A Decade in Review
In 2000 I was completing a master's degree at New Mexico State, while awaiting an acceptance to that fancy public Ivy I got my PhD from. In February maj babcia died after a long life. That spring a few us endured the nightmare of death threats from a soon-to-be flunkie MA student, and I got accepted into the aforementioned fancy northern school. I also presented at my first conference that year, and in May I got my MA. During the summer, my last at "home," I worked as a girl Friday for a local brick company. My brother and I frightened the county with sibling antics at the Pork Fest--good times--and my sister still lived in VA Beach.
I then moved up to Strong Island, and for the first five years it wasn't so bad. There were things that drove me nuts about the island, but I did enjoy the north and the proximity to NYC and the shore. That first year I worked at a bagel shop, and I learned what regular coffee means up in Yankeeland. Oh, in the fall of 2000 don't forget the infamous Subway series.
In August 2001 I started a long adjuncting gig at Hofstra, and we all know what happened in September. Scenes from that day, and the following weeks, still haunt me.
2002 brought me a basement illegal apartment, the obvious mold issues, and a few bland dates with people I don't remember. Coffee or one dinner doesn't require a memory slot, and for men reading this those things also do not mean someone will put out. A guidette friend from the island taught me the guido culture and how to talk like a Yankee. I now teach her talk like a Virginian, even though she has lived here more than I ever have.
2003 was all kinds of bad. My mother nearly dies from a heart procedure, and while she was still in shaky ground I protested in that infamous February protest. She saw me on CNN...I hear that when she saw me her heart monitor went into a normal rhythm. The blizzard came, I caught the last train out of Brooklyn and the last LIRR before things shut down. Then, my brother died at the end of February. That was suckilicious. Honestly, a certain house in Port Jefferson and a dog named Ruarie saved me that summer. That was also the last summer I waited tables, one of my least favorite jobs but most profitable.
To combat depression and finances I moved in with J-MO, attempted to not kill her over movies (you've seen them in other posts), and met a guy. J-MO and I made fools of ourselves at the Halloween Parade, for which my parents didn't watch on their satellite coverage at the time (seriously, I was waiving from the curb like a giddy fool), and we braved the cold for the Rockefeller Tree lighting. My students spotted me in the crowd on their tellies...amusing.
In 2004 the guy and I broke up; it was bad then, but we talk from time to time now. I even found a pack of smokes from him in my ski coat a few weeks ago...really sweet memories. My Dad had another heart attack, and Jimmy died. He was my brother's partner, and that one really sucked. Even more so that his funeral was in an unairconditioned funeral home, in July in MD.
I met a certain jackass in 2005, and for the first year we were friendly on occasion (i.e. when we saw each other). I took up freelancing, and I wrote funny ditties on shoes and how to make flannel nightgowns sexy. Then, I started the academic pieces for a big publisher. I got my first check from a publisher that summer, and I promptly paid the rent, got groceries, and bought a fountain pen. In that order. That summer I fell in love with Boston, and 2009 was the first year I haven't been there since. I got mugged at ... The Chicago Public Library. I shit you not. Don't forget, that the Patriot Acts prohibited me from flying home without an I'd so I took the Greyhound. Yuky yuky.
2006 saw more publications, that jackass and I took strange turns on our train ride, I got more grant money, and I turned 30 in grand fashion by breaking my foot. Sucky sucky, that was. My first agnostic daughter came around in November.
In January of 2007 I went to Turkey for the first and second time, and at the beginning of February I ended up in the hospital. That health nightmare lasted all year, and look through the archives if you really want to relive it. I'm good these days. Peter was murdered that summer, and I still foam at the mouth that his killer walks free. I won awards, nailed conference talks, co-wrote a book proposal, took my Mom to Montreal, published more articles, and in December became a Dr.
The aforementioned book was signed in early 2008, I rocked more conferences, got more checks for writing, and got to wear the gown and hood for a Dr. in May, and that summer I decided to leave the memories of the mentioned jackass behind. I gave up adjuncting gigs to come back to VA. I got a temporary full line hire, and went back to Turkey. I fell in love with Istanbul, secretly thought more about being a FSO, and I interviewed for a uni gig in Istanbul. Long story there. The economy continued to plummet, and everyone and their dog lost education funding. The book came out in December...
The summer of 2009 I hung out on LI for almost a month, didn't want to leave my beloved north, and started teaching at a community college part-time and took over the program coordinator job for the local literacy council. More paid articles happened, and sweet negotiations began with a super-power publisher started for the dissertation to book plan.
And finally...this holiday season I held my breath. Ever since the train ride to self doubt and loathing began that frequently mentioned jackass would send messages on the holidays. We were never talking around those times. They were usually booze ladden. Well, much like Joe Buck said in 2004 "Red Sox fans have longed to hear it: the Boston Red Sox are World Champions!" I can now feel that same glee. My friends have longed to hear it, and I have to say with a season with no messages I think I'm free of the emotional yo-yo go around. Booyea. (On a side note, that statement is pretty funny since he's a Soxs fan--shudder--and I love the Yankees.). Seriously, I bet that this is what those Soxs fans felt like after breaking that 86 year streak. Ha!
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