A year ago today, I had an early brunch at Matchbox with two friends from Georgetown. It was the first New Years away from home for all of us, and I think it's safe to say that it was finally a good one. But 2009? A great year in some respects, but decidedly lacking in others. There was graduation, simultaneously joyful and traumatic. There was moving three times. And of course, I can't forget the months of underemployment. Rolling into 2010, I was a little weary, and my brunch companions were, too. So together -- on the back of a receipt Katy dug out from her purse -- we compiled the following list of resolutions:

Looking back, it's less a list of resolutions and more a list of hopes. But regardless, 2010 was a much kinder year: no moving and more employment. During the last few weeks, though, I had a hard time remembering how great the last year has been. Working Thanksgiving was fine, Christmas was a little harder, and then on New Years Eve, I felt near my wit's end. Embarrassingly, the worst part was the Twitter feeds and the Facebook update -- constant reminders that most everyone else was sitting on the couch with their families or at least going home to them after work.

I'm feeling better now. My sanity has more or less returned, and so have most of my DC friends. While the holiday season may have had some lows, I neither cried nor watched You've Got Mail. And I dub that a successful end to a successful 2010.

Here's to 2011!