Year In Review This year has been amazing. Maybe the most intense year of my life. Here's a quick summary of the highlights and for some reason I've decided to include a song that reminds me of each moment:
1. Engagement in Paris, Christmas Eve, 2001. For those that don't know the story...Mark asked me to marry him after dinner in Paris on Christmas Eve. We were crossing a bridge over the river Seine with Notre Dome in the background when he got down on his knee and popped the question. Very romantic.
Song: Tower of Learning by Rufus Wainwright.
2. The Birth of My Niece Katie, first offspring from my side of the family. Song: Danny's Song by Kenny Loggins. "Pisces Virgo rising is a very good sign"
3. My Marriage to Mark. We got married in Key West in a very small ceremony on the beach with just our closest family and friends. It was really beautiful and intimate.
Song: Rainy Night in Soho by the Pogues because my darling Mark "you're the measure of my dreams, the measure of my dreams".
4. Hanging out with my best girl friends the day after our wedding. I so rarely get to see them and to have everybody together in one place was really great.
Song: Reunited by Peaches and Herb, because it felt so good.
5. Seeing David Bowie in an intimate show (about 1000 peeps) at St. Anne's Warehouse in Brooklyn, NY (Thanks again Mike!!!!).
Song: Moonage Daydream by David Bowie "keep your electric eye on me babe"
6. Meeting my friend Jenn in Atlanta. Friendships are sometimes like romances, you have immediate chemistry and immediately like each other and know you're going to be friends. It was like that with Jenn this year, and I'm so sorry I had to move before we got to know each other better. Thank goodness for e-mail and I look forward to reading your blog Jenn and will keep harassing you until you create one.
Song: Waiting on a friend by The Rolling Stones
7. Leaving Atlanta after 10 years of residency. Atlanta was very good to me in the time I was there. I was really ready to leave, but I'm sure I'll miss it.
Song: Sugar Mountain by Neil Young.
8. Moving to Singapore. After months and months of talking about it, then more months planning for it, we finally did it.
Song: Island in the sun by Weezer. "We'll run away together, we'll spend some time forever, we'll never feel bad anymore. Hip Hip"
9. Visiting Vietnam. The longest and most intense vacation of my life. Very educational, but not an experience I'm likely to do again.
Song: In my place by ColdPlay. "I was scared, I was scared, tired and underprepared."
10. Culture shock, This is sort of the combination of Vietnam and Singapore and a prediction of difficulty to come. I'll do my best to maintain my sense of humour. It's funny, I remember reading the book "Culture Shock, Singapore" and thinking that culture shock was something we'd be immune to. If only.
Song: What's the frequency Kenneth by R.E.M. "Richard said to retreat in disgust is not the same as apathy".