top 10 for 2010

There is a long list of reasons why I write a blog, and one of the reasons is highly selfish: it is purely to appease my heavy-handed-nostalgia with details and pictures and stories. In that spirit, and in no particular order, here are my favorite bloggable moments of 2010.

10. Flash Mob for Haiti - Wise & poetic Sharelle said it best: “I didn't even realize it was on my "bucket-list" until I was doing it.” ...read more.

9. 2010 Olympics - Okay, you know I had to put this one on the list. I actually didn't write as much about this as I thought; blame the gluttenous calendar. In short - politics aside, people - being present in Vancouver at the 2010 Olympic games was an experience that will forever be irreplacable. In a world where community is a dying art and "Together" is a slogan instead of a reality, events like the Olympics are a welcome refresher. I have never been hugged by so many strangers-turned-temporary-friends, nor cheered so passionately with thousands, nor felt the absolute bliss of a world with it's finger on the pause button. Anyway, I didn't write much about it, but I did learn some stuff.

8. Arts Umbrella auction - Not only was I surrounded by fabulous art, I was in a room filled with artists; the paintings were not only wonderful to look at, but they were clear examples of what happens when Art meets Dedication. ...read more.

7. Anis Mojgani - Every once in awhile, Grace can be felt tangibly, like a Hand that knows your soul. In this case, Grace chose the poetry of Anis Mojgani as a vehicle. ...take a listen.

6. Roadtrip 2010 - No matter how good the home life, leaving for vacation always feels remedial and necessary. No matter how good the vacation, coming home always feels like a welcome hug... Elusive pause button? I found you, you wandering snob. And now that I've found you, I feel like you're mine; like I own you, and get to keep you as a shield over my daily routine. I like vacations. ...read more.

5. Donald Miller - I know "Donald Miller" isn't really a moment, per se, but his voice has been a lifeline for me this year - reliable, reassuring, and refreshingly familiar. Have you read Searching for God Knows What? I haven't blogged my thoughts about it yet, because I had approximately one million AH-HA! moments while reading it, and diluting those down into a blog post is more difficult than it sounds. I'm working on it. In the meantime, here are some of the other things he's said that have resonated with me this year.

4. Vancouver's Downtown East Side - Despite the supposed risks I signed up with a group of friends for a 10am spot on a Saturday morning; the tour would last approximately three hours and would take us through a variety of DTES locations. I wanted to learn more about this neighbourhood from a non-media standpoint, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. What would I see if I went there myself? ...read more.

3.  Vancouver Sun Run - as we all know, beating a personal best is much more rewarding than beating someone else's best any day. ...read more.

2. Loveliness in Human Form - If you've never been an aunty (or an uncle), I highly recommend it. To say "I love my niece" feels insufficient, and those of you with nieces or nephews will understand. Since she lives out of town, moments with her feel almost sacred, like I am paying too much attention so I never forget what she was like in detail at 2, at 3, and as she grows from here on out. This summer, I took her to the ocean and watched joy in its purest form as she ran and splashed in the tidepools. That visit will be forever brought to mind by the color yellow (my dress, her flellers), and the sweet smell of a moment I felt too human to be part of.

1. Mumford, Mumford, Mumford - Okay, so I may have lied about this list being in "no particular order". 2010 was so heavily influenced by the music of Mumford & Sons that I feel at a loss to try and explain it all over again; the only time I breathed from January to June was when I was listening to their music. Then, in May, I had the most coveted position in Vancouver: at the small, sold out Mumford concert, at the front, an arm's length away from Marcus. Why don't you just hop on over to the saga of my love for Mumford, before I ramble. And if you haven't listened to them yet, may I suggest you add them to your soundtrack for 2011?