This has been kind of a crappy year. Work has been scarce and what I’ve found has been less than ideal. I spent the early part of the year in a job that I was so ill-suited for that I cried almost every morning at breakfast. When I was laid off, I was so relieved, but also, more than a little anxious, given the terrible state of the US economy. In May, J. left for Austria for six months and I spent the early part of summer in a black hole. My furnace was given a do not resuscitate order by the inspector in July. Because of the unfortunate economy and my underemployment in the early part of the year, my loan applications for home improvement were declined. In the midst of the blackest part of it all, I missed a flight for a hosted trip to Cozumel and then, came down with some weird flu. It’s been a real Book of Job year in some ways, a year in which I have boomeranged between shaking my fists at the sky and sitting on the couch in my jammies eating cookies while staring dully into space. I have squandered so much of this year feeling like a victim of circumstance, feeling like I am someone else, some depressed single 40 something female, short only a cat or two.
But it’s not entirely true to say the year has been a complete wash. In addition to the terrible black hole days, there have been some real stunners.
- In March, thanks to the hard work of fellow blogger Sheila Scarborough, we talked about travelblogging at SxSWi, the huge geek/movie/music fest in Austin, Texas.
- Thanks to Nancy Brown, I was on a panel about travelblogging at the Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism, go figure.
- Thanks to any number of people associated with Hawaii tourism, we had a fantastic spring break on Oahu and Kauai for not very much money.
- Thanks to a whole bunch of sponsors that included VW, REI, HomeAway, and TBEX, I had an amazing summer road trip with fellow bloggers Peter Carey and Kelly Goodman, and thanks to the folks at BC Tourism we had another mini adventure this fall in the beautiful Gulf Islands of British Columbia.
- I’m not sure exactly who I’m supposed to thank, maybe Megan Smith, but whoever it was decided I should be included in the BlogHer Community Keynote, a terrifying and wonderful situation where I got to read my writing to a room of 1000+ people. Yikes.
- Thanks to Kim Mance and Debbie Dubrow, I got to talk blogging some more on a panel at the Travelblog Exchange in Chicago.
- Thanks to Shannon Hurst Lane, I was on yet another panel at Blog World Expo and thanks to moderator Jessica Spiegel, Vegas was saved by the best field trip ever to the Neon Boneyard.
- Thanks to Elliot Ng, I was introduced to Christine Lu and thanks again to the Hawaii tourism people — because of those connections I spent ten perfect days on Oahu this fall during which I experienced such aloha that, well, words fail.
- Thanks to Beth Whitman, Michelle Duffy, and Debbie Dubrow (again) we launched our second year of Passports with Purpose, a fundraiser that works with the travelblogging community to do good. (These women are the bomb. I mean it.)
- For some reason, you keep coming back to read my writing, so it’s really thanks to you that all this bloggy good stuff has happened.
In summer, things started to improve. I was hired for some ongoing part-time tech work. Bank of SPC (Southern Parental Contingent), loaned me the money for my furnace and I converted my house to natural gas – something I’d wanted to do, just hadn’t planned on doing so soon. Recently, I picked up a secondary copywriting gig with some folks that seem psyched to keep me in wordsmithing for real wages at least for the near term. I was just invited on two trips to Mexico — and one of those invites is from the company that took it on the chin when I missed my flight earlier this year. And last but far from least, J returns home next week.
Some days I am still that unhappy person shuffling around in flannel, but other days, I am my normal sharp witted self who loves to write and be out in the world. I am ready to roll the credits on this year, but things are looking up, finally. And for that, I am so very thankful.
Thank YOU for being so bloggin’ awesome. I truly enjoy reading your blog and giving you shit on Twitter. <3 Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m thankful that you still make time to write this blog, one of the more interesting ones I enjoy reading 🙂 Wishing you health & happiness, and that next year turns out better than this year!
Fabulous post – one to which I can relate. 2009 brought some marvelous highs (the summer of family trips) and bummer lows (husband’s cancer – now cured). But isn’t that how the roller coaster of life usually plays out?
It’s a little early to wish you a stellar 2010, so I’ll wait on that. 😉
Enjoy happy reunion w/ your J!
Yes, this has been a hard year in many ways for many of us. Pam, I am thankful for your friendship and for the way you share your thoughts and travels with us on this blog. You are a very fine writer and a cool ukulele player!
What I have learned having gone through my share of crappiness (jobs lost, putting 2 dogs to sleep on my own, mother’s death at age 57, dad going blind 2 years later, numerous breakups) is that everyone at some point in life gets dealt a bad hand. It’s not the cards that you get that make or break you, it’s how you respond to them. Also, I learned so much more about myself because of the hardships (I’m resilient, tough, strong, can handle anything). And one big bonus: the good times that inevitably come are so… much… more… savory (to steal a word from gastronomy).
I’m glad things are looking up for you and you have a great attitude!
I am thankful for you, your insightful and thoughtful blog(s), and the way you make me think and see the world a little differently. Happy Gobbling to you.
I am thankful for our trips, bacon, coffee enabling, and snarky conversations. Hope you enjoy the day today and that Austin doesn’t screw up his pumpkin pie.
Where should I start? Thank YOU for being on the first ever BlogWorld Expo travel blogging panel. I’ve had a doozie of a year myself, with the good stuff and lots of not good stuff. I won’t even allude to the happenings, because SOME people will think it is about them(I didn’t mention your name Paranoid Person).
I’m so thankful to get to walk this planet today. I’m not sure if I’ll be here for another Thanksgiving, but I’m going to fight like heck. This year is almost over, and I say “Good Riddance 2009!” I’m going to open up a can of whoop A$% in 2010. Feel free to join me ;P
oh, just a big fat MWAH to one of the most gifted writers and photographers I know. I’m honored to be your friend.
Thank you for continuing to write so honestly about so many things.
So much to be thankful for indeed! and here’s to an even better year.
It takes a community to raise a writer’s spirits. Keep going girl. So many of us see you truly have the write stuff.
I think we can all relate to going through a Job-like period of our lives, so I feel for you, Pam. As others have pointed out, it’s how we react to those times that shows character. Thank you for reaching deep inside yourself and finding whatever you needed to continue to turn out a quality blog on a consistent basis, despite what you were going through in your personal life. I’ve enjoyed following your blog over the past year. I find it hard to believe your writing services aren’t in constant demand. The world is a crazy place.
2010 will be better for all of us. I promise.
Hang in there, OK? We’re all rootin’ for ya.
You all are really the best. So, at the risk of repeating myself, Thank You.
I can relate … my year has been mostly sitting around in my pj/s and spinning my wheels. Similar to yours without the travel or the good stuff. I know it’s a cycle, and you do to!
Here’s looking at a new year coming 🙂
what a personal, sensitive post, I like that a lot… reaching in and just pouring it all out. The hard times make the good ones even better.
Thanks for such great blog posts!
Thanks for the kind words. I’m so glad you’ve been in my year. Partly because I’ve learned so much from you, but mostly because you make being online more fun.
Here’s hoping 2010 is better than 2009