Unterekless Thoughts

The end of the year is a time of top 10 lists, thoughts on the past, and hopes for the future. Since I’m a fan of lists, here are 10 things I learned this year:

1. There’s absolutely nothing more painful than confronting the mortality of a family member. Many of those close to me know that the first half of 2010 was an *extremely* difficult time for my family. Worse than dealing with terrible family news was dealing with a constantly changing prognosis and having an unclear path of action. I have never cried more or been more disoriented at work than I was January through June.
2. Clarity is a real gift. I’m pretty direct and prone to making quick decisions and following through on them. As I observe others struggle with this, I’m grateful for my own ability to decide and move on. From choosing a restaurant to ending a not ideal relationship rather than waiting for it to die, I feel better about everything when I put a stake in the ground and go with it. For reference, check this out.
3. I really enjoy country music. For a girl who’s not into manual labor, I could not possibly enjoy the twang of a guitar or lyrics about corn and tractors any more. While I’ve loved country music since I was little and sang Hank Williams (Sr) and Willie Nelson songs with my dad, I realized recently, that it’s the only genre where I can honestly say I like 75% of the music enough to not change the radio.
4. Metallic flats are a 5’10″ gal’s best friend. I bought 9 pairs of metallic flats in 2010. I returned one.
5. Do not ever go to McDonald’s on M Street for a snack post-midnight. @MsSpinach and I did and a stranger showed us a picture of his own genitalia. No McFlurry will ever take that memory away.
6. I work with wonderful people. Not sucking up at all, but my co-workers (and former co-workers) are some of my favorite people which makes going to work every day a pleasure. Follow #Ogilvy360DI and #360DI (because we haven’t totally chosen a hashtag…) for more great banter. But know that the best stuff happens over email. And the absolute best stuff is printed out and posted on the “Natty Mail” wall that @KaitlynWilkins and I share.
7. Sometimes, I get so caught up on “what’s next” that I don’t enjoy “what’s happening.” And no, I’m not talking about the TV show. I have noticed that when I’m not 100% happy with where I live or other details of my life, I very actively start thinking about moving and making changes. But sometimes that concept of “leaving before I leave” really prevents me from making the most of what I’m doing in the moment.
8. Even a tired franchise can reinvent itself. I thought Survivor, Top Chef, and Real Housewives had all seen better days. Let me tell you -  Survivor Heroes v. Villains, Top Chef All Stars, and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills have proven me wrong. When is Flavor of Love coming back?!
9. Gchat is beyond essential to the way I live my life. My predominant communication with two of my best friends in California, one of my brothers, and many of my coworkers happens over gchat. I actually couldn’t imagine life without it. Maybe even more so than DVR and a smartphone… and it takes a LOT for me to say that. Despite believing in Facebook, I don’t feel that way about Facebook chat – I think gchat is a more personal place for me. I’ll accept most friend requests on Facebook, but gchat is way more private than that.
10. I have the best family in the entire world. My parents are more fun, more generous, more compassionate, and ten times stronger than I knew — even in 2009. My brothers and I are unbelievably lucky to have them — and to be able to make fun of them as much as we do. (Sorry, Mom, I know it was a rough Christmas from that perspective… at least you didn’t buy us Nutcracker tickets this time?!) Similarly, while I am VERY different from both of my brothers, I can’t think of two people who I love, respect, enjoy, or roll my eyes at more.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on 2010. If I only think about 2010 from about July forward, it was a really great year. And if I take the year as a whole, I can’t think of one during which I learned more about myself or life in general.