Sunday, January 3, 2010

Life ain’t a fairytale. It’s a documentary.

I sit here writing once again from thousands of feet above the ground in the midst of the 2009 holiday season.  It’s the end of a decade, and I’m trying to figure out how many times I’ve actually been LAX-BUF bound, and can’t help but reflect on what this last year has been and what 2010 is going to bring

As I look back on 2009, I look at it as yet another year of growing up, and taking on those ‘next phases in life.’  But at the same time, I’m also remembering those moments where I just want to be a normal 23 year old. For one—this year will be the first year where I’ll be receiving only one W2—and I couldn’t be happier about that.  With everything that happened to the economy this year, I’m not only thankful to have a job and thankful to be receiving a W2, but thankful to be working with the people that I do each day, and loving what I’m doing. 

This was my sixth year within the event business.  It’s hard to believe that I’ve been doing this since I was 17, and professionally now for almost 5 years.  I feel as though I learned a lot this year in my work—especially perfecting the process of planning a successful week-long conference, and then a couple months later doing it all over again, with new people, in a new hotel, in a new city.  It’s exciting, its organizational (some might say anal), but its something I know I love to do, and I know I’m good at. 

As I entered my second year at BDI Events, I’m still happy, and excited about where I am currently at.  Being onsite at an event is what keeps that energy alive and growing. Once I land in a city, get my feet on the ground and start bringing another event to life—I’m simply refreshed and rejuvenated with endless amounts of energy that I wish I had everyday.  Not to mention, the relationships that I have developed with each of my bosses in the last year has been incredible.  They have  become part of my West Coast family. 

This year was also a year for planes, miles, points, hotels, and cities. January was Boston, February was Anaheim, somewhere in March & April I took a trip to Buffalo, May was Washington D.C. & NYC, June was Wine Country & Denver, July was San Diego & Buffalo, August was Monterrey & Chicago, September was Chicago again, October & November I banned myself from going anywhere, and December was NYC and now Buffalo to end the year.  Each one of those experiences was just another experience in which I was continuing to move into the ‘next phase in life,’ some with family, some with work, and some with friends.  I’ve also become an expert in the world of travel points, thanks to my boss Bob.  If you’re curious, my preferred partners are now United & Delta, as well as Marriott & Starwood. J

And I couldn’t go through 2009 without mentioning the fact that I made an ‘investment’ in Sherman Oaks, CA in Condo #209. J Who buys a condo at 23? I do. It is one of the most ongoing learning experiences that I’ve ever had in life.  From the process of looking for a place, to placing offers on some, to filling out the endless amounts of paperwork for the one I purchased, it has all been a learning experience. It all was new to me—a new challenge.  And since moving in this past July, I’ve had to do the many ‘grown up’ things such as picking out carpet and paying a mortgage.  And now 6 months later, I feel I have grown up so much, by just having to do all of these things on my own.

So now what? What’s missing? What’s to look forward to in 2010? There’s something inside of me that is telling me that it is going to be another good year—another big year.  We have a fantastic lineup of events in Denver, Chicago, NYC, Monterrey, Detroit, & LA, so I know I will at least be jet setting at least once a month for the next 9 months.  But I’m excited and anxious to see how this year turns out as a whole.  I know that things are just going to continue to change, and I’m going to continue to grow up whether I want to or not, and continue moving forward in whatever I do next.  And being the planner that I am, I will try and prepare myself for some of those, but deep down, I do know that you can’t plan for everything. 

Whatever I do, I hope that I can continue to do it with the incredible friends and family that I have around me. Some of my favorite moments in 2009 are from sitting around with one friend, or a group of friends at a dinner table, enjoying each other’s company over a good meal, and a tasty beer or a good glass of wine. Though most are getting hitched, or settling into serious relationships, I’m thankful that they are still willing and enjoy listening to my rants and raves about who I met, what I’m working on, how sometimes I’m ‘perfectly lonely,’ and what I’m dreaming up for the future.

As I’m sitting here typing this, I am of course listening to the new John Mayer CD, “Battle Studies,” aka, Joe Martin’s life.  I’m going to sound very ‘2010’ when I say this, but it’s reminding me of a recent ‘tweet’ John Mayer posted—that stuck with me.  It’s from one of his songs…

 Life ain’t a fairy tale. It’s a documentary.

And if any of you know me—that’s quite different than what I normally would think or say. But I think the other JM (John Mayer that is) has got something here…so stay tuned as 2010 unfolds…