Obligatory Last-Day-of-the-Year Post
Dec. 31st, 2010 03:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jenny_wildcatI'm sitting here waiting for my family to get home from town and reading my flist and thinking "Gosh, a lot of people have their '2010 Year in Review' things going." So, I get to thinking about how 2010 was for me - and this is what I came up with:
Cut for length and sentimentality - but it's important to me, anyway.
2010 started out as a very hopeful year for me (notwithstanding the fact my cousin poked me in the eye in the first seven seconds after ringing in the new year).
- I had been accepted into a graduate program in library science, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. It's gone a long way to helping me decide what I want to do with my life and - I love it! There's nothing else I can say about it. I now have half of the required credits under my belt and I've very rarely felt so accomplished.
- Back in January, I said I would volunteer at the local high school as the yearbook adviser (which is also the one I graduated from and where one of my younger sisters was attending at the time). The yearbook turned out great and the kids had accomplished something good and I was feeling fantastic.
- Once summer came, I resolved to find some kind of job. I had financial aid for school, but I wanted some actual cash flow coming in. I spent the entire summer in town looking for work - but no one was hiring. Or, at least, they weren't hiring a recently returned missionary with an English degree who was still going to school. In the meantime, I continued to help my parents with the ranching business.
- However, not all was sunshine and lollipops at home. There was quite a bit of in-fighting at home, most of which I got caught in. I'm not a confrontational person and I hate it when my family members fight - BUT I especially hate it when I'm expected to take a side. It's like when you're in grade school and two of your best friends got into a fight over something that has nothing to do with you, but each one expects you to take their side and whichever one you pick will be deemed "the winner" of the fight. But you love both these friends and how could you choose one over the other? And no matter how many times you to ask to be kept out of it, somehow you just keep getting dragged into the fray.
- One thing - person, really - that helped me was my friend Kathryn. She is still helping me because this bickering continues and I have to make the best of it. But I don't have to cope with it on my own. To illustrate - One day I was at her house and I started getting texts from both of my fighting family members. It was like they were arguing via my text inbox - it was very strange and VERY upsetting for me. But I could confide in Kathryn and she helped me realize that what they were fighting over was not my business and I was under no obligation to make it right, however much both of them expected me to do so. She reminded me that it was my business to get through my schooling.
- Still summertime - I'm coping with the angst and negativity the best I can. I still can't find a job and funds are running low. This is turning out to be the suckiest summer on record. But then, I'm introduced to "Doctor Who," purely out of boredom. But this development turns out to be on par with having my friend Kathryn to go to (who I will get to in a minute). I swear I am serious as the most serious thing you can think of when I say that "Doctor Who" saved my life this summer. I finally had something good to look forward to - something to get excited about. It seems silly, I know, but when you're mired in the constant deluge of negative thinking and bitterness that I had to cope with, you'll take anything you can. "Doctor Who" was something my brain could latch onto that wasn't going to pull me further down into the pit that I'd been thrown into. I really, really felt good and happy when I watched that show - it was everything I needed at that point because my family life was failing miserably.
- Bad times didn't stay bad. I soon got a phone call from the principal of the school that I volunteered at and he told me there was a teacher's aide position open that no one had applied for. Basically, it was mine if I wanted it. I applied and I got the job.
- Even later, the librarian position became available and I took that on too. It didn't result in any pay raises, but it'll look nice and shiny on that resume that I'm compiling for that next Young Adult Services job I apply for. I also wound up taking the helm of the school's drama department - such as it is - and directing "Ebony Scrooge: A Modern Christmas Carol." The play was a success, the kids had a blast and I felt very much like Jack Black's character in "School of Rock" - like I'd brought something worthwhile to these kids' school experience beyond homework and tests (and the school year's only half done!)
To conclude my long-winded ramblings - I brings this video. This is something I made when I was really having a time of it - probably the most heartfelt thing I've ever done. The song came on my iPod and I listened to it over and over and I realized that there are so many good things in my life. As long as I focus on the good things, I can handle the bad things that come my way - no matter how bad they are. And that, ladies and gentlemen and variations thereupon, is the crux of my 2010. Whether I look back on this year with fondness or otherwise, that it was I will remember.
I've debated and argued with myself over whether or not to post this video here because it's so special to me. But, I came the conclusion that any "End of 2010" post from me would be woefully incomplete if this wasn't here:
(Spoiler Warning for Series 1-5 of "Doctor Who" - if you care about that sort of thing)
(I have that last quote posted on a sticky note on my wall. Best two sentences ever!)
So - to everyone who made it this far through my ramblings: congratulations. I wish I had a medal to give you. If you didn't read it, that's fine too. But everyone have a happy and wonderful 2011!
Cut for length and sentimentality - but it's important to me, anyway.
