It's December and it has been just about a full year since I moved to Miami. So I guess that's pretty much what is on my mind right now. Where have I been and what have I accomplished this past year. So I'm gonna break it down for you:

January 2001
After reconciling with my ex girlfriend, I moved away from cold Toronto, Canada and drove down to Miami, Florida to start a whole new life. I started a new web graphic design job at a company in Boca Raton, Florida. I moved in with my aunt where I would stay until I got my own place.

February 2001
Working at my job was working out great. My parents drove down to visit their son to see how he was doing and helped find me a temporary place of my own until I find a permanent residence.

March 2001
My first real month of independance. I was living in a one room efficiency in Hallandale, Florida. I got free cable TV and all fast food places were in walking distance. I was really enjoying living on my own. I also travelled on a weekend trip to New York City where I had one of the best times of my life. I was partying with my cousins at a Sweet Birthday Party, and then later danced the night away at Webster Hall.

April 2001
I moved out of the efficiency in Hallandale and moved more south along the downtown Miami waterfront into a studio apartment Still having little to no furniture, not even a bed, I slept happilly on the floor with no cable TV. But trust me, I was still happy being on my own. Of course I missed my family and friends back in Canada, but I was living a whole new experience that was long overdue.

May 2001
I don't remember much from May, but I think that I bought my first piece of furniture, my popular futon bed/couch, and my leather couch that I received generously from one of my bosses.

June 2001
This was THE most anticipated month of the year. I flew back to Toronto for one week to MC and help out with one of best friend's wedding. Even though it was my one week vacation, I had next to no time for myself. But the end result was so worth it. It was the best wedding I've ever been to in my life, and so many memories to last.

July 2001
My bad boy cousins drove down from New York to spend the fourth of July weekend in Miami by me. Another highlight of my year since I really got to bond with my cousins that I rarely see. I think I also finally met my cousins who were 3 hours away in Orlando and partied with them at some point where CrazyKelvin getting drunk for the second time in his life happened! My friend Moe was the first friend to fly down from Canada to visit me and spent 2 weeks at my place discovering Miami. We would go clubbing and dancing every night which was actually a good thing because I got to explore Miami more. At the end of the month, I flew back to Toronto again for Caribana. There was no way I was missing that! Again, another highlight of the year as I got to meet old friends and party real hard!

August 2001
I flew back to Toronto again for the Canadian National Exhibition. A life long tradition that I couldn't pass up. I had a great time with N8 and my brother. I was actually supposed to meet my ex who flew in from London and was in town that weekend, but that didn't go through. When I arrived back in Miami, my friend Natasha was the second friend who flew down to Miami to spend some time with me. We danced the night away on a night boat cruise in the Atlantic.

September 2001
I flew back to Toronto again for the Labour Day weekend but this time to help my family move to Florida. This time when I returned home, my brother came along. The following Tuesday I was taking him to a job interview and we were listening to Howard Stern on the radio when we got the news of the tragedy in New York. I dropped off my brother and then drove to work where I I came to a very stunned work environment. When I was driving home I remember seeing the highway information boards posting that NO OUTBOUND FLIGHTS at Miami Airport. It was soo crazy. I actually wished I was back in Canada where it was "safe".

October 2001
After September 11, the whole economy here was crushed. And that didn't help me either as a web designer. The company was forced to downsize and I was let go...

November 2001
I had the realization that maybe I could just work for myself.. so I slowly started taking in freelance work.. I had to travel back to Canada again to take care of student loan payments and stuff like that. I got to party at the Guverment night club with Dana and Lorraine and of course my bro, N8.

December 2001
I had to help my parents move into their new house. My brother and I had to move all the furniture by ourselves. (with our dad too, but no other family members showed up at all) That was totally disrespectful. We are always there lending helping hands whenever we can, ALWAYS. And the one time we need some assistance, no one is there. I remember things like that.

Well that's about it for the year. I know December isn't finished and there will be another highlight to add to it in the coming weeks. But for now I'm going to say that this year was just amazing. I have learned a lot living out here on my own and look forward to 2002 to see what is in store for me.

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