So. 2010. Look at that.

Before I go any further, I want to confess to you all that I am going to have a major mathematical and typographical problem the whole year long, due to Washington. That’s right, when you don’t have anyone else to blame, blame Washington (or does that only happen in movies?). The thing about Washington is that I used to live there, and for five of those years, I lived in Columbia Heights (before the Target, Tivoli refurbishment, Washington Sports Club, etc.) And when I lived in Columbia Heights, in addition to all the other entertainment like the ongoing fight with our across-the-street neighbor who ran his dogs at the crack of something in the empty lot beside our house (and one time brought out a dead, limp cat and buried him/her there as well), and who used to rip the windshield wipers off my ex’s car (a beat up tank of a Volvo) just out of spite, so much so that we would keep the windshield wiper arms (wipers attached) in the trunk and attach them when it rained, in addition to that, well, our zip code was 20010. And we said it two-thousand ten. And my fingers are trained like seals to finish any numerical sequence that starts with 20 with 010. You may think I’m exaggerating. I’m not. I also cannot easily type the word child, Chile tending to overshadow. I used to work for a publishing company writing about a law that is also called SARA Title III. It took me years to be able to write the name Sara without writing all caps.

So I apologize in advance to everyone who I confuse by speeding us several millenia into the future with that extra 0.

And moving on…

It seems the thing to do to do a quick wrap up of 2009 and then talk about how much better 2010 (hey! I did it!) will be. And who I am I to buck a trend?

2009 began very inauspiciously, which I report here. Short story: Bolivia, Isla de Sol, Lake Titicaca, sun, altitude, dehydration. Vomiting, lots of vomiting. It’s a good read though, especially because you don’t have to feel what I felt or smell what I smelt (look, now with British past tenses, or at least tiny fish!) at the time. Plus snarky, as you’d imagine.

The year also did not have anyone dying or being hospitalized, which is just fabulous, and somewhat rare these days. I had a relationship experience that defies description, so unequivocably negative that it’s a wonder that I have not sworn off talking to humans entirely. Don’t look for it in the archives, as it’s not there. But I power on.

2009 also saw me getting a lot more serious about writing in general, advancing on a secret project, travel writing, publishing articles, writing guest blogs, and using my blog as a launching pad, meeting spot and navel gazing, all of which I attribute to nothing more than hey, this feels really great.

I don’t feel a tremendous amount of pressure to love the hell out of 2010 (had to retype it that time!), but would be pleased if together we could write more, focus more, love more, get out of our cave more, take more pictures, take more risks and be ready with bells on to welcome 2011. I don’t think it’s too much to ask.

Thanks to all for joining me on this crazy journey. I smile when I look at my referral blogs and see Chester (New Hampshire) and Diadema (SP, Brazil) and Sydney (Australia) and all the rest. The comments rock my world, except for the stuff in Japanese, which I can’t read (and don’t publish). And I think it’s time to take down that Lonely Planet badge about the expat blog. I will likely not be participating in any blogging contests in 2010, and about that I feel just fine.

Hey 2010 and all its hangers-on. See you at the gym!