2010 started out as a very hopeful year for me (notwithstanding the fact my cousin poked me in the eye in the first seven seconds after ringing in the new year).
- I had been accepted into a graduate program in library science, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. It's gone a long way to helping me decide what I want to do with my life and - I love it! There's nothing else I can say about it. I now have half of the required credits under my belt and I've very rarely felt so accomplished.
- Back in January, I said I would volunteer at the local high school as the yearbook adviser (which is also the one I graduated from and where one of my younger sisters was attending at the time). The yearbook turned out great and the kids had accomplished something good and I was feeling fantastic.
- Once summer came, I resolved to find some kind of job. I had financial aid for school, but I wanted some actual cash flow coming in. I spent the entire summer in town looking for work - but no one was hiring. Or, at least, they weren't hiring a recently returned missionary with an English degree who was still going to school. In the meantime, I continued to help my parents with the ranching business.
- However, not all was sunshine and lollipops at home. There was quite a bit of in-fighting at home, most of which I got caught in. I'm not a confrontational person and I hate it when my family members fight - BUT I especially hate it when I'm expected to take a side. It's like when you're in grade school and two of your best friends got into a fight over something that has nothing to do with you, but each one expects you to take their side and whichever one you pick will be deemed "the winner" of the fight. But you love both these friends and how could you choose one over the other? And no matter how many times you to ask to be kept out of it, somehow you just keep getting dragged into the fray.
- One thing - person, really - that helped me was my friend Kathryn. She is still helping me because this bickering continues and I have to make the best of it. But I don't have to cope with it on my own. To illustrate - One day I was at her house and I started getting texts from both of my fighting family members. It was like they were arguing via my text inbox - it was very strange and VERY upsetting for me. But I could confide in Kathryn and she helped me realize that what they were fighting over was not my business and I was under no obligation to make it right, however much both of them expected me to do so. She reminded me that it was my business to get through my schooling.
- Still summertime - I'm coping with the angst and negativity the best I can. I still can't find a job and funds are running low. This is turning out to be the suckiest summer on record. But then, I'm introduced to "Doctor Who," purely out of boredom. But this development turns out to be on par with having my friend Kathryn to go to (who I will get to in a minute). I swear I am serious as the most serious thing you can think of when I say that "Doctor Who" saved my life this summer. I finally had something good to look forward to - something to get excited about. It seems silly, I know, but when you're mired in the constant deluge of negative thinking and bitterness that I had to cope with, you'll take anything you can. "Doctor Who" was something my brain could latch onto that wasn't going to pull me further down into the pit that I'd been thrown into. I really, really felt good and happy when I watched that show - it was everything I needed at that point because my family life was failing miserably.
- Bad times didn't stay bad. I soon got a phone call from the principal of the school that I volunteered at and he told me there was a teacher's aide position open that no one had applied for. Basically, it was mine if I wanted it. I applied and I got the job.
- Even later, the librarian position became available and I took that on too. It didn't result in any pay raises, but it'll look nice and shiny on that resume that I'm compiling for that next Young Adult Services job I apply for. I also wound up taking the helm of the school's drama department - such as it is - and directing "Ebony Scrooge: A Modern Christmas Carol." The play was a success, the kids had a blast and I felt very much like Jack Black's character in "School of Rock" - like I'd brought something worthwhile to these kids' school experience beyond homework and tests (and the school year's only half done!)
To conclude my long-winded ramblings - I brings this video. This is something I made when I was really having a time of it - probably the most heartfelt thing I've ever done. The song came on my iPod and I listened to it over and over and I realized that there are so many good things in my life. As long as I focus on the good things, I can handle the bad things that come my way - no matter how bad they are. And that, ladies and gentlemen and variations thereupon, is the crux of my 2010. Whether I look back on this year with fondness or otherwise, that it was I will remember.
I've debated and argued with myself over whether or not to post this video here because it's so special to me. But, I came the conclusion that any "End of 2010" post from me would be woefully incomplete if this wasn't here:
(Spoiler Warning for Series 1-5 of "Doctor Who" - if you care about that sort of thing)
(I have that last quote posted on a sticky note on my wall. Best two sentences ever!)
So - to everyone who made it this far through my ramblings: congratulations. I wish I had a medal to give you. If you didn't read it, that's fine too. But everyone have a happy and wonderful 2011!
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no subject
Date: 2011-01-05 01:58 am (UTC)I feel like a bum for not posting in a long time. I needed to simplify my internet usage and this is what suffered. Happy New Year girl!
no subject
Date: 2011-01-05 02:19 am (UTC)I sometimes wonder where you've been off to - but life gets busy and I understand how that goes. I hope you had a great new year! :)
no subject
Date: 2011-01-10 02:45 am (UTC)