Thursday, December 10, 2009

The Best of 2009

Hidy Ho!

So I've been seeing a lot of Best of 2009 and I finally realized where it all came from, and I can't help but participate.

I'm obviously far behind seeing as it's now December 10th and I haven't done any, so this is gonna be 10 #bestof09 posts smooshed into one. Plus since we have lots of other crap to talk about, I'll probably either tack these on to the end or beginning of future posts, or smoosh some together again later.

I also realized that it's Thursday and I suck and didn't do a TMI Thursday this week. I swear I'll be back on top of that next week at the latest. Or, if something really good comes up, I'll post a belated one. For now, if you're dying for some great TMI stories, visit the source of all things humiliating.

Drumroll Please!

Best Trip: Well, it obviously, OBVIOUSLY has to be my trip to California where I finally got to meet a bunch of photographer friends of mine including this young, talented, sexy lil thing as well as this gorgeous, delicious woman. But even better was a few days later going on the Mayercraft Carrier 2. Sorry, I love my friends and family, but a cruise with John and having drinks with Ryan Shaw trumps a visit to Denver any time. Plus, I shared the experience with my brother and Dad. And I got proof that John Mayer looks directly at me when he sings, 'cause I wasn't kidding about that, people.

Plus, incredible food, the most delectable desert I've ever tasted, Martin Sexton, My brother and I with Justin Nozuka and with Ryan Shaw... It was amazing.





Oh yeah. And teaching Ryan Shaw, who has an interest in photography, how to compensate for back lighting. He then took this photo of my brother, which perfectly captures his laugh, with my camera.



Life is wonderful.

Best Restaurant Moment: Hmm, Best "Restaurant Moment"? I'm not really sure. Probably The Melting Pot with Dan for our 5th anniversary. That food was delectable and freakin' delicious!

Best Article: The best articles I read this year probably have zero impact on you guys, because I'm a total camera nerd. Anything from Strobist.com or Flashflavor.com because they push me to do better, get more artistic and figure out how to create light and control it better. I have a long way to go, but the more I read, the better I get, bit by bit. It helps me create images like this:


Best Book: I've done a lot of reading this year, but by far my favorite book was Wasted, by Marya Hornbacher. It's a memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia. She's an incredible writer, and I've read it at least three times this year.

Best Night Out: My memory sucks. I can't remember nights out, so maybe that means they were all amazing. I also can't remember what was this year or not this year. I know going to the shows of my friends bands are always awesome. I know every night on the Mayercraft was a killer night out. I know I loved being totally crammed into the night club on the Carrier and listening to John Mayer DJ for the night. I know that my birthday this year made me feel wholly loved and totally grateful. I know that I love my friends and any night we go out is more fun than I probably deserve.







Best Workshop or Conference: I didn't go to any workshops or conferences. I suck. I'd say the closest thing I had was the photographer's meetup in California, or teaching a friend in Colorado how to use flash as we took photos in an abandoned barn in Lafayette. I learn so much from my peers that I find it's enough to chew on.


Blog Find of the Year: This is the most unfair category and I don't know how I could possibly choose just one. There have been so many of you, discovering your blogs has been amazing and you pull me through and make me laugh and remind me I'm not alone and encourage me to let it all hang out and show me the world from a Hello Kitty bike and let me humiliate myself with no regrets and teach me to think and make me feel motivated and rewrite words to our favorite songs and write brilliantly and you stand up for what you believe and throw panties at my face and ignite my love for peanut butter and oatmeal and expose me and become my true friends. I love you all.

Moment of Peace: Wow. I've had lots of these. I've also had lots of moments that were tumultuous, but this year has been the least stressful, most peaceful, happiest year of my life. I'm so damn lucky. When I was in California I stayed in San Diego for about a week, by myself. That was almost all total peace. Standing on the balcony looking at the bay, walking around the city on my own, eating some delicious veggie pasta at a great restaurant, or even moments alone on the cruise, looking out at the ocean as it pulsed and thrashed below the ship... it was so relaxing. That rocked.







