The 23 Best Things about the year I was 23.

Since I'm about to turn 24, I decided I should probably chronicle my favorite things about 23. Here goes:!

Travels:

1. Costa Rica! In December, I traveled to Costa Rica with Mat S. and Jonathan H. It involved bugs, trees, two of my favorite people in the world, an epic sunburn, and zip lines. What could be bad?

2. My first truly epic road trip (this past summer), with Sarah K. Tanglewood + the Berkshires + Boston + best friends = utter summer happiness. Hoping that’s happening again.

3. Most Broadways shows in a year of my life (hoping to keep THAT trend going!) Saw Shrek the Musical, A Little Night Music, South Pacific, and Avenue Q. All with Matt S., my partner in musical theater-going crime!

4. Ronis Shabbos in New Haven. Mat S. + Ronis + Shabbos = a full neshama for me.

5.5. My mother-daughter weekend in Annapolis and Baltimore. Such good Mona-Rachel time.

6. Visiting Chicago for the first time (although this coming year will involve a Chicago visit as well!)

7. My first whitewater-rafting experience this summer (complete with West Virginia jokes, fun times, and fabulous new friends)

Work:

8. My first quote in a NY Times article!

9. My first (and second) papers on energy efficiency policy!

10. Discovering the power of Excel. And deciding that, despite all that kvetching I did at the time, Physics Lab was one of the most useful classes I took at Brandeis. I love proving myself wrong J

DC Gallavanting:

11. Flexing my science education skillz and volunteering at the Amazonia exhibit of the National Zoo!

12. Discovering Signature theater, and seeing Sweeney Todd, their AMAZING Kander and Ebb revue, and Showboat

13. Frequent visits to one of my favorite DC spots, Eastern Market (site of many wonderful hat purchases).

14. Living through Snowpacalyse (and having a fun time of it, too!) with my Van Ness crew.

15. Cooking and baking delicious food from my first CSA (through the DC JCC!. Such a fun experience.

16. Dancing through my first ballet class of life, which incidentally, I was nowhere near as awful at as I thought I was.

17. Wine touring in Virginia. One of the best days of summer for sure, and definitely an activity that needs a repeat.

Other Happy Things

18. Meeting Julie Andrews and “warming her heart” with the story of Sarah K. and my book sharing

19. Getting my picture taken with Alison Janney, and some of my other favorite people in the world. Seriously though, C.J. Cregg! Amazing!

20. My very first Bender-Horowitz family Sukkot experience. Best.

21. The discovery of Glee. You know my feelings on this subject.

22. Experiencing the best “kosher vacation” ever at Lilly and Alexander’s crab-tabulous engagement party

23. my movement into the world of Blackberry. It was frightening, but I’m loving it a little bit.

Things to look forward to in the year I’m 24 . . . moving into a new apartment with Rachel H. in Dupont Circle! Going to the White House for the first time! Hopefully, a climate change bill with lots of energy efficiency! My first venture west of the Mississippi! (okay, fine. I’ve been to St. Louis and Wisconsin. But no further west than that!)