Friday, January 16, 2009

Party Like it's 1999

As we were watching the infamous ball drop in Times Square on New Years, the music in the background was playing Prince's Party Like It's 1999. And I realized, it's now been ten years since 1999. (I'm a math genious, right?) Strange when a song meant to be about the future is now ten years in the past. This year is significant to me since it's the year I graduated high school.


I can still remember Kyle Lane's graduation speech centered around the Party Like it's 1999 theme...as I'm sure every graduation speech around the world that year was. I have such clear memories of high school. It's hard for me to believe ten whole years have gone by. Ten years, really? But then I think of where my life is now and how much I've changed and accomplished in the past ten years. I'm truly a different person than I was while partying when it actually was 1999. It hardly seems possible that my life could change that much in only ten years. I have come a long way since then.

I have:
  • moved away from home (to live with all girls I didn't previously know...a huge culture shock to a girl with no sisters)
  • lost my dad
  • got married
  • was president of the Iotu Mu Chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, a national communications honor society
  • graduated with a bachelors in Speech Communication (after changing majors 4 times)
  • bought two houses, lived in 4 states, had 8 different addresses
  • held my first real post bachelor's degree job...and held 5 jobs all together (do you remember when I dropped my whole box of pictures...yeah, that situation still hasn't been remedied...I KNOW I have some great pictures of my first job..as well as some of these other things)
  • gave birth once, twice, three times and have three crazy boys to show for it
  • gained weight...who hasn't...and if you haven't, don't tell me
  • sat through TWO of Spencer's college graduations and working up to a third...good thing PhD's take so long. I'm not ready to sit through another one yet...this time with THREE kids in tote (Though nothing could be worse than 3 hours in bleacher seats while 8 months pregnant)
  • served as Young Women President (when I was barely older than the Young Women myself)...also served as a RS counselor, YW counselor, teacher in RS, the producer of the Stake musical, activities chairman (twice), Stake Primary Board, on the Enrichment committee, and a brief stint as a primary teacher
  • Bought a dog and an SUV and hosted holiday parties...and all the rest of the things grown-ups do
  • lost a major organ...ok, just my gallbladder...it's not necessary any way, right?
  • learned and accomplished and grown in a million different ways that certainly can't all be listed
However slim the chance I actually show up at my class reunion (though I'd LOVE to), I'd show up a completely different Katie. My views on life and the world and people and choices have all changed (for the better I hope) thanks to life experience. It hardly seems like I'm old enough to have accomplished all this. Especially since I'm not even finished partying like it's 1999.

21 comments:

Lauri said...

Great post, Katie. You really have accomplished A LOT in ten years. I'll have to think what I have to show for the past decade.

Curtis Whipple said...

That's alot of good stuff... at least you aren't losing your hair like your brother. That's a good decade!

amelia said...

Loved this post. Now I want a follow-up on living with a house full of females for the first time!

Kipn n' Sarah said...

Totally super duper cool post and boy o boy have you done so much more than I did in my ten years after high school, especially since I graduated a year before you. I think I did the party thing a little too hard, well mormon style that is. It just took me a while to meet my prince too. That is really when I started to truly live!!!
Love this post and congrats on all the growth and accomplishments in the last 10 years!

Kelly said...

That's quite a list, katie! You are much more mature than most 1999 grads that I know! You have done a ton to be so proud of!
Love this post- by far one of my favorites!

jeanine said...

Wow... I was just thinking about this same thing. I can't believe we graduated 10 years ago! I don't think I've accomplished quite as much as you (and haven't had nearly as many callings! WOW!!) What a fun list!

Kris said...

You have accomplished way more than most in your ten years since high school! Of that I am certain.
Great post!

Autumn said...

I thought it was so fun to graduate during 1999 if nothing else for the fun song! (And it was the last year of the millenium-that was kinda neat too.) :) I loved seeing your list. 8 months pregnant, graduation, bleacher seats? I agree-that's a bad combo!!!

Amanda B. said...

This was definitely an awesome post. You are truly amazing and have done so much. I agree with Kelly- probably lots more than most 99 graduates. I think the same way that it just seems odd that it has been so long since graduation (14 years for me!). How quickly time flies, how much we change and experience. Wow.

Brooke said...

I know what you mean about changing so much. For me when I graduated from high school I knew who I was and what I wanted in life. Now 10 years later I am a completely different person (which I love!) and what I want so so so different.

Eric said...

Wow, that was a great post. It made me think about what I've accomplished in the past decade. Certainly not as much as you. You are amazing.

Abbey said...

That was neat, I was thinking about how much my life has changed over the past ten years. I think my big change was joining the church. Anyway, enjoyed your blog.

Genn said...

Excellent post, and great memory you seem to have too. I wish I remembered things more clearly.

Congratulations on all you have accomplished and who you have become in 10 years. That's really something to be proud of. It's hard to believe we've graduated 10 years ago. Sometimes it feels like yesterday.

Erin said...

I remember sitting by you at graduation and havin a ball! I feel very accomplished with all Paul and I have done-I even won a few bets just by marrying my high school sweetheart. I have no urge to go to our reunioun, but would love to go to Cenntennial's class of 98 if I could, that was my group! Sometimes I wish I could sit in Vaughn's or Philipp's again, but overall I miss all the fun of stake dances and antics that come form those situations. If anything all you girl's should fly in and we should have our own reunion!!

Jessica said...

So I was thinking that we should all make an effort to go to our reunion this year. I really don't want to go but I would love it if we could all get together again. You could come and stay at my parents house. Happy 10 Years! Man you are getting old. :)

Jessica said...

So I was thinking that we should all make an effort to go to our reunion this year. I really don't want to go but I would love it if we could all get together again. You could come and stay at my parents house. Happy 10 Years! Man you are getting old. :)

Unknown said...

Wow you've done so much!! I recently came across a paper one of my teachers had me do in 6th grade of where i saw myself in 10 years and here it is in 10 years later... and i'm nowhere CLOSE to getting married OR graduating from college. Haha. It's funny how things change :)

Traci Elizabeth said...

10 years? Crazy huh? it actually feels like it has been 10 years for me. It seems like it has been FOREVER since we were in high school and we were all hanging out together. It will be interesting to see what the next 10 years bring you!

Heidi said...

Isnt it incredible to really see how much we have done in the last 10 years. You my friend have done so much! thats awesome! But you forgot to mention that you lost 50 pounds!

Nicole said...

Ten *gasp* years. Oh my. Time has flown by! You've had an eventful 10 years! But you have a beautiful family to show for it!!

J, E, S & L said...

I didn't realize I'm two years older than you! I'm way too old for this! I didn't go to my 10 year reunion but I highly doubt I would have been recognized....especially since I was aprox 50 pounds lighter! Unbelievable! It's unfair how life (and food) catches up to you! When I look back on the things I've done the past 12 years I wouldn't change a thing! I am who I am because of the decisions I've made. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!