A Decade of Memories: New Year's Eve 2009

2001: The year I meet Cindy. Rocky introduces me to her over lunch and I am so instantly smitten that I can't even look her in the eyes. Instead, I bury my face in my sandwich and just keep shoving food in my mouth. Cindy asks Rocky whether I've eaten in the last 3 days.

2002: Cindy takes me to Las Vegas for the very first time. Within 2 hours of arriving, Cindy introduces me to the wonderful games of roulette and Texas Hold 'Em. I win $314 and take us all out to a steak dinner. Later that weekend, Cindy, along with Rocky and Gloria, watch me finish the Las Vegas Half Marathon. This is also the year that Cindy and I move in together.

2003: Cindy and I visit Mt. Rainier. In the gift shop, we buy each other matching $7 rings and exchange them with each other during one of our hikes. For Cindy's Christmas present that year, I commission a stained glass artist to create a stained glass piece that depicts the scene (shown below) where we exchanged rings.

2004: For my 30th birthday, Cindy takes me to Las Vegas and surprises me by inviting my closest friends to join us. This is also the year that Cindy and I adopt our dog, Vegas.

2005: For Valentine's Day, Cindy replaces my $7 gift shop ring with a silver Tiffany ring. I buy her the same ring for her birthday and we wear them on our wedding ring fingers. Later that summer, Cindy and I bump into CAROL CHANNING in the bar at the Watergate Hotel. For a Broadway lover like me, Carol Channing is a god. I start freaking out when I see her and Cindy tells me to pull myself together and directs me to get her autograph (which I do). Then, one of the gay boys in the bar starts playing the first few notes of "Hello Dolly!" on the piano and, in a rare and unexpected moment, Ms. Channing gets up and starts singing the song. Cindy captured the photo shown below.

2006: We purchase our first Vespa scooter from eBay!

2007: Cindy enrolls in an intensive 18-month full-time nursing program while also working a 40-hour work week. When the Queen of England visits Washington, DC this year, Cindy skips work and, after dodging security and hiding out in the bushes, takes the awesome photo shown below (l. to r. George Bush Sr., The Queen, Barbara Bush, and Prince Phillip).

2008: In March, I throw Cindy the biggest party ever in our house for her 40th birthday. Later that year, Cindy passes away from a brain aneurysm. About 250 of our closest friends and family attend the funeral.

2009: This blog, inspired by Cindy's memory, provides me with an outlet to deal with the pain and helps me to survive the first year without her.