Some of the reasons my friends like me.

I pronounce pizza pik:sa and instead of saying "I want a sip" I say "I want a zip".

I call bird feathers bird hair.

And up until not too long ago, I used to say "From the gecko" instead of "From the get go".

2010.

My new years resolution for 2010 is to write more hand written notes. This includes birthday cards, thank you notes, post cards (even when I'm not on vacation) and random "thinking of you" letters.

My other new years resolution was to take risks.

Easier said than done. When the new year rolled around, I said 2010 was my year. This was easy for me to say at a point in my life where I was comfortable. Things have always come easy for me. Well most things.

I am no longer in my comfort zone. For the first time in my life, I don't know what my next step is. Two years ago, I packed up my stuff and moved across the country. Seems like a big risk huh? Yes but in reality all I did was take a promotion at work. I didn't have much to lose, what was the worst that could happen, lose my job and move back home?

So now I've lost my job and yes I can move back home but that's the last thing on my agenda.

I realized today, my biggest fear is to wake up alone one day and realize I have nothing to be proud of. Worse is know I didn't make my parents proud. I was blessed with amazing parents and I feel the only way I can repay them is by making them proud. I know they say all they care about is my happiness but deep down inside I want them to know they succeeded because I succeeded.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

After I read this quote, it made me realize that this is the first time I've been faced with challenge. I no longer stand in a moment of comfort. I'm not the first nor will I be the last to not know what tomorrow holds in store. I need to remember 2010 is my year and instead of my comfort speaking, I need my confidence to start speaking.