Dear All,
        Well, the end of the year is here at last, though Christmas has managed to sneak up on me. Next year I'm going to have to watch the Advent Calendar more closely! But it is time again for my holiday letter, and this year it looks like I'm actually getting it sent!
This year has been busy, full of exciting and unexpected events. Let's take it month to month, shall we?
        January: My 21st birthday! As I don't drink, I didn't have a bar-hopping party. Instead Mom and Amy took me to Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut for an overnight gambling birthday. I had a great time, as I love to gamble, eventhough I lost all the money I brought
        February: My final semester in school began. Ah, the home stretch! After spending the fall semester with Senior-itis and not working so hard, it was time to step up and get my Senior project into gear in order to graduate. I also stepped up my job search and began interviewing.
        March: I started dating my 4th boyfriend, Seth. A friend of a friend, we met in Feb. at a gathering and started dating at a party this month.
        April: My Senior project was Pressure Sensitive Skin for a Robotic Arm, and the presentation was this month. Procrastination paid off with a crunch time. But I work well under pressure and got done everything I wanted to. Then bad luck stepped in the morning of the presentation giving me a sprained ankle. After poorly negotiating my equipment to the presentation room (I forgot half the demo in the lab) and a nervous presentation on crutches, writing the final paper was easy.
        May: Final exam time, literally. After exams and getting back my Senior project grade, it was official I would be graduating with my degree! I'm still amused that I managed to graduate from an Honors Only program without honors.
        June: The 6th, to be specific. I graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, the only one in a class of 1600 to do so, and one of only two females to receive an S.B. in Engineering (the other was Environmental) out of 11 receiving that degree. That evening Mom's gift to me was a dinner cruise. It was so much fun, including singing in the entertainment show! All sorts of family, friends, and church members showed up to the cookout party at Mom's on Saturday. A few days later I moved into an apartment with my two best friends. My mother's quote was: "It's got to be a Mother's worst dream, to have her child graduate from Harvard University WITHOUT a job!"
        July: I spent most of the month bumming around at home, interspersed with hanging out with friends and a week visit to Michigan. At some point I began seriously looking for a job again.
        August: Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma'am! One new car: Honda's SUV, the CRV, care of Dad. Since he works for Honda I was able to get the CRV at cost, and as my graduation gift Dad pays for the down payment and first 5 months on the loan! One new job: Software Developer at ITG, Inc., and investment firm in Boston, NY, L.A., Canada, Israel, and Europe. After all this I only felt a little slighted when Michael received a job offer from his internship for more money than I got with a completed degree.
        September: Between work, roleplaying, and my boyfriend, whom I'm becoming pretty serious with at this point, I have very little free time. This month marked our six month anniversary, making this relationship the longest one I've ever had (which actually happened at 4 months).
        October: My manager at work left for a better job. Good for him, unfortunate for the four of us left behind in software development, especially since he was part of the reason I took my job. Ah well, at least after he left the four of us became a close-knit working group and friends. Halloween was great fun. I was one of two who dressed up at the office. And at home we had at least 150 trick-or-treaters come by! Best of all, everyone loved my costume, black feathered wings and all.
The first tragedy of the year struck this month. My great-grandmother dies at the age of 102. The family had a lovely Memorial Service in Ohio, which I was asked to sing at. Then the family only funeral. Unfortunately this was just the first tragedy.
        November: Three months at my job, the rest of the benefits kick in, including a 401k plan to start Dec. 1. Guess I'm officially an adult now. My first presidential election! Too bad we had to wait so long to find out my candidate lost. And happily, I ran into friends of mine I had lost touch with and renewed friendships. But on the other side I broke up with my boyfriend. I just couldn't see anything for us down the line anymore, and I didn't want to drag out a relationship that didn't have a future.
        My Nana was hospitalized with cancer this month. Michael and I hopped a plane last minute on Thanksgiving to see her. We also found out my cousin Sherrone is pregnant! I'm excited about becoming an Aunt (well, actually a 1st cousin once removed, but who wants to be called that?)
        December: Of the entire year, this month has been the most eventful, and its noe even over yet!
        On the 12th I was kicked out of my apartment. Long story short, my roommates and I were unable to work out our problems. Unfortunately I lost more than just an apartment, I lost two best friends.
        Less than a week later my Nana died. I had seen her not 8 hours before her death. I'm just glad I was able to make it out to Michigan again to tell her I loved her before it happened. My Nana and I were close. She taught me how to sew and she was a lot of fun. I'm going to miss her.
        So now I'm living with Mom, temporarily. But I'm looking to buy my own condo. I'm looking forward to Christmas and singing at the candle light service Christmas Eve. Then it's off to Michigan (again!) to visit relatives, for Nana's Memorial Service, and for Sherrone's Wedding. All in one week! Not to mention the New Year's gathering I was planning NOT to have that I will be hosting at my house to greet the New Millennium. (Remember the calendar didn't start with a year zero, so 2001 is the beginning of the new millennium and century.)
        "May all your days be Merry and Bright" and remember that when things get tough and sad, there are better days ahead. Just take one day at a time, and I'll see you down the road.
                                                        All My Love,

Labels: Year Summaries