Taking Stock 2009

Me too I can do. You hear, mgbeks and tanyement?

Faith
I think started this year at an all-time low. Or maybe that happened somewhere in the middle of the year. I guess it hit me how low I'd slipped when someone asked me where I stood on religion and I told him I was somewhere between theist agnosticism and Christianity with Christian leanings. WTF does that mean? I realize I DO believe. I disagree/do not understand a bunch of things, but thats okay. So In the last couple months, I've been trying to fix things. Working at getting my butt back into bible study and church, and praying more. Planning to be at my usual place at 12:01am (abi is it PM? Confuses me all the time), January 1, 2010 - Church.

Family
I love them I love them I love them. As crazy as they drive me, I love them. God has been awesome this past year and blessed us in ways that promise me that we will spend at LEAST as much time together in this coming year as we did last year. We're all healthy, and happy, and safe and blessed (and GROWING!!!!!). I hosted thanksgiving for the first time, and it was so much fun that I'm considering starting a tradition!

Friendship
It was a quiet year. I guess I realize that I know a lot of people, but I truly am friends with a few. Being the person that I am, I had a couple moments when I looked at groups of friends who do everything together and felt a little sad, but thats (my) life. My schedule is to blame for a lot of this (along with time zones and 6 odd thousand miles of distance). My friends have been good to me. We may not speak every day (or even every week) but when we do, I truly feel the love.

Finances
Ugh. Thats all. Okay just kidding. I'm a little ashamed to say that my savings are even lower than where they were at the start of the year (even with a pay raise), but the truth is, I have a few good reasons. I upped what I was paying on my car-note (car-note free by June 2010 IJN, 2 years early), moved to a new apartment that I LOVE (even though it has more than doubled my rent), bought furniture and went to Nigeria. I racked up a little CC debt on the way but my plan is to enter 2010 debt free and with a clean slate. And save save save save save!!

Education/Career
Career-wise, the year was disappointing. I am not where I expected to be, and its a little depressing when your mates leave you behind, but I know God has got me and this might be my final push to what I need to do education-wise. I had planned to take the FE exam this year, and the book is still sitting on my dining table unopened, but I'm trying to change some things around here, so watch this space.

Relationships
I continue to be grateful for the wonderful support that was given to me. This year was truly defining. I went from seeing someone every weekend, to seeing him everyday to not being sure when next I'll see him (current expected date: August 2010). Its been tough, but my prayer continues to be "God, if this isn't my own, abeg, take it away from me, so I can find mine". So far, he hasn't gone anywhere :)

Physical Health and Fitness
Yeah, ummmm..... yeah. Right. About that. So I gained a couple pounds this year (I hear those who know me sing alleluia), which I have no problem with, but my arms have lost their definition. :( I didn't use my gym membership ONCE, but I'm healthy sha (*knocks on wood*).

Addictions/Bad habits/Social Life
I continue to say I have none (re: addictions). I still talk too much sha. That ain't changed. Social life? Non existent. Between work and life drama, I did nothing this year. Went to India. Thats it. None of the usual travelling around the country just for the heck of it. I travelled so little that I didn't realize airlines charged you for checked bags until November!

Miscellaneous
2009 was eh at best, and disappeared far too quickly. I learned that things don't always work out the way you planned (which is a new one for me) but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

For 2010, I plan to be grateful.