Great Accomplishments of 2009:

1. I started flossing.
   
2. The Hollygrove house was finally finished. (I think)
   
3. I learned how to read and write in Hindi – the speaking and understanding part I'm still working on.
   
4. I moved to India.
   
5. I became a cryer. I don't know if this is a great accomplishment or just a fact.
   
6. The tooth saga FINALLY ended. And in the words of Ellen, "That [girl] who can eat corn on the cob again… I'm happy for [her]!!"
   

Realizations from 2009:

1. Flossing doesn't just prevent gum disease and gum recession, but also affects your heart's health. (William is a good influence in my life.)
   
2. I really love to sing and I love having jobs where I can sing out loud and dance while doing actual work.
   
3. Economics is actually interesting and one day I would like to take a class on it.
   
4. My body remembers things (scars, happy memories) that my conscious mind forgets.
   
5. After getting very lost, for the first time in years I feel spiritually on track.
   
6. That living abroad often looks more glamorous than it really is. (Except for when I lived on the Grand Canal – that really was as glamorous as it looked. Hahaha!)
   
7. I learned that I'm stronger than I've ever been before (emotionally and physically) and now I know what makes me happy even though I get too lazy to do the work.
   
8. At some point everyone I love will let me down (and I'll let them down, too) – whether it's just once or habitually. The only people that matter are the ones who come back, overcome the obstacles, and show that they care. Friendships that I never thought would end actually do, and it motivates me to put more effort into the ones that keep me going every day. But I also FINALLY learned and, more importantly, accepted that I cannot do the work of two people and now I won't.
   
9. In comparison to a huge part of the world, I'm actually pale.
   
10. Mostly, I learned the lesson I learn every year, that my family and friends are my top priority. As my best friend Robyn says, "Life is all about relationships" and "You're really lucky if there are people who miss you when you're not around."
    
11. That I have a temper that can only be tempered by good conversation and writing. (In India they think it's lucky if you end on an uneven number.)