The last few days have been rough, but I don’t want to lose perspective on the fact that 2010 has been an incredible year. It has treated me very well, both professionally and personally.

Everyone and their mother seems to do some sort of year-in-review right around New Years, so I figured why not just add one more to the list…

January

• Half-way point through my first year as a real, live school psychologist
• Living in a random dude’s house on hillside with dead birds in the freezer
• Visited my old high school for (probably) the last time - realized I have no ties left there
• Wrap-up of AIFF 2009: volunteer party and Alyeska retreat
• Sobbed my way through DEAR ZACHARY

February

• Submitted my application to be a Venue manager at SIFF 2010
• Got in a car wreck and was without my car for 20 days
• Discovered the brilliance of PARTY DOWN
• Got a taste of Seattle when I saw Dan Savage at UAA
• Spent a ton of money to get an expedited passport
• Saw my (at the time) second favorite play - CHICAGO - with my sister-in-law-to-be
• Entirely skipped the Olympics other than that edge-of-your-seat USA v Canada hockey game

March

• My first trip to Chicago to attend the National Association of School Psychologists annual conference
• Spent 10 days in Guatemala with my world-traveling friends
• Spent all my time (any money) making a scrapbook about my Guatemala trip
• Was screwed out of a job I desperately wanted by a lying bitch. Funny how I kind of want to thank her now

April

• Nothing but tv and movies and tolerating my job - a high point: reading then watching KICK-ASS

May

• Found out I got a Venue Manager Job at SIFF 2010 just weeks before it was to start
• Lost my wallet and had to hurriedly replace everything before leaving state
• Finished my first school year as a real, live school psychologist
• Drove the AlCan in 40 hours with my brother
• Watched my mom recover from a hip replacement surgery
• Began my first ever paid film festival job and, as a result, had my entire life changed
• Learned that my life had been greatly lacking all the years I didn’t have a badass friend from Wisconsin in it

June

• Continued working for SIFF 2010
• Enjoyed perks of the SIFF job, such as a free Cirque du Soleil show with the mother of my favorite boys in Seattle
• Had my car broken into but managed to not have my camera or laptop stolen
• Worked my liver overtime at end-of-SIFF 2010 parties
• Went to see my mom again
• Cried through TOY STORY 3

July

• Spent 10 days on the east coast roughing it through hostels and random towns with my favorite Beaujean
• Saw AMERICAN IDIOT on Broadway and had my mind blown
• Finally was able to experience first-hand the greatest state in the country with the most gracious hosts ever
• Indulged my greatest geek fantasy and went to San Diego Comic Con - spent 5 days with no sleep, too many people, and some of the most awesome times of the year
• Got an iPhone 4
• Drove up to Seattle for a birthday party and realized it was finally time to move on from a hope I’d held too long

August

• One last glorious week in Seattle filled with wonderful friends, awesome movies, moving music, and a taste of what it’s like to come home to someone that challenges you as much as he makes you laugh
• Entertained the idea of a last-minute move to Seattle
• Drove the AlCan at a break-neck pace - a trip that resulted in some of the most hilarious stories, pictures, and videos of the year
• My first visit to both Fairbanks and Denali
• Returned to my school district for another year
• Got my car towed and seriously considered prostitution for the first time in my life in an attempt to get it back
• Started work on AIFF 2010

September

• My baby brother and his gorgeous wife had the most beautiful wedding one could have ever imagined
• My dear friend came all the way to Alaska to come to the wedding with me
• Jon Favreau re-tweeted me
• Spent 5 days following Blue October on the road, a trip that culminated in possibly the best day of the entire year for me
• A poorly-planned return time to Anchorage resulted in unexpectedly reconnecting with an old high school friend, which would turn out to have a more far-reaching impact on my life than quite possibly anything else all year

October

• Saw THE SOCIAL NETWORK with Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, and Ted Danson
• Oktoberfest in Girdwood
• Learned how badly it hurts when a family member’s heart is broken
• Found the greatest roommate on the planet and moved into an awesome new house
• Saw Stephen Lynch for the second time

November

• An influx of excellent mixtapes
• Temporary heartbreak which was mediated by incredible friends, family, and roommates
• Diving into prep for AIFF 2010
• Spent 6 hours outside in order to get a smokin’ deal on a new tv
• Had an at-times contentious but overall fun birthday party for a wonderful friend at my house
• Created an educational outreach program for AIFF and moderated my first ever school visit
• In the process of preparing for said school visit, stumbled upon a friendship with an unbelievably intelligent guy who I love talking to more than almost anyone

December

• Nearly worked myself into the ground during AIFF 2010
• Met incredible, inspiring filmmakers who would inspire me to pursue career paths I’d never even considered before
• Watched my amazing new friends premiere their hilarious film
• Spent hours on end chasing collective inspiration, motivation, and vision in the one place in Anchorage I used to refuse to step foot into
• Discovered and fell in love with the alternately frantic and lethargic experience of being on a film set
• Had some really painful/disgusting medical procedures
• Had my camera stolen out of my car
• Felt my heart break in my chest as the man who is closest thing that I’ve had to a father figure for the last decade of my life told me about his pain
• Began questioning everything I thought I knew about what I want, where I want to be, and who I want to go there with