Ok, fine. This is perhaps my most self-indulgent post ever. But it's been a highly documentable year and, as I've previously mentioned, I believe that anything worth remembering is worth capturing in self-portrait form. So here we go.
2009 started with what I didn't know would be the first of multiple DC trips, for the inauguration. Here I am a couple of days later with Angela and Maureen, enjoying a nice winter day on the Mall, crowd-free.
After inauguration, I started my teaching job. Kristin and Lisa, who went through my same alternative certification program, were among the many who (totally unaided by our crappy ACP) did not get jobs before giving up and leaving Texas. We went for one last Texan night out at Cowboys Dance Hall for live bull-riding and awkward two-stepping with Air Force guys who don't actually know how to two-step.
At the end of the school year, Holly, Jenny, my coworker Kristen, and I went out to celebrate summer break freedom. Well, for all of us but Jenny, who has a barbaric year-round work schedule. She was a good sport though. There we are, about to enjoy some Patron. I find it somewhat comforting to note that, while my head appears to be giant in this photo, it looks normal-sized in the other ones.
I was admonished by an usher for taking this one at the Majestic Theater when we went to see Wicked.
In July, I met a tall, dark, and handsome man who took me for a romantic weekend in Austin, which included drinks on the rooftop of Six Lounge where I was, I swear, wearing a dress.
At the beginning of August, Holly and I went to Washington to visit Amy. We were so happy to see each other that we began to give off an other-worldly glow. Or else it's the sun reflecting off the Pacific Ocean just behind us.

Jenny had moved in with us just before we left for our trip. Which was not the reason why we left the state. After we got back, we had a luau at the house to officially welcome her.
I spent Labor Day weekend visiting my sailor in North Carolina. At the time of this photo, we were waiting for the ferry to take us to Ocracoke Island.
Holly came with me to see Ingrid Michaelson perform in Austin, which turned out to be totally worth staying out until one a.m. on a school night. Boy, I sure was shiny that night.
In October, I went back to DC. Raj and I went to the opera at the Kennedy Center. Here there is even a tiny amount of photographic evidence that I was indeed wearing a dress.
This was on one of the many Chipotle Fridays. Chipotle is followed by Target. Sometimes there are photos. Kristen was a good enough sport not to give us problems about that when she came along.
October! The Corn (except it wasn't actually corn) Maze!
A German beer maid and Amy Winehouse may seem an odd combination, but really, who would Amy Winehouse rather hang around than someone whose entire job is to bring mood altering substances?
In November, we went to Wurstfest in New Braunfels for beer, potato pancakes, sausage, apple strudel, and funny hats. Not only are the hats ultra-flattering, they also provided a nice ego boost when some random guy shouted "GIRLS IN HATS! I WANT A PICTURE WITH YOU!" We obliged, like the accommodating frauleins we are.
Later in November, I went to DC for Thanksgiving. Toward the end of the week, I took Raj sightseeing in DC, to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (outside which we are sitting in the photo) and the Jefferson and FDR Memorials. After I'd gotten us all of those places and back to the Metro again, I announced "Today shall henceforth be known as The Day When Lori Did Not Get Us Lost!" Shut up, I haven't lived in DC in almost six years and neither memory nor directional skills are strengths of mine.
As Owen knows, Ho Ho hats were all the rage during the 2009 Christmas season.
Another funny hats at Target picture, but this one with a totally different Holly! The day after Christmas, I flew to Phoenix to see Former DC Roommate Holly. Notice how she has arranged her hat in such a way as to preserve the integrity of her hairdo, while I went ahead and pulled that odd crocheted business right down to my glasses.
Phoenix is also where I met up with Raj on his way to Hawaii. We spent six days on Oahu, staying with friends of his. Here we are about to kayak out to that island you see behind us. Yes, Internet, I sea kayaked and I kind of enjoyed it. I mean, holy hell, it's tiring, but still fun. The key is, and I cannot recommend this strongly enough, to get yourself a big strong man to sit behind you and do most of the actual work.
In Hawaii, we were among the last in the world to ring in 2010, which was absolutely fine by me. I was a big fan of 2009 and was a little bit sorry to see it go. 2010 has some big shoes to fill.
Early self-portraits seem to indicate that it's up to the challenge.
Welcome, 2010. Keep up the good work.