The year in review

January 2009: I decided to keep two lists. One list, of every book I read that year. The second, of every song I heard that touched me, captured me, and made me play it on repeat for days or weeks. They were easy lists to keep up with (unlike keeping a journal, which I repeatedly try then fall away from), and looking back at them in December felt like a sort of accomplishment, one to which no goals or resolutions were attached. So I decided to make one more list; a list of things that I did or was a part of that meant something in 2009. Here are my lists. If I tagged you, I'd like to hear what was significant in 2009 to you as well.


Significant events:
Mission trip to Tanzania, two weeks in June and July
Became a Notary Public
Teal graduated college and Lesson graduated high school
Made the groom's cake for the Oldham's wedding
Moved in with the Cheatham family
Helped with two adoptions at Breath Of Life
Attended two funerals
Sang a song for my church that I wrote in Tanzania
Modeled in a charity fashion show: Mona Sue Vintage presented "A Step In Time" fashion show, benefiting "I Am I Can"
Attended the following plays: Hank The Cowdog, Henry V (one-man presentation), Good Things, It's A Wonderful Life
Concerts: Derek Webb
Speakers: Donald Miller, Rob Bell
Comedic: Brian Regan
Broadway: Wicked, a thank-you event at the Palace Theater of many famous musical numbers
Ballet: Hamlet, The Nutcracker


Books I read:
Reading Lolita In Tehran, by Azar Nafisi
My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult (read it twice)
The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri
Peace Like A River, by Lief Enger
The Reasons I Won't Be Coming, by Elliot Perlman
The Color Of Water, by James McBride
Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis
The Redemption Of Sarah Cain, by Beverly Lewis
A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, by Donald Miller
Drops Like Stars, by Rob Bell
Same Kind Of Different As Me, by Ron Hall, Denver Moore, and Lynn Vincent
The Fairy Tale Novels: In The Shadow Of The Bear, Black As Night, Waking Rose, by Regina Doman
Short Stories: Death In The Desert, by Willa Cather. Unaccustomed Earth, by Jumpha Lahiri. Every That Rises Must Converge, by Flannery O'Connor. The Great Chain Of Being, Sky Juice, and Spring, Mountain, Sea, by Kim Edwards


Songs that stood out to me:
Shadowfeet - Brooke Fraser
Beautiful Feet - Lacrae
One Of These Things First - Nick Drake
Closing Time - SemiSonic
Her Morning Elegance - Oren Lavie
For You - Ingrid Michaelson
Never Say Never - The Fray
Would You? - Singing In The Rain
Albertine - Brooke Fraser
A Simple Seed - The Classic Crime
Rescue - Seabird
Say It To Me Now - Glen Hansard (from the "Once" soundtrack)
Till We See The Shore - Seabird
Us - Regina Spektor
Samson - Regina Spektor
Whispers In The Dark - Skillet
Hosea's Wife - Brooke Fraser
Maybe - Ingrid Michaelson
Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Buble
Carol Of The Bells - Emmy Rossum


Some movies I saw in 2009:
The Blind Side
Up
(500) Days Of Summer
Good Hair
Rachel Getting Married
Sunshine Cleaning
Away We Go
Avatar
Star Trek
The Boys Are Back
Precious
The Princess And The Frog
Sherlock Holmes
Invictus


How about you?