The Obligatory Out-With-The-Old, In-With-The-New Post.

What a year, what a decade (+1).

In 2000, I brought in the millennium with great family friends and a bathtub full of water, just in case the world did end and we needed some survival tool. I was 14 and started high school that August, and my life was pretty limited to learning to drive, singing and boys.

I never imagined that as the new decade unfurled, I would end up in Europe three times; the winner of Karaoke Idol on Serenade of the Seas; a Leadership Advancement Scholar at Central Michigan University; a sister in Alpha Chi Omega; a press secretary on a congressional campaign; a nanny; a newspaper reporter; a corporate communications analyst; and a resident of Chicago, Big Rapids and Cincinnati. The first 10 (well, technically 11) years of the 21st Century have been a whirlwind, to say the least.

Last night, as I thought about saying 'goodbye' to 2010 and starting a new life in 2011, I realized that for all the life changes I went through from 2000-2010, the majority of them were crammed into one short year -- the 365 days of 2010.

I started 2010 sick and babysitting for some extra cash. Team Hamos was heading into the last month of campaigning, and I was miserable. Still living in Chicago, I missed the carefree days of nannying and having fun with my city friends. The days moved tortuously slow that month, but once February hit, and we lost, things sped up again and I was just along for the ride.

As spring broke in March, I got a break in my career, as well. I segued from politics to reporting, in what I thought was a very smart move. I left city life, public transit and Sunday Fundays to move to Chippewa Lake, Michigan...population: my neighbors and me, for a grand total of three.

We'll fast forward through that summer because, well, not much happened.

As my reporting career unraveled as quickly as it began, I was back on the search for my new path. I fell back into familiar territory when a job offer with the Michigan House of Representatives fell into my lap, but something about that didn't feel right, so Cincinnati and corporate-bound I was.

It took two moves to get settled in Cincy, making 2010 my "Year of Four Addresses."  However, here I am settled on Montgomery Road, and things aren't so bad.

Last year was so scattered for me, it was difficult for me to make a resolution as I move into the new year. My hope, though, is that 2011 is a little less tumultuous than 2010 revealed itself to be; but that this next phase will be as interesting, exciting and dynamic as the last one was.

I guess we'll have to wait and see. Here's to the ride, though, and may yours be as wonderful and adventure-filled as mine.