It's the end of a decade, and I'm ready for 2010. What a ten years it's been- things were so different in my life ten years ago, I don't even know where to start. Or if there's a point to listing all the differences between 19 year old Jackie and 29 year old Jackie. Suffice it to say, though, that I remember 19 year old Jackie quite well, and she'd be please to know thing things are pretty damn okay with 29 year old Jackie.

Chris got into a car accident earlier today. Thankfully, he's okay, the repairs should be covered by the other drivers' insurance company. It wasn't his fault; he wasn't even moving when the other car slammed into him. He called to tell me. "Hello! Sooo... I got into an accident." And my heart dropped into my stomach until I realized that Chris must be okay, since he was talking to me on the phone and he had started out with such a cheery "hello." Chris is, of course, the most major development of the last decade- Chris and all the things that followed. There were three years before I met Chris, though, and those years were significant in their own right. Dicking around through and after college while I wondered what to do with myself. The couple of boys before Chris. The drunken, self-proclaimed superstar nights with Carole. The writing, the crying, the fears, the days working at the optical- still most fun I've ever had at a job, those years in the Orland location- the driving around aimlessly. Did I mention the dicking around? The copious amounts of dicking around- oh, the freedom of all the time in the world. Of the lack of rent/mortgage/car payment. Even though those years were sometimes fraught with misery, they were also some of the most hopeful, unfettered years of my life.

But, for the first time in maybe forever, I'm not interested in reminiscing, at least not that much. I have so much to look forward to, and I'm thrilled for 2010 and the years that are to follow. I'm even excited to turn 30, even if the number feels surreal.

Chris and I are headed out tonight for a nice dinner, and then back to the house where Chris will drink champagne for two and I will sip tentatively at the bottle of non-alcoholic wine he bought for me. To 2010- I'm ready, bitches.