Happy New Year! New decade! And not a minute too soon, if you ask me.
This was only the third decade I've ever lived through, but it was hands-down the craziest one I ever had. I basically went through my 20s in the past ten years. If you've already survived your 20s, then you know what I'm talking about. If you're currently going through them, good luck & Godspeed. And if you haven't hit that magical 2-0 yet, well, buckle up and bring a toothbrush, because it's a pretty interesting trip.
The funny thing about the last decade is that so many things happened to me that it's hard to quantify, but I'll give it a shot anyway. Here we go.
I had an awesome job, got laid off, learned how to edit radio programs, got humiliated at a temp agency, became a PR director at Book Soup in West Hollywood, and once gave George Plimpton a ride in my 1997 Saturn after his car got towed during a book signing. (Ask me about that some time, it's a pretty great story.)
I became so anemic that my doctors wanted to give me a blood transfusion (my reaction: "You're funny."), got diagnosed with celiac disease and Type 1 diabetes, and quickly got over my fear of needles. I then got super healthy, once ran 7 miles in just over an hour, and still never mastered a headstand in yoga. (I don't like when all the blood rushes to my head.)
I lost three grandparents and my father.
I quit a great job on a whim and wrote a book called "Audrey, Wait!", then watched as it sold in the United States and 13 other countries. I got emails from some of the funniest readers and authors I could ever hope to meet. I learned that writing a second book is way more difficult than writing a first book. (Waaaaay more difficult. Good Lord.)
I went to Italy for two weeks with my mom, became a vegetarian, went to my grandmother's 90th birthday party, and spent two days haggling at a car dealership for a new car. I got a great deal. They hated me. ("You treated us a like a bakery!" one salesman told me after I signed on the dotted line. I took it as a compliment.)
And I still never got a dog.
If there's one thing I've learned over the past ten years, it's that it's a crazy ride and it's fun and horrific and scary and wonderful. There were times that I thought I'd never feel better, and then there were times when I though I could never feel happier. I can't wait to see what happens in the next decade. I hope it's as amazing as its predecessor.
But enough about the last ten years. Let's get nitpicky and focus on 2009. It was pretty awesome.
THE 10 BEST THINGS IN MY 2009
FAVORITE YOUTUBE VIDEO
I'll admit it, I cried when I saw this. Like, actual tears born of extreme cuteness. Its little face! Its tiny paws! I am thisclose to becoming a crazy cat lady now and I don't even own a cat.
FAVORITE IM CONVERSATION
My mom and I discussing cats and hats, which turned into a conversation about Britney and fedoras. You'll see.
Me: Cats with hats. Discuss
Mom: The eyes on that cat are so BIG.
Mom: Like, "What's happening?!"
Me: "Where are my ears?!"
Mom: I don't think that would stay on very long unless it was pinned somehow.
Me: I think you're still scared from having a daughter that never wore hats.
Mom: You still don't.
Me: That's because they make me look stupid.
Mom: You could never look stupid!
Me: I seem to be on a quest to prove you wrong on that point.
Mom: I like fedoras.
Mom: But I don't own a fedora.
Me: The day you show up in a fedora is the day I die of a heart attack.
Mom: Didn't Johanna's sister wear one one when we all went out for Mother's Day a few years ago?
Mom: AND
Mom: Doesn't Britney wear one?
Me: Yes, but Johanna's sister was 17.
Me: And Britney is...Britney.
Mom: Well, I'll just look for a fedora that looks good on a 59 1/2 year old person.
This is my genetic legacy, people.
FAVORITE WEBSITE
This is genius if you're a do-gooder/word junkie/procrastinator like me. You just play along and for every word you get right, 10 grains of rice are donated through the World Food Programme. Easy, right? Right!
FAVORITE CONCERT
Regina Spektor at the Greek Theater
Once again, it's nearly impossible to choose. I saw so many great bands this year! Neko! Phoenix! M83! They were all phenomenal, but I think Regina the winner. I first saw her in 2002, way back when she was opening for Kings of Leon & The Strokes, and it was awesome to see her seven years later. She was so brilliant and charming, it was the first fall night of the year so the air was all crisp, and I went with my friend Leslie, who warned me beforehand that she was probably going to sing along. Pretty cool.
FAVORITE SONG
"Have You Got It In You", Imogen Heap
You may have heard that I have a Song of the Day blog, where I basically post songs that I like. I've heard so many songs this year that I loved, but I'm going to change the rules a bit and pick the song that had such an influence on me while I was writing my new book, "The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June". I listened to it whenever I was stuck on a scene or frustrated and wanted to delete the entire manuscript. (Helpful Tip Alert: Don't delete your entire manuscript.)
FAVORITE ALBUM
So this year, I got a little overenthusiastic and featured not one but TEN of my favorite albums on my music blog. If you saw that feature, then you'll know this album was my all-time favorite this year. I just think she can sing like a hurricane and she's awesome, that's all. No biggie.
FAVORITE BOOK
I didn't want to read this book at all, much less on the 10-year anniversary of the horrific Columbine massacre, but once I started, I couldn't put it down. I read the first 100 pages in one sitting, it's that good. It's about so much more than two deranged kids. It's about parenting and friendship and the state of current journalism in America. It shows all the different ways that a community can be torn apart and put back together, and it examines all the different angles of Columbine with clear eyes and the dignity they deserve. You can't ask for much more than that.
FAVORITE TV SHOW
Like you even had to ask.
FAVORITE MOVIE MOMENT
Jimmy Page, The Edge, & Jack White singing "The Weight" at the end of "It Might Get Loud"
I got goosebumps in the theater. Plus, watch for Jack White's hilarious one-sentence commentary on a Hollywood executive.
FAVORITE PERSON OF THE YEAR
Whoa, how'd you win two years in a row?! Well, whatever you did, it worked because you even managed to beat out Lady Gaga. Once again, if you're reading this blog or sending me wonderful emails, following me on Twitter, or even if you're too shy to say hello, thank you a million times over. The past year would have been much more difficult if it wasn't for all the amazing fans and fellow writers that I've been able to meet. I am so lucky and blessed and happy to know all of you. Let's talk soon in 2010!
