Assessing the Wreckage: my 2010, month by month!

Happy New Year, everyone! The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of travel and friends and work and wonderful things, so I didn’t get a chance to sit and do a yearly wrap-up. But I think it’s still a useful exercise even on the second day of the new year, so here goes! What follows is the best stuff that happened in each month of the rather tumultuous 2011.

January began sunburnt and happy after an amazing vacation in Costa Rica with Mat S. and Jonathan H. I started my Economics class at GW, which was fun and challenging and just-what-I-needed. Mat S. visited for an MLK weekend adventure, during which we celebrated Alli’s belated birthday, and had a memorably fabulous Cathedral galumph with Will.

In February, Snowpacalypse part #2 happened. It was ridiculous and crazy, and I ended up getting lots of time with my Van Ness folks. It also involved a fabulous President’s day weekend visit from Stern, and a great NY weekend (in which I saw Our Town, celebrated Purim for the first time this year, and experienced my first Barney Greengrass lox!).

March began with my second Purim celebration of the year, this time at the Israeli embassy, and with the lovely group of people who would become my neighbors a few months later. Ridiculousness ensued. March also contained an absolutely perfect New Haven Shabbat with Ronis and Mat, and a weekend at home with the Mom and the Bub.

April began with Pesach at Bubbie Rose and Pop-pop Sol’s, Cherry blossom fireworks in SW Waterfront and an epic Cherry blossom fail with Jason (they were all in the water by the time we got there. Also, I turned 24, finished my econ class, and went to Baltimore for Seth’s birthday!

May was one of the busiest months I can ever remember experiencing – work was crazy, Alli graduated from college and kicked ass at it, and I had my first White House experience (the Mexican State Arrival, thanks to Emily P.G.!). I also went to NY for a crazy weekend of helping Mat and Katherine-bear move, seeing Sondheim on Sondheim, and introducing Katherine to the finest things in life (pastrami sandwiches at Katz’s, obv). And most importantly, I moved into the new apartment with Rooms!

In June, Jason F., David K, and I headed to Chicago for B-deis friends Ilana and Jeremy’s beautiful wedding! The next week, I went to the James Taylor/Carole King concert and reveled in the happy folk-ness. June also featured a visit from Miriam to DC in between Israel years and a gaggle of amazing people moving into town. In the middle of the month, I had one heck of an inspiring and fun day – I saw [title of show] at Signature Theater and participated in Relay for Life with RAC friends.

July was fun and hot – highlights included the 4^th of July at Ben and Rachel’s, my favorite date of the year -- Signature Theater’s Open House, and rooms' triumphant return to D.C. after weeks of being away!

August featured my first trip west of the Mississippi – I vacationed in California with Momma Mona for a week, spending time in San Francisco, in Santa Rosa wineries, and most importantly, with the redwoods! The next week was my first ACEEE Summer Study, an intense week of energy efficiency and good times with my colleagues. After all that travel, I was still up for more, so the last weekend, I visited NY for Schutz’s triumphant return to the United States and to visit my Dad on Long Island.

September was a mashup of Labor Day BBQs, a glorious Shaked/Missy visit, and the addition of Sarah K. to DC! Mat visited for a much-anticipated Sukkot with Jonathan’s family, a weekend that also included Kate B’s going away party and Emily P.G.’s housewarming.

October began with a Katherine-bear visit to D.C., a lovely weekend of Capitol visiting and Beirgarten adventures. The next weekend, I picked apples and successfully navigated a corn maze in Virginia and went on an awesome White House Garden tour. At the end of the month, I got to see Idina Menzel and Marvin Hamlisch rocking the NSO Pops, and had a ridiculous weekend at the Rally to Restore Sanity and Halloween!

On the night of the election at the beginning of November, I distracted myself with the very-fun Hair at the Kennedy Center, and then promptly saw the defeat of most (but not all!) of the candidates I cared about. Oof. The next weekend, I had a lovely gallump in NYC with Sara R. for Jonathan’s birthday. This was followed by an amazing G3 Thanksgiving, and then by the actual Thanksgiving at home. Also, my great-aunt and godmother, Aunt Li, passed away this month – she was a CHARACTER, who really lived life loudly and vigorously, and she will be missed.

December began with Hanukkah parties galore, followed by my first Holiday Cookie Bakefest Spectacular experience. Yum. The second half of the month featured the first half of the Mat/Rachel month of glory (in which we see each other 4/5 weekends), with a trip to NY for family stuff, and then my NY/Boston adventure. Details to follow, but needless to say, last week involved a Stern/Skrevsky/RKG reunion, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, a snowstorm, and reunion-izing with TBE folks and Leah!

Whew! 2010 was intense! I’m beat! (also, thanks to Seth K. and WildNCrazyPearl for the fabulous pictures)