durr...

2,954 meters on a climb

554 minutes to run
90 kilometers in road and trail races

84 episodes of how i met your mother

57 different beer products consumed

29 CDs

23 blogposts (including this one)

9 times i missed forecast

8 tropical storms that directly hit my area

4 pairs of shoes

3 weddings

2 loves lost

and one... well, one more person who looks back at 2009 with not-too fond memories. it seems as if i was made to feel it was payback for some of the free rides i may have had during the 2 years prior, and for 2010, i know that i will have to work just as hard, if not more, than this one.

for all the minor griping, heartbreak, and times you faltered this year, you know that your heart has hardened, and resolve has become something you learned to actually practice and not just preach. and while you hurt privately, understand that there is always someone there who wants to reach out, to share what you feel. they may not have a clue what you're going through, but the least you can do when they reach out is let them know that you feel their help. after all, the song does say, 'there is no me and no you, it's just us.'

we learn our lessons from what this year brought to our poker tables. may we never forget the grief, the mistakes, and the skinned elbows. let it inspire us to face the future with a renewed enthusiasm, one that we don't just feel, but make, for ourselves and for each other. i can relate to you, and i've made those mistakes in the last 12 months, too. and i know that whatever lies in wait, i cannot do this on my own. take my hand, and let's face the coming year together.

3...

2..

1.

let's go.