And so 2009 comes to an end....

It's here. New Year's Eve 2009. And jesus did it take it's time getting here. It's been a hell of a year. All kinds of good and bad results from it too. Despite spending four whole months being miserable in another country, the first thing that comes to mind from 2009 is getting back with Neil. Getting back with him and still successfully being with him. And he's been wonderful. We still have issues, but then most couples do. We're learning how to cope with each other's foibles, and we're doing okay. Hopefully we'll keep doing okay too. I love him very very much, in case you didn't already know.

But 2009 hasn't just been about Neil. It's been about struggling through university, and eventually making the decision to drop out. It's been about finding new books and new tv shows to follow. It's been about getting more tattoos. It's been about joining Ravelry and doing a million swaps - the best way to get fun post ever. It's been about losing friends and making friends. It's been about ridiculously bad financial decisions. It's been about coping with my depression better than other years, in some ways. It's been about still having writer's block but gathering the energy to do something about it. It's been about adding more crafts to my repertoire. And most significantly, I guess, it's been about the completion of a life long dream.

Ever since I can remember I've wanted to go to school in America. Those who know me know of my ever-so-mild obsession with the USA, and when I was very young I wanted to go to Kindergarten out there, then I wanted to go to junior high, then I wanted to go to high school, then I wanted to go to college. This year I got to attend an American university for four months. It was quite literally a dream come true. It wasn't quite what I expected though. I'm very glad I went, but I'm also very glad it's over. It was an interesting experience, and I don't regret going, but I did spend most of my time wishing I was back at home.

The educational part of the trip was kind of interesting - particularly Libby's History of Maine course - but most of it was boring as hell and made me realise how boring my degree course is in general. I love studying, but I've come to develop a minor hatred for the Humanities. I don't like having definite answers. I've been doing little minor maths courses online, and it's so nice to have a definite wrong or right answer. You don't have that in Humanities, and it's frustrating as hell. While I was in America I realised that I didn't want to continue with my degree course, and I made the decision to drop out of university. This decision has been recieved by friends and family in varying degrees of horror and disapproval, but I don't really care. It's my decision. And it's not like I'm planning to spend the next year doing nowt but sleeping (there will be a later post for my plans).

I didn't make friends very well in America, and this greatly affected my enjoyment out there. I did a lot of things alone, like my trip to Boston and New York, and my random travels on buses. I did make two wonderful friends though, who did marvellous things for me and helped me out immensely and I can't imagine how I'd have felt about my trip if those two hadn't been there.

I'm beginning to ramble a bit. My point is this: I'm very glad I went, there were lots of fun times, eventually I'll forget the bad stuff, I don't regret going but I'm glad it was over. It was a chance in a lifetime and I will never attempt to talk anyone out of doing the same thing, but I am very very glad to be home. Plus, after all that palaver at the airport and coming home, I'm slightly less enamoured with America as I used to be.

In a few hours it'll be a whole new year and (for those who aren't pedants) a whole new decade. I have my resolutions, I have my plans. I'll write another post about those. Maybe tonight, but possibly not. Since my Neil is here and we plan to see in the New Year eating chocolate ice cream and being nerdy and "sorting out the post."

Have a great night bloggers, and see you next year!