snowy

What are some of the personal events in your life that really changed who you are, what you are, or how you live? What are some of the public events around you that shaped your life in 2010?

Personally: I got married. That was probably the biggest event for me in 2010. It was a truly amazing day. We had beautiful weather, everything went smoothly, and I was surrounded by my family and dearest friends. Amonkie conducted the ceremony, and she did a fabulous job; I will be forever thankful that she was able to come out here and do that for us. Talk about the best wedding present ever! It still makes me smile, thinking about that day, and everyone is still talking about it.

I also got a job that I love, that I feel like I'm advancing in, and it's in a place where I feel like I'm surrounded by a supportive community that wants to see me succeed.

Publicly:

One of the big events of the last couple months here has been the attempted bombing up in Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, largely because the purported "bomber" lived in my town, occasionally attended my university, and rarely attended the local mosque. The last thing resulted in suspected retaliation against the mosque via arson. This event really brought the community here together, though, and I am really proud of the fact that my town stood together and said that we won't tolerate that here.

Your turn.

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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

uncle phil

i broke 80 on july 3...

we bought a house on december 30...

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"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
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"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
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never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

amonkie

Personal:

I ran my first non stop, consecutive mile. EVER.

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Calling from deep in the heart, from where the eyes can't see and the ears can't hear, from where the mountain trails end and only love can go... ~~~ Three Rivers Hare Krishna

mixedmedia

after five semesters of prerequisites I was accepted into the nursing program.
one of 72 (spread over three campuses) out of over 1000 applications so I am pretty proud of that.

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Most people go through life dreading they'll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They've already passed their test in life. They're aristocrats. - Diane Arbus
PESSIMISM, n. A philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile. - Ambrose Bierce

ARTelevision

Started biofeedback training this year...and most significantly, EEG neurofeedback. I am finally becoming a different person. That's the only thing I have ever really wanted...

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create evolution

ZombieSquirrel

2010 has been amazing! I'm glad I ended the decade on a good note after all the awful crap I've been through.

I may have lost my job, but I was accepted to a prestigious school for grad school. I turned them down to move to OREGON for an amazing opportunity for my career. I have never lived more than an hour away from where I grew up. This was definitely a HUGE move as I am many hours away from that town in Ohio.

Even this past week I think I've grown amazingly. I let go of some bitterness and accepted things for what they are. A motto I preached, but never fully practiced.

I'm really looking forward to 2011!

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Attack ZombieSquirrels

Starkizzer

Getting married is also one of the main events of 2010 for me. It hasn't really changed me or anything about our relationship, but it was still a wonderful day. Beautiful weather for us as well, though a little on the warm side. We have beautiful pictures of all our friends and family all together. No one fought and people in my family who have not spoken to each other in years were able to at least be civil to one another on my behalf. That was probably one of the best gifts they could have given me.

My graduate advisor was offered an amazing job with the Mars corporation, causing her to leave California and move half way across the country. Due to power play BS from some snakes in the department, this great event in her life forced me to withdraw from the program. I miss my advisor, she was a great friend and confidant.

Having medical insurance has been a big change. It is unbelievable how much stress that removes. im2smrt4u has been able to get a lot of his ailments seen to and that has made his life, and thus mine, more enjoyable. Soon his congestion and snoring issues may be fixed as they have found he has a deviated septum, enlarged turbinates and tonsils the size of walnuts and plan on doing surgery in the near future. Amazing how feeling better physically will change how you feel mentally.

On a sad note, one big change for me near the end of the 2010 year was the passing of my old girl scout leader and mother of my life long friend. My best friend, who I have known since we were 4, lost her mother to cancer in November. My best friend has been unbelievable strong through it all and continues to amaze me with her perseverance. I love you, sis!

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Frivolity, at the edge of a Moral Swamp, hears Hymn-Singing in the Distance and dons the Galoshes of Remorse. ~Edward Gorey

m0rpheus

Personally
I got a promotion to be the lead hand of my shift.

Publicly
The biggest thing I remember from the year is from the Vancouver Olympics.
The gold medal game is one of those hockey moments. I wasn't born when Henderson scored. I was too young for Gretzky to Lemieux to be that important to me but I'll always remember where I was and who I was with when Sid scored that goal.

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"it never got weird enough for me." - Hunter S. Thompson

zenda

Personal: I had 'good' results from an angiogram and general heart-tests I underwent in July. My father had died stoopidly young of a heart attack and I had 'decided' to undertand that age as the barrier beyond which I would not survive. These tests and their result crumbled that belief, and I am free to face more interesting question marks.

jewels

Ended a long-term relationship, lost a home and moved to a different region of the state. Oh and went to visit my dad while he was moved into an assisted living facility four hours away several times in the past six months.

That is an oversimplification of what a shit year 2010 was for me. But what's been life changing is not the things that happened but the fact that it's made me stronger than ever. I'll be thriving in 2011 and fully intend to rock it!

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We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

Craven Morehead

I found a job in August after way too long of being with out one.

sbscout

I got to study schools in Rio de Janeiro during the summer and came to the conclusion that even my most deprived students at home have nothing to complain about in comparison. It's scary to see the videos of tanks rolling up the same favela streets I walked only a few months ago.

I still wake up singing every morning - I LOVE my job!

I had a heart cath in October and they found 80% blockage in the bottom artery... but my heart had already bypassed the blockage by enlarging two peripheral arteries!

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Always question authority... it'll keep the bastards on their toes!

PonyPotato

I competed in triathlons and duathlons. Learned to swim freestyle. Ended a relationship. Spent a lot of time outdoors. Euthanized my first horse. Spent time with kids. Did observation for PT. Applied for graduate school and got accepted. Developed a much closer relationship with my sister and a closer relationship with my mom.

I really found myself this year, honestly. I've developed my hobbies, rekindled friendships, found my place in my family, and reoriented my direction in life. I am thankful for 2010, even if it was one of the toughest years to date.

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"Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark."
— Henri-Frédéric Amiel

im2smrt4u

As Starkizzer said, getting married was one of the big highlights of 2010. Not a big change relationship wise, but an awesome and memorable event!



Starkizzer and I got to do the most travelling we have ever done. We went to Salt Lake City, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Catalina, San Francisco, and Healdsburg:



We have met some amazing people this year and spent quality time with existing friends. I'd say 2010 will go down as one of the best years ever!

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dlish

personal: climbed a mountain id always wanted to climb

public: the flotilla, wiki, haiti, pakistan floods

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An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere

I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay?
- Filthy

Plan9

So, basically, the purchase of my modular leather sectional completely eclipses all the other events mentioned in this thread.

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Whatever you can carry.

"You should not drink... and bake."

Starkizzer

Oh, but of course it does! No one was implying otherwise.

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Frivolity, at the edge of a Moral Swamp, hears Hymn-Singing in the Distance and dons the Galoshes of Remorse. ~Edward Gorey

bagatelle

The best thing for me was to be able to return to my old job after five years spent home... and they've given me promises of work still continuing. I've been abroad before, but made my first trip on plane this autumn - and without the kids!

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ellie

Welp, other than getting back together with my boyfriend, 2010's been fairly uneventful. I did get new carpet though. And walls painted.

Giant Hamburger

I ate a lot of delicious sandwiches!

RetroGunslinger

I moved out of my parent's house and into an apartment with both my best friend and my girlfriend. I also celebrated a year with the latter.

I also finished shooting my first real movie (still editing, though. I guess that'll be my momentous moment for 2011).

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It's a rare pleasure in this world to get your mind fucked. Usually it's just foreplay.

M.B. Keene