Looking Back at 2009

There's nothing like a bit of year-end book-keeping to cause a person to reflect back on the year that just flew by. Sifting through receipts, ticket stubs, and statements is like a turbo trip through 2009 and it's pretty crazy to realize how much happened in such a quick blur. Among the highlights this year...

Jaunt to the Southern Hemisphere

In January, Brian and I took a trip to lovely Brazil. The Costa Verde was magical and it was just great to get away with the hubs to find out that nothing's changed. He's still the Great White Ham, I love him for it. Besides one popped blood vessel and a few sand fly bites, the trip was absolutely amazing. Jungle treks, tropical rainstorms, sunken cities, sandy beaches, amazing food, endless cachaca... We even found out where Mr. Miyagi's been hiding out all these years. (He's totally NOT dead!)

Retirement Recon Mission in Panama

I ended up accompanying my mother to Panama a month later to see if she could indeed retire happily in Boquete, a mountain community with a climate not unlike Indonesia. I kind of hoped it would be one of those life-changing trips where my mother and I would get to know each other all over again. Something I could one day write about. I'm not sure what I'll write about it now, but I did see my mother smile for the first time in quite some time, and she got some much-deserved r+r. Panama was awesome and I wouldn't mind retiring there one day. My mother, on the other hand, opted for the armpit of the Santa Clarita Valley, Valencia.

Blogging Gig with American Express OPEN Forum

Thanks to Inhabitat, I blogged all year for American Express' OPEN Forum about lifestyle. It took a bit more effort, partly because I'm still finding my voice and partly because I actually had to think like a business owner to write things that would be even remotely interesting to forum readers. It was actually a lot of fun. I regret the duds (oh, there WERE some duds), but there were also a few gems. Learned a lot and seem to have boosted my Twitter follows up to 800 as a result.

Talking Out Loud

I spoke on a Blog Out Loud panel with a bunch of amazing design bloggers. That was pretty cool. I think I drank a bit too much wine before we sat down to chat, though. Note to self, eat more food. I also worked with Bakery to do a wee video for budding creative entrepreneurs who are ready to bake up some biz through pr. Only students who sign up for Bakery's "baking course" can see it, but I'm going to dig up a link.

Blog Out Loud #4

Survived Another Year

Secret Agent seems to have survived to see another year. We've expanded our client base to include a couple of amazing international clients. We've managed to keep our clients from one year to the next, building great relationships. Not to mention throwing one hell of a party this past fall. I learned that I am most definitely a freelancer and not an entrepreneur. And, I need a clone.

Rock-n-Platinum Party at the Lofts @ Cherokee Studios, live performance by Ben Lee, going over the shot list with the photographer (ha!)

Bit the Bullet and Bought a Homestead

Probably the biggest development of the year happened mid-summer when Brian and I closed on our first home together. The only thing I'd ever truly owned prior to this was a 2000 Toyota Echo and I'm a known commitment-phobe. But it just felt right. And the views are stupid (as in amazing). I still keep expecting someone to ring the doorbell and tell us there's been a terrible mistake, that we don't actually own it. Besides the pinkish granite that the Persian developer put on all the countertops, I love love love living in Casa Tuey.

Photo shot the first night in our new house by Dan "the Head" Fagan

Turning the Page on the Next Chapter

Not that I know anything at all about numerology but rumor has it that years that end in -9 are all about endings since the years that end in -0 are all about new beginnings. For me, 2009 was year that was almost entirely dedicated to building; building up business, building up our personal lives. Basically being a busy, busy, busy bee. (Hence the dearth of posts on the nearly defunct Saturnfly Report!). But late in the year as the craziness drew to a close, Brian and I got an unexpected surprise when we found out that we're going to be parents. I still think I should have to pass some sort of a test or pull some type of a permit to become a mom, but overall I think we'll be pretty bad ass parents. Our DINK-dom might be coming to an end. But I'm hopeful to see what comes next.