How can it already be 2006 in just hours from now?

I drove up to Monterey yesterday to spend new year’s eve with some friends and had plenty of time to think about everything. I’ve really had an eventful year, one of the biggest of my life.

It started off by going to Germany in January/February. It was only 6 days with 2 of traveling, but this was the beginning. I am so very ready for another international trip.

I then spent a few months doing little of anything and I started a part-time web design job. In the meantime I picked up a couple of freelance web jobs and those have kept my plate full ever since.

In May, I went to Texas for over a month. It was a very welcome change of pace and I miss having the opportunity to spend lots of time in Texas, but hopefully I’ll get back sooner than later.

Before I left for Texas, I went on a job interview. After my trip, I went on a second interview where I was offered a new job. A new, full-time job. A new, full-time web design job. So after a week of contemplating, I decided to take it. So in celebration of this new job, I went to Monterey and San Francisco in July only to…

…get my car towed. They took my car from me because I had no car inspection sticker from Texas. So that forced me to register in California finally. That makes me a true California resident. San Francisco was a blast! It was nice to see a friend from Texas as well as my friends from Monterey.

Shortly after leaving San Francisco, I started my new job located in Santa Monica. This is quite a drive from my house, so a month later I started renting out a second place much closer so I could take the bus during the weekdays.

The only other memorable trip I took before Thanksgiving was to San Diego overnight on a whim. What a blast!

Thanksgiving was spent in San Angelo for a week and Christmas was spent in Colorado for a week. Both were spent with family and both were very enjoyable.

Overall, looking back at everything that’s happened, I’m amazed at how much traveling I did. International, domestic, and local. And, even though I have a full-time job this year, I hope that somehow in the next year I’m able to do just as much traveling, but to more international destinations. I am floating around the idea of going to London, Paris, and/or Italy. I am expecting to take at least one trip to Texas and one trip to New York City! Probably another trip to Monterey too. And hopefully another San Francisco trip. Now that I have a friend in Seattle, I’d like to do that city as well because it’s completely foreign to me.

My goals for the new year include paying off as much debt as possible, finding new opportunities for myself personally, and taking some financial risks to supplement my income. I also hope to get back into the music scene either behind the scenes or as a performer. And I need to go to the gym and I need to get any medical things out of the way.

This year was suprisingly eventful, but I expect next year to be the best year of my life. Many more changes are coming, hopefully in a timely manner too.

Now, I’m off to the Monterey Aquarium followed by an evening of nice champagne and celebration for this new year. Enjoy the New Year and make the best of everything in life!

And don’t forget to smile!