Welcoming the 202nd Decade

Let's see how far we've come... That Matchbox 20 song could very well sum up the meaning of life. It's not every day you welcome in another decade; in fact you're doing well if you've experienced life in at least ten of them (which would make you at least 80 years old; do the math). In this, the final episode of my life for this year and decade, we look back at the last ten years. This... is my life...
Does anyone remember where you were on December 31, 1999 at 11:59:59 PM? If you do, hang on to that memory. Living through 2 millenia is something you can be proud of. Tell your kids. They'll be jealous. As for me, I could probably get you the co-ordinates. Here they are (isn't Google Maps wonderful?): 41° 4' 12.3204" South, 174° 51' 53.3838" East. The outdoor balcony. My Grandma (Mum's side) had the house on the track built for her and her husband after they decided to leave their house in Wellington. After a few years they split up and the house was eventually sold, after a while I think some guy that owned a helicopter company took residence. At the time, TV One was having this big special on telly about the new millenium and that, and practically evryone across New Zealand was watching.
The Y2K fears would have been at an all-time record high, paranoia was cast aside after very few problems were encountered at the turn of the century.
And I don't remember it perfectly, but the 2000 Summer Olympics were held in Sydney.
2001. Who could forget the 9/11 attacks? It was early in the morning at home, and we were all asleep when my Grandma called up to tell us to turn on the T.V., and quickly. What we saw was unbelieveable. In fact my parents were certain it was a movie trailer or something. But it was true: Two planes had crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, to be later turned into numerous movies in the years ahead. Conspiracy theorists would have a field day. This was also the beginning of my Dad's new cafe, Krumbs, on the waterfront.
2002 marked the first year of myself attending Kapiti College part time, and boy what a great set of eight years that would turn out to be. Even appearing in the cover photo of the yearbook two years later (even though I was Year 8 at the time) was a highlight.
2003 was one of many years of sadness. After learning that my mother had a brain tumor, our life practically changed on the spot. My paper run was harder to fulfill, and was eventually stopped.
In 2004 I was making more of an impression on the college and my school community, still only as a 12 year old. It was around this time when my Dad's side Grandparents moved down from Auckland to live on the coast for a year or so, to help out with the running of the cafe due to my Mum's continually deteriating condition. A year of impact for most, as the Boxing Day tsunami rocked Indonesia and most of the Pacific.
2005 was a year of change and fear, with myself beginning college full time as a junior. Not what I would call my best year at college, though. In my opinion (and a few others), my form class was just about the worst one you could imagine. Halfway across the world London stood to a practical standstill after a series of bombings on the public transport system ran it aground after winning the bid for the 2012 Olympics. My Mum's continually depreciating condition resulted in my Dad selling the cafe near the year's end.
2006 was the worst year of the decade in my opinion, with my mother passing away on Friday, June 16. I distictly remember going into her bedroom alone, and all I could see in the candlelit darkness was her body, lying gently on the hospital bed set up from a few years before.
2007: A quirky little year coupled with 2006, this was one leading to a series of events that would eventually cause our family to get a 'technical upgrade', starting with myself winning a PSP the previous year, followed by Dad purchasing an iPod. A wonderful day for Harry Potter fans worldwide, as the final book is released; causing reviewers to rush for the first story out, some hiring speed readers to read the book in less than an hour. How do I know this? I took up journalism this year due to my horrific English results. Also a year of discoverey - I visit Japan on a two week field trip with my Japanese class.
2008 was a year of loss at our college, losing not one but two senior students, both within a few months of each other. Shockwaves are sent out across campus in aid of rememberance. The Beijing Olympics brighten up this year, but not before dropping two scandals: one for replacing a child singer, the other for digitally adding in special effects seen across the world. But lets not forget winning the NetGuide Web Challenge and scoring a PDA! (I call it Knuckles...)
2009... well what can I say? I mixture of good and bad, leaving college, getting a job, enrolling for University... It's certainly been a mixed-up year. I become more socially connected with this blog, and amazingly I manage to get an actual UK comedy writers' attention (thanks for stopping by James...).
Is there anything I've missed? Probably. I'll come back and update this if I think of anything.
But for now, let's see what the 10's bring. And-a here we go...

The Final Section
What I've Stumbled Upon: The Oatmeal is a great little website, full of life's little lessons and implied messages. Where else are you going to find out about "Ten words you need to stop misspelling", "15(ish) things worth knowing about coffee", or "Six types of crappy hugs"? - Click Here.
What I'm Watching: Before we forget the year gone past, why not create a montage and turn it into a music video or something? Here's one.