2006: Year in Review

Yes, it’s time once again to take a look back at the events and accomplishments that stand out over the past year, and to remind myself that I did, in fact, do something more than just coast over the past 12 months…


In January 2006, I resolved to lose weight, as per usual. The first half of the year wasn’t terribly productive, but I did begin eating healthier and exercising more. In July, I declared a do-over, being only two pounds lighter than I’d started back in January. From July to November of 2006, I successfully lost ten pounds.

By March, I had been producing the Low Carb Lifestyle Podcast for about five months, and was featured in an article in the Toledo Free Press. By the end of 2006, I had produced 22 episodes total.

After two summers of marching with the Lakeshoremen Drum & Bugle Corps, I decided to take 2006 off to spend more time with Aaron. I continued to maintain the LSM website, and I was a member of the 2005-2006 Board of Directors. In the fall, when the board members came up for election again, there was some sort of misunderstanding as to whether I still wanted to be involved, and I was not given the opportunity to be a board member. It probably turned out for the best, though, as the new board seems to be much more involved and excited than any previous board, and have much more frequent meetings.

March saw the beginning of the Loan Corrections Database that demanded the majority of my work time through the spring and summer. My co-worker, James, and I managed to make the database functional by April, and officially completed it at the end of May. After that, we began working on completing tracking databases for other departments, at the request of our boss’s boss. Unfortunately, we only got 2/3 of the way through the second database before the Loan Corrections department experienced a mass exodus of personnel, and we were requested to start doing normal work again, putting the databases on hold until year’s end.

In April 2006, I turned 30. There was little fanfare surrounding my birthday, although I was known to privately freak out about being over one-third done with my mortal existence.

I donated blood for the first time in June 2006. It wasn’t a bad experience. The second time I gave blood, at the very end of July, was painful and unpleasant. I’m sure I’ll give blood again someday… just not anytime soon.

We undertook the painting of the small bedroom at the beginning of July. The end result was certainly passable, and appropriate for a child’s room of either gender. However, I managed to strain my lower back in the process, and had my first-ever series of visits to a chiropractor later that month.

I donated my hair for the second time ever in August, getting about 14 inches lopped off in the name of charity. I can’t pretend I didn’t enjoy having a completely new ‘do, though, just for the sake of doing something different.

In October, one of my co-workers asked if I still made soy candles. I answered in the affirmative, and so began the second wave of my candle hobby. This time, though, I actually made some sales, although I haven’t yet made near enough to offset the cost of supplies. It has been fun to rediscover my old hobby, though.

Aaron and I sat down and officially decided to start trying to start a family in November. This has been an interesting couple of months since that decision, thinking about things we’d never considered before. It’s an exciting time of life, being on the brink of something new.

Just before Christmas, I and my co-workers found out that Sky Bank is being acquired by Huntington Bank by the 3rd quarter of 2007. No one can give us exact dates yet, or exact information about which departments stay and which will be eliminated and which will move to Columbus, but the general consensus is that my department is probably on the chopping block. This has raised the stress level just a touch, since this changes my original plan to 1.) take maternity leave in fall 2007, then 2.) start looking for a new job. This has readjusted my order of operations somewhat.

I’m sure everything will work out in the end, and this will probably be the best thing that could have happened right now. When I look back at years past, a door really does have to close before a new one can open, and I’m not much for fussing with the status quo unless there’s a damn good reason. I would never have tried out for the Bluecoats if my old drumcorps hadn’t folded. I would never have changed majors and turned over a new leaf (and met Aaron) if I hadn’t flunked out of college for a semester. Point being, I’m sure I’ll look back on this someday and be immensely glad that this acquisition gave me a cosmic kick in the pants.

At any rate, that’s 2006 in review. I don’t think I forgot anything important… although, if I did, I’m sure someone will remind me. 🙂