Reflection, Resolution, Prediction

Happy New Years beautiful people. I am so happy today. 2011 was a banner year. It started off a little bumpy but it rose exponentially from there, until today, the last day of 2011. For this post I thought about a few elements I wanted to incorporate. The first, a recap of the year, the second my "resolutions" for the new year, and third my vision of the new year. 2012 is gunna be amazing if it follows the current trajectory, but first let's roll back the clock 365 daysz-- New Years Eve 2010.

I started the year in Fresno, CA of all places. Let me say for the record, there is really no reason ever to go to Fresno, but my best friend's boyfriend was hosting a party and we decided to go check it out. We drank beer and made pancakes and played halo and hung out with a dozen bros who we love and only see very rarely. Thus begins 2012.

January Accomplishments: Started performing at Manic Mouth open mics, visited Portland with my mother, turned 19, performed in an improv show thanks to my gorgeous friends, it snowed, and told My Ex for the second time in 6 months to never speak to me again (and it worked).

February Accomplishments: I had no Valentine, I went on yet another crappy coffee date, I decided that sociology was the thing I wanted to study, and besides that not much happened.

March Accomplishments: I organized and hosted a murder mystery party, I played a rad game of Apples to Apples, I went to Hawaii, I presented an incredibly impressive sociology project, I finished my second round of college finals, and I started reading the Princess story at open mic.

April Accomplishments: What the fuck happened in April? I started a new quarters and took my second sociology class.

May Accomplishments: I had a mental breakdown in a bathroom and had to call my friend so she could talk some sense into me, I had another stupid fucking coffee date, I went to a party where I acted like a groupy, I went to Folk Life, and the sun finally sorta came out in Seattle.


June Accomplishments: Saw a sociology advisor for the first time ever, took my finals, visited my friends hometown, ate some damn fine pastries, went to a game farm, took my friend to my hometown, went to Santa Cruz, started working at Berkeley Playhouse, and met my now boyfriend.

July Accomplishments: Spent the night of the fourth with two amazing friends, saw Tim Minchin live, had my first Facebook interaction with my now boyfriend, had my first date/ wine night with my now boyfriend, and went to a crazy party for my friends birthday.

August Accomplishments: Not confident anything important happened here... Watched shark week with my friend after spending the evening at an elementary school (not in a creepy way).

September Accomplishments: Went on an intense family canoe trip, decided to try long distance with my now boyfriend, took a road trip back up to school, went to a 90's party, declared my sociology major officially, I became the Manic Mouth open mic host, and started the hardest quarter of college thus far.

October Accomplishments: I didn't die, that is a accomplishment in itself. I hosted a Halloween
Themed open mic, visited home, heard the L-word, went to a Renaissance Faire, decided to apply to the honors sociology program, and dressed up as one of the village people (the construction worker) for Halloween.

November Accomplishments: I barely survived midterms, changed my bio class to pass/fail, applied to a study abroad program, got accepted to the study abroad program, saw Gaelic Storm and Noah and the Whale perform live, went home for Thanksgiving.

December Accomplishments: Finished my hardest quarter yet, painted a mug with my roommate, said goodbye to my roommate, met my new roommate, went home for the holidays, went to Half Moon Bay with my now boyfriend, visited my uncle in LA, got an IPad, and played with sea otters.

There's 2011 for you. Probably I'm missing stuff, probably important stuff, but 365 days is 365 memories and you can't write them all down.

Now for my resolutions:
1. Make everyday unique. Have a funny story for every day.
2. Reach out to friends. They can't always come to you.
3. Study, then watch TV.
4. Play, then study.
5. See as much live music as you can on a budget.
6. Be on a budget.
7. Keep up your blog. Expand your readership.
8. Make a new friend everyday. Search for people.
9. Love the man you love.
10. Be a perfect daughter, and an even perfecter woman.
11. Forget exercising or eating well, you're not gunna do it and you've got a great bod.
12. Eat whatever you want, you've got one life to eat truffles and pasta, do it.
13. Do light therapy, remember SAD? Yeah, never again.
14. Always dress fabulously, you have a boyfriend but make every man who sees you wish you didn't.
15. Get rid of last remaining acne. Because it's preventing you from seeing your beauty.
16. Grow out your hair. I'm fucking serious.
17. Save your money. Don't buy a handbag at Target. Buy it in Italy. Don't drink that crappy Tully's latte, drink one in FUCKING Italy.
18. Don't stress. Everyday is not a crisis. Tomorrow you'll feel better.
19. Appreciate the friends you have. When you see them, hug them like it's a goodbye not a hello.
20. Be funny.

20 things to do this year to make 2012 even better than 2011. That's what resolutions are about, recognizing that even if last year was awesome, the new year could be improved with a few changes in yourself.

This new year is going to rock. I mean it sounds simple, but it is simple. It is Simply Going to Rock. How could it not? It's on the path to greatness and it hasn't even started. Here are some expectations of mine.

First, I'm taking really fucking badass classes this quarter. I'm super excited about all of them and this quarter is going to be much more manageable because of it. Second, Bachelor Is coming back. That was another thing that happened in 2011, I became obsessed with that show thanks to my roommate. Ben is going to make an awesome Bachelor. Just saying. Third, I have the most amazing man who I never give enough credit on my blog, but is absolutely wonderful. With him by my side, this year will be so full of love and joy and happiness. Fourth, I have like super awesome friends in both Seattle and San Francisco. Like seriously, I'm never without someone to hang out with and I am so excited to make more memories with them this year. Fifth, I AM GOING TO ITALY. HOW COULD THIS YEAR NOT ROCK WHEN I'LL BE SPENDING THREE MONTHS OF IT IN ITALY. So I'm super excited about that. Sixth, I am doing really well in school. I love school, I love learning, and I love what I'm studying. I'm going to apply to honors sociology and I hope I can get in and really delve deep into my major. Seventh, I'm young, I'm happy, I'm sassy, I'm smart, I'm heathy, I'm employed, I'm so very very lucky. Which is why when the bell drops tonight at midnight and the clock strikes twelve my heart will absolutely shine with anticipation.

Have a good New Year, be happy, make resolutions, reflect, predict. And be safe bitches! Call a cab or take pubic transportation or have a DD or something. You actually have to make it alive to 2012.