Goodbye 2009

New homes, car wrecks, drunk hospital visits, post-bar fights, heartbreaks, crazy parties, speeding tickets, new friends, new families, waking up on the bathroom floor, snowboarding, getting teeth knocked out, traveling, laughing, crying, learning...I think it's safe to say that 2009 was quite the turbulent year. Chances are, you played a role in my life this last year, and for that I want to thank you.

Every person I met this year brought something new into my life; each experience I shared with you is a memory I won't forget.

I found that finding a home has nothing to do with whether you like mountains or beaches, hot weather or cold, it has to do with where your friends are; the people you love make a house into a home. This year, Moscow became my second home.

I hope I was able to make a positive contribution to your 2009 as well, and that you, like me, will look back at this year and smile.

Now, onwards to 2010! Make it count!

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When 'accidents' happen, Sears can help get rid of them

The Golden Tour of Mike

Dates and Locations

12/22 - 12/28 Pocatello
12/28 - 12/30 Moscow
12/30 - 01/04 Coeur d'Alene (01/03 Schweitzer)
01/04 - 01/15 Atlanta
01/15 - 02/05 Moscow
02/06 - 02/22 Netherlands

Does work get better than this?

icanhascheezburger.com and Heineken from students that borrow your books...really, I don't think it gets much better.

If this doesn't put a smile on your face...

Flip mobile #2

Ok...so after driving around all euro and flipping an SUV, I came to the conclusion that I'm not Am'r'can enough to be driving that kind of stuff. So I decided to stick to my European roots and get something a little less flip-able and a bit more, well, let's call it 'sophisticated' (yes, I like to think of myself as being quite sophisticated); a '93 Audi 100 CS that only has 60,000 miles on it (about 100,000 km for you Dutchies and metric lovers out there), and is fully loaded.

So now apartment 303 is getting even more German...as if David driving around a '92 Benz wasn't enough.

Anyway, I drove it home from CDA to Moscow, and already found one big BIG problem with it...the speedometer...it goes up to 160 mp/h (260 km/h). Who lets ME drive a car that can go 160 mp/h!? fml...it's so tempting.

Well, I plan on keeping this one in good shape for a long long time...pray for me. Though I don't know if praying will be enough...

I'm not your toy

Adios kids!

Last Saturday was our Adios Internationals party -- an amazing goodbye to new friends. Saying goodbye sucks, I prefer 'see you later!' or 'until next time.' The sad fact of the matter is, though, that even if we see each other later or next time, the time in between we'll spend apart.

Now Semisonic put it quite brilliantly when they said that "every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." I'd like to see this as the end of the beginning that started when I met a bunch of random people from across the globe. It's the end of the beginning of new friendships in Moscow, and the beginning of friendships that stretch across the world. I'm sad to see my friends go, but I'm glad I'll have a place to stay when I tour across Europe.

This semester was amazing, thanks to you guys. I'm gonna miss you!! Until next time and see you later!