It's a doozy
"Every saint has a past; every sinner has a future"
- Oscar Wilde
For my own purposes, this post will be a bit long. Feel free to enjoy, skip or scorn (to yourself). Also, this post will be unusually positive as I have had a very good holiday. I feel positive, or more so than usual, and, just as in times of great ineptness, I have to get this out. Feel free to enjoy, skip or scorn (to yourself).
RINGING IN THE 2013
New Year’s Eve and Day were the best they have been in a long time. I took a three-day weekend to enjoy my holiday. I found myself at Finn McCool’s on New Year’s Eve about 7:30 with Melanie, Melissa, a few of their friends, Chris (for about an hour), later Victoria Le (for a glorious 10 minutes), Natalie. And later arrived Louis and Annie (Louisiannie as it were later discussed) and Ally and Shay.
The hours ran short as the amusement ran high. We met an assortment of international revelers, from South Africa to Eastern Europe (homeless and Hungary). We met a few Texans partying far from home, and I even found myself in a midnight kiss with a charming out-of-towner. I stayed until right after 4 in the morning shuffling off with the last of my compadres.
New Year’s Day came with a slight hangover, not so much from inebriation but more from the overstimulation of the evening and a wish to sleep much later than the morning would allow. Chris was kind enough to let me stay the night (wee morning hours) and in his hospitality, shared breakfast, a few laughs and insights into the departing and incoming years.
I left for Abita Springs, Natalie and Rita in tow, for a day of black-eyed peas, cabbage and ham, family and enough Apples to Apples to keep me off it for a while.
I know not if good fortune is in store for this new year, but for me, it got off to a memorable start (if only I had a good memory).
MOVING FORWARD
In reflection of the beginning of 2012, I was not in a great place. I was depressed and felt stranded with few possibilities for my future. I was in a city of wanting, and in a state of wanting, too. I made little friends, and I spent too much time watching TV. The city of Texas City was remote to say the least. And my nights-and-weekends schedule did not aid in the scarcity of opportunities to socialize.
It wasn't a complete waste of time, though. I met some very interesting people who made an imprint on me through work or random bar visits. And I have come to a point in my life when I feel a certain amount of self reliance, confidence in my abilities and more secure in my tastes of things such as music, movies and adventures. Most importantly, I feel a certain amount of openness and ease within my relationships with my family, friends and even strangers. I feel more ready to be myself and able to accept that differences do not mean wrong and right.
2012 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
As for my accomplishments in 2012, I wanted to put my resume out in order to get a job either closer to home or in a big city. In this, I accomplished a bit of a compromise. Baton Rouge is not entirely ideal, but I have a great job at a regional newspaper with better pay and I have the ability to visit Abita, Hammond and New Orleans much easier. Although I still work only nights and weekends, I still find a good amount of opportunities to see friends and family and meet new people. And Baton Rouge itself is not without merit. I find this place has a lot of potential for activity and I get to spend more time with my sister.
I also wrote that I wanted to learn how to play the guitar. I have picked up the guitar a few times, but I find it very difficult to learn. Rather than accept that as a failure, I choose to look at it as “Challenge Accepted!”
In 2012, I wrote I would probably not get a cat, and I didn’t. I will more than likely continue that tradition. Maybe I’ll get something much less low maintenance, like a plant. But I doubt that. I also wrote I would join a gym, and I did, but I haven’t yet since I’ve been in Baton Rouge. I am debating whether I want to do that now.
I did join a roller derby rec group. That has been rewarding, and I thank Ally for encouraging me to do that.
2013 GOALS
My goals for 2013 or a bit of a repeat from 2011.
- Cook more using recipes I have never used
- Take some sort of class, whether it be art, marshal arts or computer design
- Join a meetup group or book group
- Learn to surf
- Go to Italy
- Balance spending (hmm)
IN REFLECTION QUESTIONNAIRE
Stolen, of course
1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before? Kissed a stranger for New Year’s at midnight.
2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I think so. 2013 Resolution: Be a better person, volunteer and keep negative comments to myself (we’ll see).
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? My friend Elizabeth had her second child.
4. Did anyone close to you die? My grandmother
5. What places did you visit? No where too far away. Lafayette, a couple times. Once with Natalie for dinner at the Blue Dog Café and French rock at the Blue Moon Saloon. And I went with Kaley and Cheri for indoor rock climbing on my birthday. I visited the space center in houston with Melanie. I visited Ikea with Chris. I traveled to Chicago, although it was not under great circumstances.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012? A sense of direction and a working computer
7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The day my grandmother passed away
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Living on my own.
9. What was your biggest failure? Being able to stay away from Louisiana :P
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? No.
11. What was the best thing you bought? I guess the tv, but it might also be moving boxes.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? One of my cousins got engaged
13. Whose behavior made you appalled, depressed, angry, etc.? A couple of people I worked with at my last job and one of my cousin’s went back to jail.
14. Where did most of your money go? Driving back and forth between Texas and Louisiana.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My job interview with the Advocate
16. What songs will always remind you of 2012? I honestly do not remember in which years music came out. But new music I liked included: Someone that I used to Know; Nice to Be Alive, Ball Park Music; Radioactive, Imagine Dragons; Put the Gun Down, ZZ Ward. My favorite artists of the year were Queens of the Stone Age, Muse, Matt and Kim, Black Keys and Mumford and Sons.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter or about the same.
iii. richer or poorer? about the same
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Eat better.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Watch tv.
20. How did you spend Christmas? I spent the day at my parents’ house with my family.
21. Did you fall in love in 2012? Nope.
22. What would you do if you met yourself? Become a hand twin model
23. What was your favorite TV program? HIMYM, Once upon a time, Psych, New Girl, etc
24. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn't dislike this time last year? Yes.
25. What was the best book you read? I had to reread the Harry Potter series to flush out reading half of Fifty Shades of Grey.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? That I have no talent
27. What did you want and get? A new job and location
28. What did you want and not get? A new computer
29. What was your favorite film of this year? The Avengers
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Indoor rock climbing, ate dinner with my family. 31 and a half
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Truthfully, a significant other, whether that would have been a boyfriend or just a close friend in Texas.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012? waning
33. What kept you sane? Movies
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most?
35. What issue in the news stirred you the most? The shooting of the children at the school in Connecticut.
36. Who/What did you miss? There is a part of me that misses the past.
37. Who was the best new person you met/got to know? A photog named Jennifer at The Daily News
38. What concerts/performances did you attend? A ballet
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012: Good or bad, nothing is forevor.
40. What quote sums up your year?: "Play it Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By.'"