Top 10 of the past 10: Moments

Since it is nearing the official end of the decade (2000-2009) and since I am a bit of a geek and like compiling lists and stats (and since I still have one paper due and am looking for ways to waste time), I have decided that over the course of the next few weeks I will post some Top 10 of the Past 10 lists. It's a great way to remember and a great way to sum up what was a crazy decade for me!

So, without further adieu,
The Top 10 Best Moments of the Past 10 Years

1. My wedding day (Nov. 12, 2005) – Pretty hard to top this, especially in light of its life-changing effects. A rather brisk November day greeted us and made pictures outside a little chilling. My bride looked stunning walking down the aisle as she tried to hold it all together (she didn't). We had a small celebration with friends and family and then I got to take my new wife out for the fanciest dinner we have ever had and to the most awesome B&B we’ve ever stayed at. Awesome.

2. Daija is born (Nov. 10, 2008) – Pretty life-changing as well! I remember how nervous I was as contractions started, how calm Nolana was at home dealing with them, the late night trip to the hospital, the craziness and fatigue of labor and then the absolute overwhelming of emotion as Daija came out. Awesome.

3. I get accepted into UofT master’s program (March 2009) – After a few attempts at applying for another degree I decided I needed to go back and re-take some undergrad courses to boost my marks and experience. This was THE shot at doing what I wanted and I was pretty nervous as people kept asking if I had heard. When the letter finally came I was on Cloud Nine.

4. We arrive in Ethiopia (August 2007) – It was night, the airport was small. We were met and trundled into a pick-up which promptly dove into the night and the massively pot-holed roads. I thought for sure we were in the countryside but it was the middle of the city. A lady begged on the deserted midnight streets. We arrived at a small hotel, finding out we actually didn’t have a home yet. It was quite the start to what was the best adventure of our lives.

5. Scuba diving in Sipidan, Malaysia (July 2007) – I managed to get a one-day dive pass to this world famous dive park and it was worth it when I dropped down and was instantly surrounded by massive schools of fish coloured every shade of the rainbow, swam parallel with sharks, and had massive sea turtles sail above me. Best. Dive. Ever.

6. Christmas scooter ride and sunset (Dec. 25, 2006) – We were on the remote Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, only a few hotels and one small village on the island. We rented a scooter to navigate the red dirt roads and try and find some deserted beaches to relax and swim at. On the way back we caught the most amazing sunset we have ever seen. I am pretty sure it will not be beat in my lifetime. It was a great way to celebrate Christmas with the woman I love.

7. Baseball in Japan + free beer + monsoon = good times (July 2006) – We had gone to Hiroshima, Japan and were staying with friends of Nolana’s mom. The wife took us to a Japanese baseball game. It was an awesome experience. Perfect humid summer evening where everything glows and the sweat runs down your back. To counter the heat, our tickets included all you could drink light Japanese lager as well as a goodie bag of Japanese snacks such as dried squid. The crowd sang and chanted and cheered. We were minor celebrities and were interviewed for the team’s website (we had our pictures on the site the next week!). And then the muggy night turned into a monsoon that flooded the field and the concourse causing mayhem. It was awesome!

8. Roadtrip to Calgary with my ‘girlfriend’ (April 2005) – Nolana and I, only having been officially dating for a few months took a road trip together to Calgary where we both had family. We loved our time together and I think that was probably one of the points that helped us realize that we had something great. We visited my grandparent’s farm and her grandmother’s grave, met cousins, and on the way back stopped at an awesome hostel in the Okanagan, staying in a converted railway car, doing a sweat/sauna, canoeing the river... Awesome.

9. Graduating with my B.A. (April 2006) – 5 years after beginning I didn’t think I had it in me to finish, I was tired of school! Somehow I did it. To be done was sweet bliss. And now I’m back in school....

10. Catamaraning and snorkelling Boracay, Phillipines (Oct. 2006) – We had made it to what was called one of the world’s best beaches. We hired a catamaran for the afternoon to take us out sailing and snorkelling. It was so beautiful and so relaxing we did the exact same thing again the next day. Bliss.