2009 is just about over, and as with any year there have been ups and downs, as well as wow and woe moments. Apart from personal memories, TEENage chose 10 things that ‘made’ 2009 and will definitely be remembered. And just in case you’ve been living ‘under a rock’ or ‘out of the loop’, here are some things you definitely missed.

Unbreakable Bolt

Talk about making Jamaica proud! This year ‘lightning struk again,’ as Usain Bolt broke the 100-m and 200-m world records in Berlin and later received ‘honourable’ recognition (an Order of the Nation and Ambassador-at-Large) when he returned home. Not that the rest of the team didn’t do us proud, but Bolt has become an icon for Jamaican sports similar to Bob Marley and reggae. Almost all business, traffic and war stopped as he ran, and we all rejoiced as one people. His performance gave Jamaicans a warm feeling and cast us in a positive light on the international stage.

Swine Flu

This year the world experienced another flu-like pandemic called the Influenza A virus subtype H1N1, popularly known as ‘swine flu’. Millions caught the virus and thousands died from it globally. Although the spread of the virus is on the decline locally, it is still a worrying issue and persons are being asked to visit their respective health care providers once they develop the symptoms.

Celebrity RIP

This year saw a few unexpected celebrity deaths. With Michael Jackson’s (propofol intoxication) being the most heartfelt, other Hollywood darlings like Farrah Fawcett (anal cancer), Brittany Murphy (cardiac arrest), Patrick Swayze (pancreatic cancer) and Billy Mays (hypertensive heart disease)will be missed. Now pop, dirty dancing will never be the same, neither will those Oxi-clean ads.

Chris Breezy n RiRi

February 8, 2009 was the date that Chris Brown and Rihanna were engulfed in a domestic dispute, just before the 51st Grammy Awards. The aftermath was an unflattering picture of Rihanna and Chris Brown receiving a 50-yard restraining order, three-year probation and community service. The media circus unloaded around the incident, as it was the hot topic for more than ‘fifteen minutes’, and the public became the biggest critic of a private matter.

Gaza/Gully rollercoaster

When Mavado walked off the stage at Sting 2008 and Vybz Kartel responded in song later that day with Last Man Standing, dancehall fans knew that the clash was far from over. After being used as a diversion technique by the politicians, media, as the cause for all that ails Jamaica. The nation was treated with a delightful surprise as the two dancehall kingpins held hands together in unity at West Kingston Jamboree.

Geeked up

Neon from head to toe, with skinnies and your wayfarers. This year neon colours and the infamous skinnies made fashion waves. Then with the New Boys and jerkin’, it only got more fame, making it last not only for a season but the whole year. Oh and who could forget the gladiators, Creative Recreations and the Supras, in so many colours and designs it was all about how you chose to rock it.

BB Takeover

Almost as bad as the swine flux, was the BlackBerry ‘epidemic’. If it wasn’t a car that almost mowed down a BB user, it was that they weren’t paying attention during a face-to-face conversation. And then, of course, there are the many occurences of the BB service being expired, the phone going bad especially the trackball, or RIM having difficulties. When these occurences happen the world crashes for many. Great tool to have and definitely an item that brings addiction.

AA Christmas Miracle

Imagine how it would feel being on a flight that crash-landed not only 10 feet from the Caribbean Sea, but also broke in three places. We made CNN news again, but this time it wasn’t because we broke a track record. After seeing the AA wreckage on the news we are blessed that no serious injuries or fatalities were recorded.

Newbies a guh haad

The year 2009 saw the rise of several potential dancehall stars as artistes such as conscious Jah Vinci; money loving Merital Family, the Gaza ladies and Chase Cross who also made an impact. This year several artistes’ careers reached a new level such as Ding Dong who easily had the most popular ‘dancing’ song of the year, Holiday featuring Chevaughn and Tifa who had the spelling anthem Spell It Out. Overseas, rappers such as Drake and Kid Cudi stormed the charts with singles promoted via mixtapes and showed the immense influence of Internet marketing in the contemporary music scene. Lady Gaga is now poised to become a staple artiste in the pop genre after a very successful year and Souljah Boy passed the dancing baton to the New Boyz.

Mona dam=Sahara

Jamaica was spared heavy rains from hurricanes this year but is currently experiencing one of the worst water shortages in recent memory. Water has had to be trucked to homes, hospitals, schools and business institutions in order to cope with the crisis. The dams and reservoirs reached dangerously low levels and most Jamaicans were left thinking that were in the Sahara.