Several years ago my friend David Bell, waiter, playwright, actor extrordinaire, prompted me to create a top ten list of that year's biggest moments. We have kept up the tradition somewhat sporadically, but it seems now that I have the perfect venue for such a list, and here is this year's for you my dear readers.
10) I turned 30 -- ugh.
9) It was a good year for many of my friends. Renee and Sadie brought home the new addition to their family, Evelyn, a few weeks ago. Peter and Jennifer have a brand new hippie dope smoking country star in their family -- little Willy Nelson (ok, so he actually hasn't acquired such bad habits yet, but how awesome is it to be called Willie Nelson?) And Frankie and Teresa, friends from college, welcomed their second -- Ethan. Quite a baby boom!
8) Tara had surgery in August to remove a benign cyst from her salivary gland. The prospect of them cutting on her face was scary, but her doctor was great. Everything turned out perfect, and Tara's mom was able to come up for the week, which was really nice.
7) The Astros went to the World Series. No, they didn't win, but October was a lot of fun (except that time Lidge gave up the home run to Albert Pujols one out away from closing down game five of the NLCS). I think the best part is that it gave me cause to think about my MeMe a lot and how much she must have enjoyed the bird's eye view of it all.
6) I fell down the basement stairs . That sucked.
5) I worked three months as a clerk to the Honorable Joan G. Margolis, federal magistrate judge. I really, really wanted a full-year clerkship position, and tried valiantly to get one, but it was not to be. So, I'm glad I have this on my resume at least, and New Haven was a fun place to be for a short while.
4) After flailing about for three years trying to find a job and trying to figure out where we want to live, I have been offered a position with my state's public defender office. The pay is atrocious, but I will be able to walk to work and the courthouse, be in the courtroom every day, and actually try cases within my first year. I know I will love the job, and since I have such a great partner I won't have to eat beans and weenies in order to take it. Yay!
3) I passed the Texas bar -- by a very comfortable margin. Too bad I have to take another one in July.
2) I graduated from law school. After three years of a rather impressive effort, I graduated from law school with honors. I even pulled a 4.0 one semester. I think in all my previous years of education, that's one feat I never managed before. Mom, Dad, Christy and the kids all came up, and it was great fun. It was a little cramped trying to entertain in our postage stamp sized apartment with the whole gang, but we made it work.
1) Tara said she'd marry me! I figured as long as we were living in a commie pinko state that allows such shenanigans, that we ought to take advantage. We're planning on Columbus Day to tie the knot, and no, I will not be wearing a pink tutu.
And now a few New Year's resolutions.
I resolve, yet again, to be more diligent about my blogging.
I will lose 30 pounds by April even if it means gluing myself to the treadmill.
All our mounds of credit card debt that has piled up the last three years will be no mas by October.
