Somehow I find myself looking back at the previous year from the exact same Starbucks in Carmel, IN as last year. The experience of 2010 could easily be compared to waking up at the bottom of a canyon and finding the only way out is straight up the canyon wall.   

By the 3rd day of 2010, my family had fallen apart and I felt completely helpless being 2300 miles away. Everything that came about the rest of the year was in some way inspired by that day.  Whether it spurred some subconscious desire to live life without regret or my spontaneity was born out of a need to distract my brain from present circumstances, I’ll never know, but my approach to life changed. I spent less time thinking and more time doing. It’s not to say that I completely muted my inhibitions but I managed to mute them on occasion and that’s a victory in itself.

January is already forgotten and I’d like it to stay that way.

February brought a great birthday. A performance of “The Planets” by the SF Symphony gave me chills. And, an escape to Boulder to visit Cerra and meet up with Tyler provided a much needed reunion with friends.

March introduced a bike into my commuting life and nine months later, it’s still my primary mode of transportation.

April delivered the first babies in my immediate friend circle, who I wouldn’t meet until many months later.

May brought the Bancroft’s to SF for several days of adventures and an amazing concert with The National at the Fox.

By June, I had finally gotten on track to change my career with a work assignment to edit some videos for Kraft.

July took me to my first Tool concert and gave me the courage to approach a guy I’d wanted to meet for almost a year. (I had over-hyped him as expected :)

August put me on a plane to NYC for an Andrew Bird concert at the Guggenheim and a Swedish reunion. It also landed me the “#1 NIN fan” package hidden in a greyhound bus station.

September was kicked off with my official role change at work. It continued with a visit from my sis and her b/f, my first Clientele show, and a 48-hour adventure in LA for Cerra’s birthday.

October was full of surprises. The Rendel’s visited SF. We had a surprise zombie movie pre-bachelor party for a co-worker. I flew to Indy and surprised Amy for her birthday. The third baby in my friend circle was born just in time for me to meet her, too.

November initiated yet another take on Thanksgiving dinner with friends at Kali & Caio’s place. I saw the premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s work commissioned by the SF Symphony and Katharine Hepburn on the big screen for the first time.

December brought the Cooper’s to SF. It also delivered on the big road trip I’d longed for all year and a fresh take on how to celebrate Christmas…in Vegas.

2010 came to a close in Lebanon, where I’d been lured back for a visit. With the Kingman’s, Kurt’s, Bancroft’s, and Adam present, I couldn’t have asked for a better crew with which to celebrate the start of a new year. The entire last week of the year was spent with/in people & places that made me very happy. And 2011 has started off on a good foot by finally visiting home and facing a lot of the change I’d spent the past year avoiding.

All in all, considering how last year started, I’m quite happy with where it ended and sense good things in store for 2011, like teleporters.

And, as always, my favorite music released/discovered during the year:

Albums

Teen Dream - Beach House
Ghost - Radical Face
Volume Two - She & Him
Lisbon - The Walkmen
High Violet - The National

Tracks

Paper Planes - The Clientele (M.I.A. cover) (video)

Used to Be - Beach House


Thieves - She & Him


Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks - The National


Why Try to Change Me Now - Fiona Apple