his desire for a bigger piece of the pie.

And if the pain is too unbearable for you, think about Heath Shuler, Gus Ferrot, Michael Westbrook (perhaps you remember him beating the shit out of Stephen Davis, at practice), or my favorite quarterback of all time, Jason Campbell. Because while Brett Favre was being named Sportsman of the Year, gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated, and bringing you back Super Bowl rings these gentleman were brought to D.C. and then (sometimes not so) quietly asked to leave. As in: "Get the fuck out, you have officially disgraced the game of football and we paid you 17 million dollars to do so." And to top it all off, we're STILL STUCK WITH DAN SNYDER.

Green Bay I don't feel bad for you. Mostly because I find Brett Favre charming and I love watching him play. But also because things could always be worse. You could be a Colts fan circa 1983.

i bid ado..

to the greatest 2 weeks of my life.

u2 with ross.

beijing with eileen.

"some blessings you only understand later on in life.."

never again

a few months ago i signed up for project 2,996. instead of focusing on the monsters that orchestrated the attacks, the goal is to remember the souls that lost their lives that day. i was randomly assigned a name: mrs. dianne snyder.

a quick google search left me with tears streaming down my face. dianne married her high school sweetheart, and had two children, a son and a daughter. she loved to play tennis, garden, and bake cookies. she lived in massachusetts. she was a flight attendant for 19 years. and on september 11th, 2001 she was on flight 11 when it crashed into the north tower of the world trade center.

8 years ago today, my high school principal announced that two planes had flown into the world trade center and another crashed into the pentagon. over an hour later, flight 93 headed towards my beloved washington, d.c. would crash into shanksville, pa. my immediate thoughts went to those on the planes, as my mother has been an employee of united airlines for over 30 years. my stomach sank as i tried to remember if my mom had a flight scheduled for that afternoon, and didn't calm down until i heard her voice telling me "they've grounded all planes. i'm home."

and so my heart truly goes out to the snyder family, i can't imagine what this day means to you. but i honor your wife, your mother, your sister, your aunt, your daughter and the bravery i am sure she showed as the tragic events of that day unfolded.

we will never forget.