All the places I've been in the 'aughts

My attempt at a decade long recap of life as it's happened. Also, I feel that there should be points awarded for use of the term 'aught.

2000 - 2nd and 3rd year of college. Seems like a blur. I think I worked at the hospital then, and I'm pretty sure Murph and I went to Toronto in the winter to visit Lou. Upon arriving in Canada, we learned that Lou was in Worcester. It all worked out though because we met Dave, the nicest guy in Canada.

2001 - Still in college. I started working at Filene's in the junior's department. 9/11 happened. I turned 21 the next day. We went to NYC at Christmas time and saw a midnight showing of The Royal Tenenbaums. I may have worked for 30 days or less as a telemarketer. Besides these details this year is even more blurry.

2002 - Graduated from college. Spent several months homeless. Started the very expensive experiment called graduate school. Took a data entry job that weirdly turned into a career in the insurance industry. Likely spent way too much time wondering if Murph and I should live together - because how often do people really marry their college sweetheart? Also took a fantastic trip to California and saw LA to SF while we drove PCH 1. So many great memories.

2003 - Learned that graduate school sucked my will to live. Took my first trans-atlantic flight and went to Paris with Murph for a week. Despite the fact that we were poor, living in a shitty basement apartment and Murph wasn't even working yet, going to Paris was the best idea we ever had. yay! This was also the year we moved out of Worcester -woot! Murph proposed on Christmas Eve after I gave him a matching bath towel set. I also recall whitewater rafting, buying a Jetta and being introduced to Idylwild Farm.

2004 - Got married on my birthday! Went on honeymoon to Las Vegas. I accidentally bumped into Pierce Brosnan in the pool area at the MGM Grand. Moved into my Great Grandmother's house in Auburn so that we could start saving for a house of our own. Other things must have happened, but I probably spent all my time reading wedding-related message boards (read: actually just reading the daily drama of theknot.com). If only I gotten married after wedding blogs really exploded.

2005 - Went to Iceland in February for a long weekend. Best idea ever. No really, it was. Ranks up there as one of my favorite vacations of all time. There was swimming, massages and a wonderful vegetarian restaurant that served chocolate cake every night. We lived in Auburn and I started going to yoga 3 times a week. Also joined Weighwatchers online (which worked!) and started cooking a whole lot more. Murph bought the yellow GTI.

2006 - Went to London with Murph for a week. This decision was made on the fly, but well worth it and conveniently occurred while the boiler in our house was busted in March in New England. Which is a terrible time for a broken boiler. Oh and our bathroom was also torn apart - like down to the studs torn apart. Ah, London, home of tea and working toilets. Then we bought a House and spent 4th of July of scrubbing and painting. I can still smell the vinegar. We adopted Sir Briggsington Neck Beard III. I started this blog.

2007 - There must have been more painting of the house. We adopted Tuckertino Ninja Murphy. Traded in the red GTI for the Forester. Celebrated my Grandparents 50th wedding anniversary by going bowling. Decided it would be a good time to see a counselor and get some of this anxiety in check. Had the worst camping trip ever at Basin Pond. I went to San Diego to visit my friend Heather and then we went back when she got married in November. I missed the work convention but vowed never to do that again.

2008 - Hired a dog trainer after the terrible Briggs-protest-sprained-ankle incident. Murph and I vacationed in Bar Harbor, Maine and I showered at a lobster pound. Joined a gym and also learned how much I HATE exercising in the morning. Murph had his jaw wired shut for 6 weeks. I could have lived without that experience, but now I know how to liquefy a cupcake. My Dad was sober for the first time since I can remember - ever. Birthday re-do! Acupuncture. Snowshoeing! Went to the Blogher Boston mini conference.

2009 - Five Years married! Ate at a raw-vegan restaurant where clove ice cream was the star of the evening. Made enchiladas for the first time ever. Decided it was time to give up real ice cream forever so I bought an ice cream machine and started working on some vegan versions. Went on a cruise. Started a blog at work. We camped in Vermont and visited the home of Ben & Jerry's and Green Mountain Coffee. Murph made a double fire and we ate vegan 'smores. During the summer it rained almost every day for months, which was a great excuse for having a really crappy garden. Then it stopped raining entirely for the next few months, which was also a really good excuse for having a crappy garden. Started going to the gym in the evening and that has made all the difference.

And there it is - my decade. Something tells me the next 10 are going to be even better.