When I count my blessings...

As the year draws to a close, the inevitable reflections occur on what has been, what might have been, and what soon may come. In my ideal world, this post would be occurring in a steady and regular stream of blog posts that occurred from the moment I reached Connecticut soil. The unfortunate reality – as so many of you know – is that I haven’t devoted the time to my blog that I would have liked. There are a variety of reasons for this: time, energy, and a feeling like there is a ‘lack of material’ for a Connecticut blog. You just don’t have the opportunity to flash the distinguished Ambassador from Japan in New Haven; or rather, if you do, I certainly don’t run in those circles.

I realize that this post comes in a string of repentant posts, asking communal forgiveness for the sin of a lack of writing. In truth I do this partly for myself. When I reflect upon 2007, one of the things that shines out for me has been the experience of writing this and the Vienna blog. In my heart of hearts, what I have always wanted to be is a writer. For financial reasons, and (let’s face it) a little bit of cowardice, it’s a dream I’ve never pursued. I like the romantic ideal of the Bohemian writer who subsists on nothing more than bread and a dream, but I like to have a roof over my head too. And I’ve been afraid of taking the risk of living on pennies a day in pursuit of a dream. It’s not something I’m proud of, but I think it’s something most people can understand.

I do find it a little ironic then that my love of writing found its voice because, in the midst of a quarter-life crisis, I quit my well-paying job and moved 6,000 miles away from the family and friends we love, all in pursuit of another dream. It started as an easy way to update our loved ones on our lives. It transformed into the creative outlet I’ve always longed for, and has become the closest thing I’ve ever had to my dream of being published.

And so, as I count my blessings this year, I’d like to thank you, blog reader. I know I haven’t been the most reliable, but I can’t begin to tell you how much it has meant to me to have an audience for my ideas. The quality of material has varied I know, but I appreciate your taking a few minutes each week to listen to my self-indulgent rants and ravings.

There are so very many things for which I am thankful this year, and in no particular order, I’d like to highlight just a quick few:

1) I am grateful for good snow boots. By extension, I am grateful to my cousin David and Aunt Chris for recommending I buy a good pair, and telling me where to buy them at a great price. When I slip-slide my way to work each morning, I think of both of them, and am grateful that I have yet to fall flat on my face. I may look like Nanook of the North (clearly demonstrating that “I’m not from these parts”) but at least I don’t have injury to go with the insult.

2) I am grateful for having the sort of loving and supporting family that never once told me how insane I was for leaving said well-paying job to work at the UN for a song. And I should take this opportunity to say if “me be funny one day,” they all played an instrumental part in it.

3) When my Grandparents Ogdon passed away in late 2004 and early 2005, my father gave each of us kids $8,000 from them. I used a chunk of my money to pay off part of my student loans. I then went and bought a fabulous dress at Anthropologie. After that I put the remainder of the money in my savings account, waiting for the day that I could use it to do something that would make my Grandparents proud. I like to think that I have. I also know that I couldn’t have done all of this without the $5,000 ‘seed money’ from them, and for that I am eternally grateful.
4) I am grateful for the amazing Tetris skills of a certain Colleen Carlson, who by the grace of God got more things to fit into the trunk of my Tercel than I thought humanly possible. More importantly, I am grateful to have the sort of friend who has been beside me for the past 15 years, and who offers to drive four hours from Fresno for a day, just to help me pack for our cross country move. In the process she not only saved my sanity, but showed me the truest and deepest meaning of friendship.

5) Joining the ranks with Colleen are the good friends we left behind, who made me feel like Todd and I weren’t alone in Wien, and aren't alone in Connecticut. If friends are the family you choose, then I’ve chosen some of the best around.

6) I am grateful for my health, and for the health of my loved ones. So simple, but so very, very important. If there is one thing I took away from my years at ACS, it’s this.
7) Waking up each morning next to the person who truly understands you, makes you laugh, brings out your goofy side, challenges you to be a better person, and loves you – warts and all – is one of the best feelings on Earth.

There are so many people and things that I am grateful for that I didn’t mention, but know that you all mean the world to me. Thanks for taking this journey with me, and I look forward to more merry misadventures with you in 2008.