2010: The Year In Review

I meant to write this at the end of December but never got to it. Sarah's nagging finally got me started. I don't have a lot to say about 2010. My 3 blog posts that year are evidence enough. If anything, 2010 was a year in limbo. It's a transition. Like the past few, 2010 is a year with a few clearly defined segments. Like last year, it can be split roughly in half. I'm publishing a rough draft tonight, fueled by Budweiser and missing a lot of details. Bear with me until I get the final version online.

The Year in Segments
I. January-June
I started the year in the Dana Avenue apartment with James and Alicia. I had just purchased my '97 Integra and was learning the hard way how to live with a manual transmission. Alicia was in Texas and James and I were getting along pretty well. I was working at SKF and enjoying my weekends in Louisville. Most notably, Meagan and I were reconnecting. 2009 wasn't the best year, and I think I spent the start of 2010 living like a typical guy of my age - semiregular parties, nights at the bar, an apartment in the city... Things were going well. They continued like this more or less until June when the lease was up. At the start of June, I moved out of the apartment and into Sarah's house in Louisville. The weekend of the move was memorable for the day mom, Alica and I spent at Taste of Cincinnati. I'm not usually one for great crowds, but Cincinnati's big downtown festivals are something special. The second half of the year was spend in Louisville.

II. June-December
Right around my move, I attended the wedding of a high school friend, Christopher Amelung. He used to be a Bible thumper but at some point had joined me in full atheism and replaced God with beer (a position I support wholeheartedly). I noticed shortly after moving that life in Louisville is a lot slower than life in Cincinnati, or it is for me. Most of my friends are up north and for the majority of the time here my social life consisted of regular outings with Sarah's friends and occasional trips to Northern Kentucky to visit mine. Despite all the time I've spent with Chris and Amy, I still see them as Sarah's friends rather than mine. I'm not sure why.
The most notable thing that happened here was my new job. I was due to start another shitty warehouse job at UPS but out of the blue my uncle Jay came through and offered me a dubious-sounding job at a local hospital for the mentally disabled. Little did I know that the boiler room job at Hazelwood would do me so much good. My boss is an old lunatic who's been supervising the boiler room here for three decades. He's an old stoner who served on a gunboat in Vietnam and is gladly willing to teach me everything he knows. Between the boilers and my Honda, I've become quite the handyman and will tackle any job thrown at me, so long as I have the tools to accomplish it. It seems I'm being groomed as Curt's replacement as the head of the boiler room staff.
2010 ended on a high note. Sarah and I are getting out of this house, away from her crazy mom. I'm starting school next week and it seems I finally have my shit together.

The People In Review
As is the trend over the past few years, I've been distancing myself from most people lately. I do have a few exceptions, though.
Mike Mills - Mike and I became better friends during my last six months at SKF and we still chat regularly through email. He's still at SKF and as friendly as ever.
James Greis - As our lease drew to a close, so did our friendship. We didn't fall out as such, we just didn't bother to continue talking after we ceased to be roommates.
Alicia Zwiebel - My one friend from UC continues to be one of my closest. She's been having a rough time lately and it seems like 2011 will be as hard as any, but she's the type to slog through it. I'm definitely glad to have her nearby (at least electronically) and make a special effort to see her whenever I'm in town.
Stephen Reynolds - Stevo remains as solid and dependable as ever. He's finally doing what he loves, teaching History to middle schoolers at Gallatin County. He was my one regular friend in Louisville until he moved back to NKY toward the end of the year.
Emily Wernet - We keep in touch and hang out when we can, which is rare. Like Stevo, she's finally doing something in her field and happy about it. If at all possible, 2011 involves a week in New York with her.
Meagan McNeilan - Meagan and I spent a long time apart at the end of 2009, but we're as close as we ever were now. I love the girl to death and enjoy every minute of the late nights we spend together.
Evan Faeth - Meagan's boyfriend and I have become friends in our own right over the last two years and I look forward to seeing him as much as Meagan. The man can throw a hell of a pirate party.
Sarah Lamb Valentine's Day 2011 will be two and a half years for us, and it seems like only the start of a long relationship. We move into our own home next week and I'll likely be singing her praises this time next year. She likes to take everything I say the wrong way, but I love her anyway.

Summarizing 2010
... will be done later. It's bed time.