Resolution Year 2001: Survive.
Resolution Year 2002: Have fun. (This should be everyone’s.)
*

I am thinking that chaos has had a lot to do with my whole entire year.

January: It is usually a good thing that the my year always starts out with my birthday. Otherwise, what else is there to look forward to? The coldest month of the year? Super Bowl? Na!! And this last year, my birthday was the best ever. I had a friend of mine fly up from California for the event, and everyone I love was there (friend-wise, that is) except for a few that live in distant states (they are automatically forgiven). Many said the next day that it was a blast.. almost too much fun since hangovers were abundant. So I ran in my 24th with more gusto than the new year, and realized that all was good.

But we all know that once you start to feel a little bit cool (or graceful, in my case) about yourself, you biff. Not necessarily physically (like me) but otherwise. Yea. March rolls around and I get called into the superintendent’s office (for those unaware: I taught high school English in Battle Lake, MN for two years right after college graduation in May of 1999) and just knew I was going to get canned. Not because I had said “Tony’s Pizza Place” when he called my room in the middle of my freshman class (they put me up to it.. and really, who calls in the middle of class?), but because I have some weird female-ish intuition. Well, I was right. The reasons are all a jumble in my head still, but let’s just say it wasn’t because they didn’t have the money to keep me. A liberal, bull-headed, young female in a conservative community... those two things don’t go/do well together (like a Sesame Street riddle). Sure, I was happy teaching but only because of the kids. And it was the kids that I didn’t want to leave. Most were heart-broken. Some wanted to pay me to stay as if that was an option, but I made the decision (had been thinking about it at Christmas time anyhow) to go back to NDSU (go Bison!!). And into Grad. School (however, more education=less sure about everything). Many of them e-mail me and I appreciate it beyond anything. I just couldn’t see myself dealing with high school politics or ‘dumb’ parents anymore. Alisa and I figure parents should take an intelligence test before procreating. Anyhow, chalk it up to a few million more lessons learned about the people on our planet.

May: So I move up to Fargo just in time to live with my sis again since she wanted to move out of her apt., so her and I decide to inhabit a garden level apt. in a massive old house a 1/2 block from her old place. We are close to campus and downtown- yippee!

June: As Alisa moved in, I went to Las Vegas with some ex-students (base tan!! and no need to blow-dry my thick hair) and had a blast. Don’t ever want to live there, but it was quite an experience. Now I know why postcards of the city are at NIGHT. Yea. It felt great to get away from the chaos that the school year had provided and I got to just think and soak in the sun for a week. And I learned from my students what I had done “right” that year and what they had learned from me besides English (no, not how to make certain mixed drinks!!).

I returned just in time to make it to a Priebe family reunion in the cities area, and less than a week later (in July), I flew to West Virginia with my little sis Robin and my mom. That trip was mainly to party it up with the friends Robin has made (‘Uncle’ Chuck and ‘Aunt’ Lib) and to have vast conversations on the Midwestern accent (that we DON’T have).

Early in August, my parents had a shin-ding to celebrate 25 years together (actual date: July 2), and it was the HOTTEST day EVER I swear! We look like melting snowcones in every photo, but what are you gonna do? Another thing learned: relatives and beer=a night of intriguing, deep conversations.

Before school started, I prepared for teaching again (am a T.A. for the English dept.... Teaching Assistant or Tight Ass, take your pick) and took a receptionist job for two weeks to make a little extra dough (got paid through Battle Lake until August!!).

Since the beginning of school, to be honest, I have been partying and studying like a maniac. All those years as an undergrad. paid off for teaching me how to balance everything.

At the end of October, right before Halloween, I got to fly out to Spokane, WA to see one of my greatest, bestest friends (and coolest dorm roomie), Fran. This flight did come right after the tragedy on Sept. 11, so I was weary. But all went well, obviously, and I got to party with her and her boyfriend’s awesome friends, watch a Washington State Cougar football game, and bond with her after 4 years of communicating by e-mail and phone. I got to really take in Washington State in Pullman (45 miles south of Spokane), AND they have a Ph.D. program in English SO who knows!

Then in November, one of my grad. school friends (there are 9 girls in our little ‘starting’ group), Katey, has her birthday on a Tuesday. Well, we celebrate and I pinky-swear with her to go to Kansas City that weekend to party with her old undergrad. friends. THAT was a long time but definitely a fun time!

Thanksgiving was spent at home with the immediate family and my aunt Jo and her cool son, Devin. LOTS of turkey was eaten and we all gave thanks for different things. Mine consisted of being glad to be an American and not being Osama Bin Laden.. my dad said I took his. We watched movies that we’ve seen before (big tradition for us) and enjoyed each other’s company by fighting over things we fight over every damn year. Ahh, siblings.

Supposedly, we are doing Christmas at home in Wahp. like Thanksgiving and then Jed and I and the parental unit (Robin and Alisa have other plans) are heading to the cities to hang out with my dad’s little bro, my uncle Kevin.

Signing out now- Have a very awesome and safe holiday season!! Love, Sybil