best of 2009...

the following is adapted from gwen bell's best of 2009 challenge

trip. definitely milos
restaurant moment. so many to choose from (i’m not the holly homemaker i thought i was!) probably bedford (in the heights) with my family…we ate out on the patio, gorgeous summer night, delicious wine, perfection.
article. i am a ripper…from my magazines i tend to pull out the articles that i connect with…and if it’s online i’ve taken to printing out the keepers. there were so many in 2009 it’s hard to pick just one. (this may give me an excuse to look through them again!)

book. i’ve barely FINISHED a book this year, mostly picking over a bunch of books on writing. one of my faves has to be writing to change the world by mary pipher.
night out. david and i, at that hillside restaurant overlooking the port in adamas. we had the balcony to ourselves (only 3 tables fit there anyway)…we shared the most incredible meal, watched the boats out in the harbor, it was amazing. then we walked through the city, holding hands, enjoying the vibrant nightlife.

workshop or conference. having difficult conversations. this was a lunch training (we get food AND continuing ed credits!) done by a fellow social worker, and i loved the message. basically, that our job is to tell people really terrible things but in a way that is kind/compassionate/strengths-focused.
blog find of the year. ALL OF THEM! can you believe i had only visited 2 blogs (my cousin and my college friend) before this year!?!? but the winner of this category must go to ordinary courage, since this was the jumping off point for all the rest…
moment of peace. ahhh, i talked about this one here.
challenge. take a creative writing class.
album of the year. i’m more of the “download-one-song-off-the-album” type. artists i added to my ipod this year include: adele, barefoot truth, brett dennen, matt nathanson…
the best place. the boom boom room. hands down.
new food. jamaican
what's the best change you made to the place you live? in our bedroom: taking down the china theme and putting up our milos photos/mixed media art! it doesn't look like much, but i love looking over and picturing us on a greek island!

when did you get your best rush of the year? mountain biking. particularly the muddy buddy!tea of the year. tazo wild sweet orange. well, it’s the tea of the last many years, and i heard that sbux is getting rid of their bag teas…not happy.
word or phrase. 2009 was "crazy-fun.”
shop. it’s not a shop, but i spent most of my money this year on airplane tickets.
car ride. this still makes me laugh out loud: david and i attempting to navigate the ridiculous greek hills in a tiny red stick shift.

project i’m proud of? you’re lookin’ at it…
learning experience that changed me? this happens DAILY...don't make me choose just one.
gift i gave myself. books. lots and lots of books.
insight or aha! moment. there were so many…definitely this one, and you can see the rest here.

social web moment. When sami at life, laughs & lemmings…. posted my letter on her blog (and the lovely comments that resulted)
biggest belly laugh. probably following a road trip when I tried to climb through david’s legs to get into the bathroom first. or dancing to 80’s youtube videos in his studio…
advertisement. it was more a combination of ads that got me thinking this.

resolution you wish you'd stuck with. F@#? resolutions…read my post tomorrow for more on this subject!