2010, down to the very last minute, was a year of character building... and character testing.

I've been at my highest of highs... and my lowest of lows. Roller-coaster would be an appropriate metaphor.

A college degree, a television debut, landing a job. Cramming my entire life into a U-Haul trailer and driving 1,200 miles east, crying myself to sleep more times than I can count on one hand, working 60 hour weeks. Racking up frequent flyer miles, losing a hefty chunk of my paycheck to taxes, learning (a little too late) that grades don't matter unless you want to be a doctor or a lawyer. Talking (semi) intelligently about any player/coach/team/mascot/rivalry in college football. Tweeting. Skyping. Blogging. Writing down big goals and getting to cross a few of them off my list. Being "the new girl." Craving the company of best friends while building new friendships. Making mistakes, but not the same one twice. Gaining a mentor and adding a family. Appreciating more and more my own family. Living alone for the first time, wanting desperately things I cannot have, being humbled time and time again. Learning neither impatience nor self-pity is the solution. Realizing it's the people in my life that make me the happiest. Thinking I was settled only to learn I'm nowhere close.

I'm a couple days late, but here's to 2011... A new decade. A fresh start if you need it.