2010

What can I say about 2010?

I complained a lot. I watched as everyone around me seemed to go through personal hardship at the same time – illness, unemployment, relationship woes, deaths of family or friends. I saw my native America face issues of racism, sexism, homophobia and social injustice. We made progress on some, found new and spectacular ways to fail at others.

I fretted over my unfinished novel and began to get bored with my office job. I tried and generally failed to go to parties and stay out late in bars the way functioning adults are supposed to do. I did, however, learn to appreciate booze.

I turned 30. It made more of a difference than I thought it would. I became less eager to try as many new things as possible and began to wonder what I actually want to do. Somehow a significant part of that was buying myself a good wool coat and flat-heeled leather boots.

I had long conversations with a few close friends – women who are independent and brave enough to take risks and make things happen. Religion and sexuality were the top subjects. I learned a lot.

I decided to stop living with hippies. Not to say that I don’t love the hippies. Of course I love the hippies. I just missed sitting in chairs, that’s all.

I lived next to the sea for a while. I’ve always wanted to try that. On stormy nights I lay in bed and listened to waves crashing on the beach. I went for runs and walks along the coast whenever I felt like it. I had sand blown in my face a few times.

I sat next to Sir Ian McKellen in a cafe for twenty minutes. He stole a glass. True story.

I smoked a few cigarettes. I also ignored the basic rules of knife safety and had to get stitches. Now I know for sure that I shouldn’t do those things.

I read history books and political blogs and became hopelessly addicted to following the news on Twitter. I joined debates. I picked fights. I lost far, far too many hours of sleep to the trials and tribulations of Keith Olbermann. (Don’t worry. I think he’ll be fine.)

I started carrying notebooks, a camera and a voice recorder with me wherever I went. I interviewed authors and journalists and wrote feature articles about them. I realised that I love how journalism focuses the way I observe the world – and that I need to learn how to do it properly.

I made a big decision and freaked myself out.

2011 should be interesting.