Highlights of 2009

A decade has ended, and I am actually quite okay with that. I am more excited to start a new chapter of my life, and what seems more appropriate than starting a new decade at the same time. A fresh start, and a clean slate sometimes is just what you need. I do get a little sentimental (no shock to those who know me) but rather than bore you with a recap of my entire life over the past decade, I'll just hit a few highlights from the past year, which has been a memorable one indeed.

JANUARY

January was Mr. Darcy's 5th birthday!!!! Oh wait!!! I mean 4th!!!
Unfortunately, a recent unexpected discovery was made. Last year's 5th birthday party bash for Mr. Darcy was really only his 4th. Surprisingly, or perhaps maybe not so surprisingly, I can't do math. Needless to say, we had a good laugh over it.



FEBRUARY

A final winter in Cincy....hopefully won't be having any more of these
anytime soon.


APRIL

Girls weekend in Chicago to do a little retail therapy and see Lily Allen!



I also kicked off the 30th birthday celebrations a little early with my first ever sky-dive jump. AMAZING!!!!!!!!! Talk about taking your breath away.



FOR SALE: Sadly, put my beloved house up on the market. Please, please, somebody buy.



May

Flying Pig Marathon
I completed my first ever half marathon!



I also celebrated new-found singledom as my divorce was FINALLY finalized!
A momentous year indeed.

Ended the month with a Memorial Day trip w/ the girls. We went back to M's roots in good ol' Newton, IL.
Small town America at it's finest!





JUNE

Turning the big 3-0
A surprise day trip to KY followed by a night on the town in Cincy with good friends.




JULY

The Korecki Klan reunite for 4th of July up at the lake to celebrate Grandpa's 80th birthday!



The big move west! After seven years in Cincy, it was to time to head back to
Arizona and make the 2500 mile trek back to the desert. Thanks to JAK and DJK
for helping me with my cross-country road trip adventure.



AUGUST

After arriving in Arizona, I enjoyed a much needed break from work
and concentrated on school. It was fantastic! After about a month though,
it was back to the grind. Gotta pay those bills.



OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

The RPR took up much time in these months. Passed the written,
will have to try again on the skills portions. Also, finally upgraded
my machine!!!



What a year. Much has changed, but I am blessed with wonderful friends, an amazing family,
and an exciting new profession to look forward to. I look forward to 2010 and all it holds.

"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction."
Winston Churchill

Try, Try again

I would first like to state that, unless they are the bearer of good news, I firmly believe test results should NEVER be delivered on Christmas Eve. You can probably see where I am going with this already. Yes, the long-awaited RPR test results arrived on all days, Christmas Eve. I had a pit in my stomach as soon as I saw that they were in the mail. I have been waiting for these results for the past two months, and by this point I honestly had no clue what to expect. I believe I already told you I was only waiting for the Jury and Lit results, as when I took the test, the QA was a total bust. Well, my Lit was a fail. They do not give you the exact score unless you are within 15 errors of the test pass, so I only know I failed. Perhaps I should twist that a little more positively. Let's just say it was not a pass. Anyway, the Jury results came back that I was 8 errors over the limit for a pass. Only 8 errors! Whenever you miss a test by just a few measly errors, it somehow seems painfully worse than if you had just totally botched the test all together. So attempt #1 of the RPR was only mildly successful as I did pass the written, but sadly no portion of the skills exam. I must now wait until May for my next opportunity to take the RPR. To say I was thoroughly disappointed would be a enormous understatement. I really thought I had the Jury, and I was desperately hoping that I would have at least passed a portion of the exam. So my tears have been shed, my Christmas Eve depression has passed, and I must remember that at least now I have my brand, spankin', new machine for the next time. I will just have to get myself in that motivated zone I need to be in, cut out all distractions, and work really hard to be prepared for the May round when I will try, try again.

Inspiration Needed

I presently find myself only a few short steps away from the doorway to my future, yet somehow I have again lost that much need motivation to keep going. (Why do I do always do this to myself?) I also find that the quickly approaching holidays are not helping this matter in the least. I have a history of being a bit too eager to check out for holiday break prematurely, and so is the case this year as well. I’m nearly done with the semester, one in which I was hoping would be my last, yet I find I am still in need of those last 225 QA test passes. Any fellow court reporting student can attest to the never-ending battle we face with motivation. I know that I MUST rally, but somehow I still am unable to find the will to do this. I am in desperate need of some inspiration.

Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant, they are a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.
- Johann Gottfried Von Herder

Randomness

Disclaimer: No rhyme or reason to this post. Just thought I would post a couple recent pics I took that I especially liked. One I took at a recent PowWow. (Yes, I finally had some of that oh-so delicious Indian Fry Bread. Yummo!!! I think I had been craving that since Christmas.) The other is of D at Thanksgiving. Isn't he just so handsome?!