…but there’s a love in all our souls, and it shines like gold. 

Of course it wouldn’t be the end of another year without a year in review. Well, it’s been quite a year. I cannot remember ever saying, “man I can’t wait until this year ends to start over” etc. Perhaps this year I might just feel that way. Clearly things weren’t that bad because I’m still here, have a roof over my head and have a lot of love to support me. It’s just, this might have been the only “off” year I’ve had to date, so I’ve had a good 25 year run. 

This past new year’s eve, eve late that night I had a ridiculous case of food poisoning, a kind of sick I had’t experienced since I was a little kid. It was miserable. I was finally able to hold down water by about 5pm on new years eve, needless to say my holiday ringing in the new year was quite miserable. I’m not saying you have to be three sheets to the wind by midnight to qualify a good time, but it’s helps. So I joke that my sick new year’s eve set the tone for my year.

I did celebrate my 25th birthday in April which was a blast. I had the best group of friends there to celebrate my whimsical carnival theme bash. Anyone who knows me well knows birthdays are my favorite thing in the whole world, so I figured I’d go all out for the notable 25th. I spent half my tax return making it special, and I’m glad I did. 

There was lots of summer fun but then there were some bumps in the road. First, I was laid off from my job. Which wasn’t a total surprise but it still was a major bummer and has been sort of a struggle financially. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? Then, Hurricane Irrene came through and flooded our basement. Enough to ruin practically everything down there. Sadly a lot of my college stuff was down there and completely ruined Rider memories and pictures from my travels to Italy and London. Which after a day or two I realized it’s just “stuff” and now I just have to go back to these fabulous countries again and make new memories. Then we had a fire in my kitchen during the flood clean-up. My dad was a hero and practically saved the house from burning down, at the expense of 2nd and 3rd degree burns on his hand. But all is well now, my dad’s hand has healed and the kitchen has been restored to normalcy. It was a crazy three weeks of living at my boyfriend’s house living out of bag between the flood, a fire and toxic mold. 

With the bad is always the good. It put a lot of things in perspective for me, I realized how amazing some of my friends are. I was overwhelmed with love and support from the people that mattered. From friends helping my parents sift through wet garbage in the basement to friends letting me do laundry at their house. I have never been so thankful for the little things in life.

Lastly there was grad school. This journey has been trying, yet highly inspiring. This semester I spent 11 straight weeks at the library, and at least two days a week spending between 5-8 hours there. Hard work pays off in the end as the thesis committee loved my proposal and are excited to see the end result in the spring. I couldn’t believe it, it was like a best case scenario dream sequence. Although it’s been a crazy ride, I’m so glad that I’ve shown myself what I’m capable of.

It’s just been an interesting year, and all I know is I’ve never felt more alive and loved until the end of this year. Trying to consistently be in the positive, and nothing can stop me. I’m so grateful at the end of the year to at least say I have fantastic friends, amazing family and a wonderful and loving boyfriend by my side.

2012 has her work cut out for her, but I think she’ll be good.