TOP 15 OF 2009.

Did you know that I wrote this post on December 13? That's right, I'm using Blogger's scheduled post feature. Since I'll be traveling to Kiev then flying back to America during the time I would have been able to publish this post, I wrote it now and scheduled it to be published later. You know, to make the topic more relevant since it's a New Year's Eve-y post and all.

So, as the title suggests, here is my summation of my top 15 favorite/best/life changing things/moments/stuffs of 2009! (in no particular order) Happy New Year!

1. Russia

Duh! I only spent 4 months of the year here teaching English to some awesome kids with my awesome husband having the most awesome time of my awesome life!

2. St. Vincent's "Actor"

Particularly "Laughing with a Mouth of Blood;" the song is much more lighthearted than the title suggests.

3. This Blog

Prior to starting this thing, I wasn't even writing in my journal anymore because all my writing juices were going towards school and/or career aspirations. It's good to have an outlet. Ironically, one of my school and/or career aspirations sucking my writing juices away was Outlet.

4. Marrying Seve

This actually happened on Dec 27, 2008, but I didn't get to post it in my "TOP 15 OF 2008!" because such a list was never written because this blog didn't exist yet (see #3). Also, it's in the "TOP 15 OF MY LIFE!" so why not include it in this list since the happy event occurred a mere five days before 2009?

5. Graduating

Finally! Anyone else feel like school never ends? Because I'm here to tell you that it does. I should also note here: working as a copy editor for the Scroll was an excellent part of 2009.

6. Getting a Job

The whole point of my school existence. Dreams! Fulfilled! (It's actually a paid internship with the potential to be a full-time job once my four months end) Dreams! Nearly! Fulfilled!

7. Spokane, WA

More specifically, the advertising competition I attended there with my team for the American Advertising Federation. We got third! Yeah!

8. Bad Haircut

No, really. Taught me a lot about having confidence in who I am on the inside.

9. My Apartment

Though I wish I could put "getting a dog" here, my apartment won't allow pets. But honestly, I think we have the coolest place in Rexburg. It's a 100 year old building and we live in what used to be the presidential suite (Eleanor Roosevelt once stayed there). It has a rock wall and the last tenant gave it an excellent paint job so it's all artsy, and it has a balcony. Oh, and we can afford it.

10. Idaho

This place seriously goes underappreciated.

11. Animal Collective's "Merriweather Post Pavilion"

Such a romantic album. No, really, I mean that. First Animal Collective album where the lyrics actually speak to me.

12. Book Arts

Did I ever tell you I took a class on how to make books?

13. Bat For Lashes "Two Suns"

By the end of the day, this is always what I'm listening to.

14. Longboarding

Anyone who knows me knows I was born without an athletic bone in my body. Thanks to Seve, I now have at least five athletic bones in my body, i.e., he taught me how to longboard (and slide!) and I ain't so bad at it.

15. Celia & Joe

You know who you are.

I just realized how awesome it is that I wrote this Dec 13 and it will be published Dec 31. It's a number switcheroo! Ha!

Coming to America

Flight leaves from Kiev on Dec 22 at 5:35 a.m.

Flight arrives in Chicago on Dec 22 at 10:25 a.m.

This flight is not five hours long, people! I'm crossing the Atlantic!

I'm traveling backwards in time.

Sad and happy at the same time.

Volunteers fly out tomorrow in the early a.m. I miss them already. Feels empty and lonely here without their laughter filling my apartment. I don't care how cheesy that sounds.

Taking a break from packing. We leave tomorrow for our romantic trip to Kiev! With like, two massive suitcases each. It'll be pretty sexy lugging those around everywhere we go. But worth it? Yes.

Today.

Today it's -6˚ Fahrenheit. My daily Russian routine calls for a lot of outdoor walking. My body was so numb I felt like I was on fire.

Today was also the second to last day of school. I'm going to miss these kids so much! Fedya was too nervous to say his line in the Christmas skit (called the "Spectacle" in Russia) and got this red pouty face while Liza, next to him, kept repeating the line for him so he'd finally say it. They're both four; so cute!

Hint hint

Here, Seve.

Open Letter of Love and Affection to my Husband

Dear Seve,

When I was working for the Grand Teton National Lodge Company and missing you because we were engaged and making our wedding plans, but you were in that far off land of Missouri making money for our future as a substitute teacher and I was making money for our future as an Activities Coordinator planning client's day hikes, horseback rides and whatnot, I sat down with my boss one day for lunch and she described to me the love she felt for her own husband. They had quit their fancy executive jobs in Florida, bought a big RV, and took off on a journey around the States that left them running out of gas money by the time they reached Wyoming and had to get jobs there. They considered it part of the adventure and she was hired to be my boss and he was hired to be the boss of the people who worked across the lobby from us.

She told me that regardless of the things they were up to, fancy executive jobs or trekking Yellowstone, her love for her husband grew each day. She couldn't believe how much she loved him now. She thought she was on Full the day they married, but here they were a decade later and she loved him even more. I told her I knew what she meant and to an extent I did; I was aware that I would feel this growing love sensation as the years went by. But here we are, approaching our married-a-year mark, and I don't think my previous Teton-self knew I was capable of loving you this much.

I want to thank you for all the love and care you've given me these past two weeks that I've been sick; I know my coughing and nose-blowing at night has kept you from sleep just as much as it has me. Thanks for the tea, the cuddles, the Tom Waits, the tissues, the vereniki. 

Thanks for coming to Russia with me, for teaching with me and cruising Moscow and St. Petersburg with me and translating even when I should just try to pronounce the Russian myself. Thanks for not getting so mad at me when I'm clearly being a butthead, and for apologizing when you're being a butthead. Thanks for holding my hand and draping your arm around me and whispering "I love you," and stealing kisses and not caring who's looking.

It's hard to describe the love I feel for you, it's something like a glowing feeling every time I look at you or touch you. You're my best friend, and you're a darn good kisser. You make me feel important and wanted, and I hope I make you feel the same way. Because you are important and wanted, and because I love you.

Jules

Guess What?

I GOT THE JOB!! And it ain't no khaki pants job, either.

You know what I'm saying.

;-).