Decade in Review (Thanks for the idea, Amanda!)

[erica_roo]

2000

• The first full year without my mom.
• My Junior year in college during which I have to declare a major and pick English Literature and Creative Writing and believe I will never find a real job.
• In May, Casey buys the ugliest house on earth for us to move into together. (Seriously, there was wallpaper with wet, naked cartoon characters in one of the bathrooms.)
• At the end of June, we move in together and I'm thrilled to be rid of
  crazy roommate who deadbolts the phone into her room.

2001

• Senior year in college.
• I'm convinced my problems with Casey are due to his long commute times
  and living in a condo, so we find a house between Manhattan and Topeka on 7
  acres of land with a fishing pond. I fall in love with the land. We
  move shortly before Thanksgiving.
• I graduate in December and start the long job search.

2002

• Multiple job interviews and no offers.  In March, I finally get two job
  offers in the same week. One working as a doctor's assistant at an
  optometrist's office; the second working for a publishing company as an
  editor. I agree to the first until I hear from The MASTER Teacher.
• Officially begin using my college degree.
• Learn the ins and outs of video production and LOVE it.
• Buy my first (and last) brand-new car: Hyundai Elantra. (Go ahead and
  laugh.)
• Casey loses his job due to sexual harassment charges and things become
  exponentially worse.  I am utterly convinced he's sleeping with his
  carpool buddy, Becky. I know I should leave, but I love my house and
  land... Casey decides to start his own computer business.
• In November, "celebrate" 5 years together. He gets me a
  concrete birdbath.

2003

• January 19: Becky's husband calls while Casey is out to tell me that he
  is moving her out of their house and into an apartment Casey is paying for.
  He tells me that Becky got Casey the leather jacket we had a huge fight
  about. And Casey got her a $200 bottle of perfume. I call him
  and tell him I've fallen and hurt myself and he needs to come home. He'd
  said he was 45 minutes away, but shows up in 15.
• My world changes.
• Find a new apartment; ironically in the same area as the condo that
  Casey and I lived in.
• Find out Casey and Becky are now married.
• Begin spending time with Kauri.
• Meet Bee (I think...).
• Take Casey to small claims court to pay for the living room furniture. Win. Casey declares bankruptcy.
• Life starts getting better.

2004

• Lots of unsuccessful, but really amusing, attempts at online dating.
  Rule #1: There is always a Jeff. Decide to title a book this someday...
• Continue working for the MT. Threatened by co-worker. End up
  with raise and new office and more responsibility as I become the only
  editor in the book department.
• While still trying online dating, reconnect with guy from high school,
  Jimi.  He lost his mom in 2003. We start spending time together.
• Loan money to Jimi with the understanding he'll pay it back when his
  house sells the following month.
• Allow a co-worker (Lenay) to move in because she had nowhere good to go.
  Fine arrangement until her dog moves in. She moves out on New Year's
  Eve.
• Laura is hired as second editor. She becomes a great friend.

2005

• Spend lots of time driving back and forth from Manhattan to Topeka in
  order to keep the late-night drunken phone calls from Jimi at bay.
• Spend lots of time learning what it's like to be a stepmom of a
  3-year-old, Nolan.
• Jimi and I spend a lot of time fighting, deciding never to speak to each
  other again, then remembering he still owes me money and making up. 
  But according to him, we're not dating.
• Boss quits and am promoted to head of the Media Production Department.
• Jimi moves in because he can't keep a job and his friend offers to hire
  him in Manhattan and I don't want Nolan to live out of a car.

2006

• January 19: I buy my Nissan Murano and come home to find out my
  grandfather has died.
• Jimi escalates his tendency toward drinking, drugs, and violence.
  I'm afraid to tell him to leave.
• March: Say goodbye to my dad's best friend and my second father.
• August: After spending time with Lenay, I realize how miserable I am.
  I tell Jimi he has a month to leave. And start dating someone else.
• September: Jimi leaves, but continues to call in the middle of the
  night.
• Continue working for the MT.
• Begin bar hopping and meet Brett.
• Still waiting for Jimi to pay off debt.

2007

• Still head of the department at work and seem to be doing pretty good
  job.
• Begin dating Brett which ends on St. Patrick's Day in Aggieville. 
  However, can't seem to leave Brett alone for majority of year. Many walks of
  shame ahead.
• More bar hopping..
• Make a whole new set of friends in their early 20s.
• Meet Jon on New Year's Eve.

2008

• Spend weeks telling Jon I don't want to date someone who is being
  shipped out to Afghanistan. Am finally convinced in his favor two
  weeks before he leaves. Start waiting for February 2009 when Jon returns.
• Jon breaks up with me... then tells me he was dating another woman in
  Manhattan at the same time. Faith in men plummits.
• MT hires new president who restructures the entire company. One of the
  first changes is my job. One of my least favorite people is promote to
  VP of my department and I'm demoted to product manager (though was told that
  it wasn't a demotion). Start hating every moment of life at MT.
• Jimi calls out of the blue and pays off debt the day before my 29th birthday.


• Tornado rips through Manhattan and over my home.  Scariest moment
  of my life.  Survive with only a broken window and new neighborhood
  friends.
• Begin dating a friend of a friend. Realize what a bad idea that is
  when he nearly ODs on Xanax and alcohol. Realize I have to do
  something different with my life. Join Eharmony.
• August: Meet Adam on Eharmony. We meet and hit it off immediately.
  Faith in men rises. See shooting star on our first date and make the
  wish that he is The One.
• Meet Amanda for first time! ;-)
• November: Adam asks me to move in with him in February. Start looking
  for new job. Interview with marketing company and realize I'm woefully underqualified.
• December: Job interview and job offer. Begin process of moving and
  am in Eudora by December 31.

2009

• Begin working for KU in a stress-free job.
• Turn 30.
• Spend time struggling with living in another woman's house and coping
  with dating a widower.
• Adam proposes on July 4, though we bought the ring May 23. Many
  weeks stressing out about when he's going to do it while planning and paying
  for elopement without telling anyone. Nearly explode.
• Adam and I are married on August 12 and Adam is no longer a widower. 
  Have a fantastic time in San Diego.
• Families host receptions for us.
• Adam turns 30.