the one where i do the obligatory recap

it’s the end of the year and the decade, which calls for a recap. my recap is of the aughts. this was my decade. i know i grew up in the 80s and 90s, but the aughts were my time. that’s when everything big time happened.

2000:

the first century leap year since 1600. the sydney olympics. the bush/gore election. i finished middle school and started high school. i went on a big trip to france, switzerland, monaco, italy, and spain.

2001:

technically the beginning of the 21st century. ed mccaffrey got a compound fracture of his leg in a MNF game – that was the cover story of the denver post on september 11th. the pre-9/11 world was one of wonder. but alas, things change. the netherlands passed the world’s first act allowing same-sex marriages. and, slobodan milošević was arrested to start his trial.

2002:

we invade afghanistan. department of homeland security is formed. i finished my sophomore year of high school. i quit band so i could horse show more. got my drivers’ license and my sweet sweet truck. was on some horse for probably 80% of the year.

2003:

the human genome project is completed. we invade iraq. martha stewart is indicted for insider trading. the concorde makes its last commercial flight. saddam is captured. i spend the entire summer horse showing in the mountains. finalize my farmer tan that will be present for the rest of my natural life.

2004:

the last oldsmobile is made. reagan dies. the year of the dean scream. bush wins his second term. i graduate from high school. ride every single day of the year. start my wonderful life adventure at heaven on earth.

2005:

iraq has its first free parliamentary elections since 1958. the 265th papal conclave occurs. kuwaiti women are granted the right to vote. colin powell steps down as secretary of state. john roberts becomes the 17th chief justice. i went on an epic road trip. i broke my foot and spent the summer [and my brother’s wedding] in a cast.

2006:

mark foley skanks it up with some pages. justice alito is sworn in. serbia and montenegro become independent countries. saddam is executed. pluto was de-planet-ed. i spend much of the year in new zealand; living it up, making PLCs, having the time of my life. i also go to australia and tahiti.

2007:

a 2100 year old melon is discovered in japan. harry potter and the deathly hallows is released – children’s hearts explode when finished. the writers guild goes on strike. arthur schlesinger dies. damned al gore wins the nobel peace prize. i spend my first summer in dc as an intern. i turn 21 after the summer [boo].

2008:

petroleum hits $100 per barrel for the first time. nepal becomes a democracy. radovan karadžić is arrested for war crimes. some butterface swimmer wins a whole bunch of gold medals. william f. buckley dies. i graduate from college, permanently breaking my heart. i start law school. i sit on a horse for the last time of the decade.

2009:

obama is inaugurated. ahmadinejad is “reelected”. the piggy flu descends. the underwear bomber fails and assures a life of being made fun of for being known as “the underwear bomber”. sotomania ensues. i have the best summer evah for dc part deux.