I started the last year unemployed.

I lost my job on December 11th last year, was unemployed for the first three months of the year, which isn’t exactly the ideal way to start a year. Even so, I thought it was pretty fun. I got to hang out with my wife pretty much all day long for 3 months straight, save the times she had practice, mural jobs, or if I had an interview.

In March, I joined Cerner and I have been there ever since. The first couple months there were a complete blur and then it was summer. The family headed out (I wish I could say in the family truckster, Griswold-style, but alas, it was just an oversized van) over the Fourth of July to visit our good friends at their ranch in Wyoming. We rode horses, I almost died twice there, first almost falling off a mountain, then being bucked off a horse. It was a phenomenal trip and made me remember how much I love the outdoors, especially the wide open spaces of Colorado and Wyoming.

I wrote a post in August about sweatshirts and silverware that was one of my favorites of the year.

I saw a bunch of movies, several of them courtesy of two great sites: Lost in Reviews and Scene Stealers. But the best time that I had at the movies (maybe besides Avatar), was spending an entire Saturday in the Cinema Suites at the Olathe AMC watching the Best Picture Showcase the day before the Oscars.

In September, I attempted to take a picture of my dog everyday. It didn’t work so well.

I celebrated my 5-year bloggiversary.

Alli was the featured artist at our alma mater’s Homecoming (also my 10-year Honor Year). She painted the walls black and had one wall painted with just words.

I bearded up for the winter, just before I saw Rob Bell in concert, which was totally amazing, as I kind of expected.

Alli and I also went to New York, which was a great trip. I went for the Web 2.0 Expo, where I saw The Onion’s web editor Baratunde Thurston give an amazing talk called “What the Hashtag?”

On the same trip, we saw the Complexions modern ballet and ate dinner at Perilla, my Top Chef favorite (from the very beginning) Harold Dieterle’s restaurant in Greenwich Village, which was arguably the best meal of my life.

And then it was December and I started a huge project at work, turned 33, and celebrated Christmas and rang in the New Year. That was my 2009.

As for 2010, I have no idea what to expect. I didn’t think that 2009 was terribly exciting, but looking back, I’m more aware of how much actually happened. I’ve made a lot of new friends at Cerner and have actually met some bloggers and Twitterers this year.

2010 will certainly be an interesting year for me spiritually, as I begin work as the Assistant Pastor of the Olathe Community of Christ church, my home congregation for over 25 years. It’s not a full-time position by any means, but it’s certainly going to take a lot of my time and energy in the coming year. I’ll be preaching next Sunday, January 10th and again in February. I expect to be preaching a lot more in my home congregation this year.

I hope that your 2010 brings you joy.