1988-2008

I love listening to audio books, makes my commute on public transportation bearable; dare I say pleasant! I so miss my car! Anyhow, the one luxury I did not give up when I became a student, is my membership to audible.com. I know it was the right decision.

My current listen is One Day by David Nicholls. It is the story of Emma and Dexter from the year they graduated from college in 1988, and follows them for twenty years. The book is written in 20 chapters and each chapter tells the story of the same day, July 15, of each year. As I have been listening to the story, I have been trying to remember what I was doing that particular year.

July 4th is my favorite holiday, how could it not be? I mean there is  music and fireworks, and great weather, well most of the years any way, the days are long, and warm, and the sun shines, well most of the years any way, there is BBQ and ice cream, and there is Frisbee and volleyball and the beach!  What other holiday has all these combined, you tell me? So I thought since I remember where I was and what I was doing at July 4th, most of the years any way, why not try to remember what was occupying my mind that particular July 4th, and here is what I have come up with!

July 4th 1988: excited and happy that in September I shall be a senior in high school

July 4th 1989: excited and happy that in September I shall be a freshman in college

July 4th 1990: working with my dad for the summer, very interesting to see another side of my dad, at the office persona

July 4th 1991: in a serious relationship, my very first real relationship, introduced my boyfriend to my parents today, and they liked him a lot

July 4th 1992: going to have my own apartment in August, with 3 roommates and my parents are paying portion of the rent, but my very first apartment nonetheless

July 4th 1993: a college graduate, with a great new job and a possible new romance

July 4th 1994: I think I found the man I want to marry and grow old with, had been dating for a few months

July 4th 1995: thinking of moving in with my boyfriend of over one year

July 4th 1996: newlywed, while on vacation celebrating our two year anniversary of being together, in a whim he proposed, I accepted, and so unlike me, we got married the next day

July 4th 1997: quarter of century old and couldn't be happier

July 4th 1998: very happy, started a new job with lots of challenging and exciting projects in the horizon

July 4th 1999: 10 year high school reunion coming up, I love my life

July 4th 2000: I want to buy a home, but we are spending everything we earn and then some, we have to start saving somehow

July 4th 2001: working too much, tired all the time

July 4th 2002: divorced, everyone is trying to set me up with someone they know who is unattached

July 4th 2003: didn't go to my 10 year college reunion, not a very pleasant person at the moment

July 4th 2004: finally paid off all my credit cards, I am debt free for the first time in a very long time

July 4th 2005: I want to buy a home, seen my dream house, but haven't had the nerve to make an offer, talked to my dad about it

July 4th 2006: now that I am a homeowner, I want to have a family, I want to get married again, and have kids before I am too old

July 4th 2007: have updated my resume and looking for a new job, our company is being sold, and there is no guarantee that everyone is going to be retained by the new company

July 4th 2008: everyone was retained by the company that bought us, but I don't like my new projects and I don't see much advancement in my future at this place

I have to add that this past July, I was thinking the same thing I was thinking back in 2006 and the latter part in 2008. This was of course after I had applied, but prior to being accepted to school.