Challenge: Without a doubt, it was NaNoWriMo. The challenge I didn't look twice at in the beginning, the one that I said "Yeah, right," to a few times. The one you guys encouraged me to go for, and the one I finally overcame. It forced me to discover a lot of things about myself and it reminded me that in fact, yes, I am a good writer. And now, I'm an Author... and I can't thank you guys enough for the push.

Album of the Year: Do we even need to wonder or ask about this? Battlestudies. John C. Mayer. Get it now. If you don't want to buy the whole thing, that's cool. At least cruise over to iTunes and buy "Assassin," 'cause it'll probably change your life.



~Jenn

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ga-orgeous post. Your images, your writing. Your memories of the year. I look forward to reading you. And I'm so glad we found each other on this wide internet world.

Jenn said...

Gwen, holy crap cakes, you found this fast. Thanks for stopping by. Oh, and you're gorgeous, so there. And I can't believe you live in Boulder. I'm coming to Denver soon and we're gonna have a Colorado blogger meetup. So, you'd better be there. :)

~Jenn

Ashley S said...

Wow! Your pics are simply amazing!!! LOVEEEE the one you had under best article. Simply Beautiful! I love reading your blog! :)

Anonymous said...

Your photos are amazing and I love your face. And your heart. And I totally feel the same way about you, and not just because you know what I do when I can't fall asleep.

Or the other million secrets we've already spilled.

Cant wait till your my true friend IRL too.

Sarah Viola said...

Assassin will change my life? The COVER of the album is about to change my life. My sex life, anyway. YUMMM.

MadScientist said...

I basically love your blog. It's great. Esther and I talked about you..then I got jealous cause I haven't met you.

John C. Mayer..eatable.

He can assassinate me any day..after you of course ;)

The Insatiable Host said...

jen - how can I tell you thank you? how can I convey to you that I think you are just amazing!! thank you for your lovely post, and for sharing your images...just as your brother's laughter was captured in an image, I think your words capture yours. I am so lucky to have met you(sort of) and I hope one day we will...COME TO CANADA...i really can't thank you enough for allowing us to all follow your journey and I can't wait to read on. you are seriously 100% undubidably the best.

but i've already told ya that!!

PS did your panties arrive? I am thinkin it shouldn't take no longer than tuesday...cross your fingers..

Cole Walter Mellon said...

I've been too swamped to comment much this week, but I wanted to get over here and thank you for the shout-out the other day and here you are giving me a little more attention. You're too much...

It has been some kind of year, hasn't it?

Gretchen said...

Love your post! Great smash up, looking forward to reading the rest of your year. be well!

Anonymous said...

Jenn, I'm just catching up here, and I am SO HONORED to be listed. You are so sweet. And I'm so, so glad LiLu sort of hooked us up. This post is great! Much love, girl!

P.S. I love John Mayer, too!
P.P.S. Are you coming to Vegas for the blog meet up?!

rachaelgking said...

I wouldn't want to be anything OTHER than "let me humiliate myself with no regrets". I am honored, my love.

So glad we found each other this year! ;-)

Claire Dawn said...

Great post! I love John Mayer too! Not as much as you though... but then, noone does... I prefer Who Says. When I first heard that, I had on repeat on yahoo music!

Ashton Dene' said...

I always love your blog. It makes me think, makes me laugh, makes me less scared. Seriously, you are awesome!

x, ash

Matt Adcock said...

Who hooo :) Somehow we made your best of 2009 list with flashflavor blog.... I do recommend though that you spend some time on our primary site, www.delsolphotograhy.com/blog as I post much more kewl stuff there.

Great read, thanks for posting this. I'm a long time John Mayer fan...he is from my hometown and use to play with my friends when I was growing up, leaving high school. I'm just not 100% on battle. I guess I need to keep hearing the lyrics over and over...

saludos and thanks for the mention :)

matt

CCG said...

AWWWWWWWESOME Stuff U got here.

Found your site by way of Blogger/Blogs of note, September 2009.

KONGRATULATIONZ on the Weight-Loss Journey, and; if it matters; U are STILL a HOTT GIRL!!!

TakeCare & HappyHolidays!!!

carla said...

amazing post.
(where do you find the time?!) and thanks for the love.
so glad Ive discovered you.

Miz.