That was the year that was... 2009.

If 2008 flew past, then I’m not so sure 2009 felt the same. That’s not to say that it dragged, but I feel like I fit in the correct amount of activity. Looking back, the marathon I had decided to run never happened thanks to complaining limbs, and I’m typing this on the very same Samsung NC10 I mentioned at the time. I have continued to play with photography, culminating in the purchase of my Canon 450D to which I may be adding some new little toys soon.

In terms of places travelled, not such an interesting selection this time round:

• Australia: Sydney, Hunter Valley, Blue Mountains, Melbourne, Frankston.
• Rome: Again; I visited Rome two and a half years ago, but it never hurts to return.
• Belgium: Brussels, and Louvain-La-Neuve.

Is that really it? I must be forgetting something… I guess that does count for about 6 weeks of travel, only about half of which was time off work. I don’t have much travel lined up for 2010, apart from a short trip toward the end of January. More on that later, if it comes to fruition, and hopefully with awesome pictures.

Perhaps less travel allows me to read more; I completed a pathetic number of books in 2009, so pathetic that I’m not willing to announce the total count here. Perhaps having 7 books unfinished at the moment will help round things out for 2010…

For 2010, I intend to continue with the working, reading, running, and photography. In general, this is a heads-down kind of year. Being in my third year of my PhD, with some good analysis work behind me, allows for a certain type of clarity. The type of clarity I must harness, else panic will ensue.

I expect 2010 to be a busy year. Hopefully busy in a similar sort of way that 2009 was.