Normally I don't bother with "end of year" journals, but since this year is the closing of the "naughties" forever, I think I'd give a nostalgic testament to it with what I remember most and my most significant experiences

Personal experiences - the "sentimental" stuff

Hard to think at the beginning of the decade I was nervously thinking about what High school was going to be like, weeks from starting it and weeks after giving a goodbye to my primary school life (which I later missed once I was in high school, I'm sure many of you felt the same ) I was 12 at the time - to avoid confusion for American readers, there's no "middle school" here - high school starts at grade 7. Back then the only hair on me was on my head, now I have to shave it off virtually everyday, and that's just the face

Wasn't easy - starting big, bad high school and hiding the fact I then still LOVED Pokemon, still LOVED Dragon Ball Z and thought Trunks was the coolest character in the show, I had my haircut like his for much of my early teens Didn't look good on such a dorky teenager as myself though, not that I felt like that at the time I was a bit of smartass in high school so that kind makes up for it. Not a terror but no goody two-shoes either. I told off some teachers and drew all the time in class...sometimes rude stuff....on the chalkboard but most teachers still remember my antics fondly

Speaking of drawing, like many young artists here - I drew more than my fair share of amateurish anime art in my teens, much of which were rips of existing characters that I so denied they were I thought they were great at the time, but all I can say is thank God I didn't know of dA back then, I would have probably gotten trolled for my "art" I still have some, but stupidly threw so much away, keep your old shit guys! one day you'll look back and laugh

Talking about art brings me to deviantART, I wasn't led to this site until I was 17 (2006) so I was in my last year of school by then and I think I made more artistic progress in my first couple of years on dA than I did in the 6 years of this decade before it. It has changed my life, mostly for the better. I wish dA and its kind community was there for me in my difficult early-teen years, but in another way - not having my young life controlled by computers and internet was an experience no generation will likely get again, mine was one of the last..Times change so fast So here I am, can't say my life is all too fulfilling but many experiences have shaped who I am, but wow have I changed, mostly for the better (especially physically ) but also much wiser than the naive teen I was when the decade started

Pop Culture experiences - the "yeah, I remember that!" stuff

Not even the "Xbox generation" was out at the beginning of the decade. The Nintendo 64 and its rival the first PlayStation still were giving their last puff of steam before paving the way for the next generation. I personally was a Gamecube guy since I love Nintendo, especially Super Smash Bros, and have around 400 hours of Super Smash Bros Melee play time racked up between age 14 and now Time wasted? - nah, there's a saying that goes "Time wasted having fun is never really wasted" My school friends and I always argued over what consoles were best (need I say they were Xbox lovers ) ahh the "serious debates" teenagers have

And what causes debates more than anything other than religion, politics and sport? - Music! the past decade had some really memorable music, one-hit wonders like: Who let the dogs out?, Starlight, Hey-ya, Where is the Love?, Bad Day, Ms Jackson, All the small things, She will be loved, Welcome to the black parade, Wish you well, Candyman, Feel good inc and about a million others - heck, even Crazy Frog deserves a spot

Movies and TV too, there's heaps also to mention there: Shrek, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Spiderman, Ice Age, Matrix, The DaVinci code, The Dark Knight and Avatar to cap e'm all near the end . Though some things I'd rather forget *cough* _{Big Brother} *cough*

Got any more to list, just go ahead in your comment, I love hearing about this sort of stuff, Happy New Year!