Party Like it's 2-0-0-9!

Each year we count down to midnight at the top of our lungs and watch a giant crystal ball glide down a pole in NYC. (It never really "drops!") This year we are not only ringing in a new year but a whole new decade as well. The 2000's was the first decade that I have stayed up to watch every midnight ball drop. To be honest, this past decade has come with a lot of firsts.

The world today would be nearly unrecognizable to my 11-year-old self back when I survived Y2K ten years ago. Just for frame of reference, here is what I looked like back in 2000. Fortunately, I'm almost unrecognizable too! (I hope)

Back in 2000, Beyonce was still a part of Destiny's Child and Harry Potter was only a book series. The presidential election of 2000 was the first I could really understand, and there's no doubt that first memory has shaped my opinion of politics since. And where to begin about technology? The internet required seven long minutes of dial-up just to get on, and once you did AIM was your only form of communicating outside the telephone. Heck, pictures were still developed with film and phones were still attached to walls.

Lot's of things about our world are different than they were ten years ago. But let's think about for a minute how much we have changed over the decade. Other than the obvious appearances, (thankfully!) the 2000's have been in many ways the defining decade of our generation. We are known as the "millenials'- those born roughly between 1980 and 1995 and came of age at the turn of the century.

Like the Greatest Generation and the Baby Boomers, many of the events from 2000's will define our lives. We are supposed to be the generation of "all winner" t-ball teams with instant gratification attitudes. We also supposedly reject the polarities in society of the 1960's and prefer "consensus building" as exemplified through our overwhelming support for President Obama's campaign.

But beyond all that, this decade has been all about our firsts. First kisses. First dances. Proms and graduations. We were teenagers that learned to drive, learned to piss off our parents, and learned how to start living on our own. For us Millenials, the 2000's are the defining time for love, loss, and growing up.

So now back to the future... we are now entering the 2010's. What does this mean to our generation as we leave behind our teenage years and enter... dun dun dunnn ADULTHOOD. That's what 2010+ will mean to me. This next decade is when we take what has defined us in the 2000's and put it to action. Our generation will fully enter the workforce and create our own footprint on the world. (Hopefully it's a greener one!)

Scared? yes. Excited? that too! As you think about the new year and reflect back on 2009, give a little gratitude to the decade that has defined our lives in so many ways.

So I will be closing my 2000 decade in style in the snowy White Mountains of NH right before I start my new decade in one of the most powerful cities in the world. My next post will probably come from DC after move-in! What a great way to start my new, grown-up decade!

A Merry Little Christmas

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. We had a pretty quiet day in the Bailey/Lynch/Gingras household. We joined some family friends for dinner at their house which is always a happy treat. I love seeing my pseudo-big brother Chris (who better read this!). I got a lot of lovely presents from everyone- mostly clothes, luggage, and other treats for DC! I'm also be getting a new "smart"phone tomorrow! I didn't even know my current phone was dumb! Right now I'm rocking the Chocolate circa 2007... antique! Of course, for us broken home kids holidays are week-long events. My festivities continue tomorrow with visits to Grams' and Daddy Bailey's. There are some benefits to having Santa bring presents to multiple houses.

The holidays are supposed to be the happiest time of the year, and in a lot of ways they are. But frankly, I think the expectations are a wee bit too high. I'm getting to that grown-up age where childhood traditions change and some parts of the holiday will forever remain as memories. Other than the obvious missing Santa these days, I miss the days of lobster and mannicoti for Christmas dinner and bossing around my relatives while I conducted the Yankee Swap. Other than the food memories, some traditions cause more headache than anything else. To be honest, I think it is more important to do what makes you happy for the holidays instead of what may have been "tradition."

Here's the best rule of thumb- if your holiday traditions don't make you laugh, change it. It's the only way to make it the "most wonderful time of the year." There will always be a good share of embarrassing moments, tears, and ugly sweaters, but I hope to be surrounded by people I love rather than people I'm trying to avoid. I try to measure my family by the amount of love shared rather than chromosomes. Regardless of what you believe, I hope everyone feels loved this holiday. That, to me, is the most valuable message of Christmas. To love and be loved is the greatest gift of all.

Home for the Holidays

I'm currently sitting in my kitchen with two puppies at my feet... it's good to be home. My house is filled with the smells of pumpkin bread and apple pie as we prepare for guests tomorrow night.

The highlight of my first week home have definitely been playing with my puppies- Wilson aka "big boy" and Maudie aka "the baby". I've spent most of my break with them usually with all 120 lbs of Wilson on my lap or playing tug-a-war with the 4 month old fireball.


If you want to talk with me about happiness, puppies are at the top of my list. My mom told me once that there are only two
qualifications you need to look for in a man-
a dog lover with a good credit score.
Wise words, Janet, wise words.


Finally, the only other highlight that can compare to my pooches- the home crew! As promised, I want to include an artsy pic of the delicious Christmas cookies we made at Mike's house.

What to Expect

Sorry for the slow start, but now I am home from school and can get in full "going to DC" mode. Yesterday I got an email from my professor with more information about what to expect, so now seems like a good time to share that with you.

I will be enrolled at American University for the spring semester in the "International Environment and Development" program. For roughly three months I will be taking seminar classes, researching, exploring DC, and going to my internship two days a week. (I am in the process of applying to internships now. More on that to come!)

While I am at AU, I will be living with a fellow St. Mike's student & friend, Kim. She is doing the "International Law and Organizations" program.

The last month of my program (April 5th to 21st), we will travel to Ghana (Africa) and explore international development issues at the source. I am most looking forward to this part of the semester.

That's about as much as I know about my upcoming semester so far. My parents are driving me down on January 5th (8 hour drive... piece of cake) and I move in on the 6th.

I think I will end this post with a few pictures from DC when I was there for President Obama's Inauguration. I can't wait to go back!




Our view during the ceremony.

Yes, that's Anderson Cooper!

The amazing concert at the Lincoln Memorial
the day before. Bruce Springsteen is on the screen.

Millions of people. Not good for us short,
claustrophobic people.

I <3 America

Hello!

Welcome to my very first post of my very first blog! I've decided to jump on board the virtual bandwagon. My true reason for becoming an official blogger is because in less than a month I will be leaving my New England bubble for one of the greatest places on earth- Washington D.C. I hope to learn a lot while I'm there and am excited for this new chapter in my life. (See the connection to my title yet?)

I probably won't be writing too much here until I arrive at American University in January. I created my blog today because the title came to me while we were discussing American Values in my U.S. Health Policy class this afternoon. I figured now is as good a time as any to start! Maybe I'll throw in some reflection on the grotesquely wonderful holiday season to get my foot in the door.

While I chronicle my pursuit of happiness in the city, I hope to record some good laughs, occasional food for political thought, and of course little nuggets of happiness along the way.