This has been a weird year. Weird but good. Things have a way of working out for the best, but never in the way you expect them to. That's kind of what happened to me. At the beginning of 2012 I was poised to be chained to my desk job downtown, while moonlighting as a bicycle advocate.
My biggest dream one year ago was to travel more, and in fact that was the ONLY resolution I made. When I lost my job in March the opportunity came to go to Great Britain for two weeks. This was without a doubt the highlight of my year. The downside of this, when you make only one goal for the year and complete it three months in, everything else pales in comparison. Not to worry. Even though none of my other trips this year were as exciting or expensive they were just as meaningful. In July I flew to my family home in Houston for my birthday. Retreated to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin in October, Jackson, Michigan in November and back to Houston for Christmas. That's a decent amount of stateside travel for one year. Not too shabby.
And obviously I got a new job. Leaving B&R was disappointing in many ways. I felt like I had more to contribute, and that I had been a great asset to the company while I was there. Never the less, leaving was the right thing to do. Nannying has it's own stresses, but is completely absent of the kind of stress you would have in an office. I really have been blessed with a good situation, and I'm very thankful to God and to these families for giving me a sustainable job.
While my job has been going well this year, my personal life has taken a couple hits. This year two of my best friends left Chicago. My roommate of four years Heather, and my best friend from college Samantha. The older you get the harder it is to make friends. It's so natural and easy in college. What they don't tell you is that after college EVERYONE MOVES AWAY! If you choose to stay in the same city you went to school in prepare to have your social circle shrink. This has been happening gradually over the last year and a half. I've had to end some friendships and just let others go. It's important to appreciate the people who appreciate you. Recognize the people who really are your friends, spend time with them, and be open to meeting more people. One of my goals next year is to work on this.
I can't say how important it is to try new things. This year I bit the bullet and finally started watching Doctor Who. It was only a matter of time, but it was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. The best thing you can do, is be true to yourself; read Neil Gaiman, pirate episodes of Game of Thrones, make little Tardis boxes and have the Star Trek communicator clicks as your message notification. Ok, don't pirate GoT, but definitely stream them or DVR them if you can. Among the other new things, I joined my church's softball team. I'm not a sporty girl. My kind of sports are cycling and yoga, stuff that I don't have to do with other people. Softball is probably the most un intimidating team sport there is. And I was surprised to discover how much I loved the team aspect. We cheer each other on, take it easy on noobs like me, and have a couple beers afterward. All around it's a good ole time. The last new thing of 2012, is the blue-kelele. I love it, but it's been a slow start. I'm not good at tuning it, but I do know a few chords.
I have a few resolutions in mind this year:
1. Do things that make me happy
2. Worry less
3. Meet more people, and spend time with the friends who are still here
4. Use money in good ways
5. Find someplace to volunteer
6. Travel as much as I can!
7. Step up my cycling regime, and throw in a core class or Pilates
Maybe I'll get to all of these or maybe not. The point is I want to be good to myself and good to others.
Today I got to see Les Miserables. It was the perfect film to see on New Years. That is the spirit I hope to have with me, that no matter how bad things get we will always have hope.
My biggest dream one year ago was to travel more, and in fact that was the ONLY resolution I made. When I lost my job in March the opportunity came to go to Great Britain for two weeks. This was without a doubt the highlight of my year. The downside of this, when you make only one goal for the year and complete it three months in, everything else pales in comparison. Not to worry. Even though none of my other trips this year were as exciting or expensive they were just as meaningful. In July I flew to my family home in Houston for my birthday. Retreated to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin in October, Jackson, Michigan in November and back to Houston for Christmas. That's a decent amount of stateside travel for one year. Not too shabby.
And obviously I got a new job. Leaving B&R was disappointing in many ways. I felt like I had more to contribute, and that I had been a great asset to the company while I was there. Never the less, leaving was the right thing to do. Nannying has it's own stresses, but is completely absent of the kind of stress you would have in an office. I really have been blessed with a good situation, and I'm very thankful to God and to these families for giving me a sustainable job.
While my job has been going well this year, my personal life has taken a couple hits. This year two of my best friends left Chicago. My roommate of four years Heather, and my best friend from college Samantha. The older you get the harder it is to make friends. It's so natural and easy in college. What they don't tell you is that after college EVERYONE MOVES AWAY! If you choose to stay in the same city you went to school in prepare to have your social circle shrink. This has been happening gradually over the last year and a half. I've had to end some friendships and just let others go. It's important to appreciate the people who appreciate you. Recognize the people who really are your friends, spend time with them, and be open to meeting more people. One of my goals next year is to work on this.
I can't say how important it is to try new things. This year I bit the bullet and finally started watching Doctor Who. It was only a matter of time, but it was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made. The best thing you can do, is be true to yourself; read Neil Gaiman, pirate episodes of Game of Thrones, make little Tardis boxes and have the Star Trek communicator clicks as your message notification. Ok, don't pirate GoT, but definitely stream them or DVR them if you can. Among the other new things, I joined my church's softball team. I'm not a sporty girl. My kind of sports are cycling and yoga, stuff that I don't have to do with other people. Softball is probably the most un intimidating team sport there is. And I was surprised to discover how much I loved the team aspect. We cheer each other on, take it easy on noobs like me, and have a couple beers afterward. All around it's a good ole time. The last new thing of 2012, is the blue-kelele. I love it, but it's been a slow start. I'm not good at tuning it, but I do know a few chords.
I have a few resolutions in mind this year:
1. Do things that make me happy
2. Worry less
3. Meet more people, and spend time with the friends who are still here
4. Use money in good ways
5. Find someplace to volunteer
6. Travel as much as I can!
7. Step up my cycling regime, and throw in a core class or Pilates
Maybe I'll get to all of these or maybe not. The point is I want to be good to myself and good to others.
Today I got to see Les Miserables. It was the perfect film to see on New Years. That is the spirit I hope to have with me, that no matter how bad things get we will always have hope.
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