On 2012

So, another year has passed.

When we started approaching the New Year I was thinking about what had changed over the year and wasn't able to come up with much. I have the same job, live in the same place, with the same roommate, hang out with the same general set of friends... however, upon reflection I realized that while in general the things around me are the same, I have had some wonderful, well and not so wonderful, experiences which have helped me grow as a person, a teensy bit.

I got to spend more time in the Great White North - going past the Arctic Circle! This was shortly followed by a trip to Las Vegas where I learned how terrible I am at blackjack. I travelled a lot to the Tdot to help celebrate friends' weddings (and think I was a pretty awesome MOH for my BFF). Had some great car trips to other weddings, and such fun on the dancefloor (Gangnam Style!). I used kick boxing to deal with work stress, and oh yeah, ran (mostly) 2 5K races! While I have yet to conquer my oral exam, my French language skills have much improved. At work, I nearly ran myself ragged but took on a heavy responsibility and think I did a pretty good job of it. I tried to take more time for myself and be a good friend. And I learned a few more painful/awkward, but valuable, lessons about what I'm looking for in a a guy. But I have also created deeper relationships with some amazing people, reconnected with old friends (even in slightly embarassing ways) and have no regrets when I think of 2012.

I really have no idea what kind of post I'll be writing on December 31, 2013. I'm actually pretty likely to be in the same physical space/same job.... or not. I'm starting to think about where I want to be in 3-5 years (post the big 3-0 eek!) and maybe once I have a better handle on those goals, will be taking steps towards them. I could write this from Australia where I hope to visit my dear L. Maybe I won't be hanging out alone, but have someone with me. Who knows.

So far, I have 3 goals for 2013: run a full 5K ALL RUNNING; floss every day (or at least 5/7 days a week) and; don't expend my energy on people who don't deserve it. They're not changes that will dramatically impact my life (I think) but are part of the ongoing plan of being more of an adult and taking care of myself first.

What are your goals for 2013?

Enough is enough

I was tired last night, and when at quarter to midnight I realized I hadn't broken out a post and said 'meh' (and kept reading my silly dragon book), I realized that was a sign from the universe.

I'm not going to finish NaBloPoMo.

And considering I'm pretty sure I blew my test today I am trying to take this as a lesson that I am NOT superwoman. There is a limit to my energy and time, and maybe a weekend trip to Toronto when I should have been cramming wasn't the best idea..... Sometimes I can make things work and sometimes I can't. That should be OK with me but at the moment it's really not.

So I am going to sit here and drink my wine and try to go to bed early and hope that tomorrow is a better day/by some miracle I passed my test and get to recapture my real life.

Sorry for the pause in posts again but I was off having a lovely weekend in Tdot with some of my besties. I was relatively restrained (as I remarked to one friend - it's only because I'm incredibly picky that I'm not amazingly in debt) but found some great stuff and had a wonderful time.

I couldn't help but remark upon several occasions this weekend though that thank goodness for technology. We absolutely relied on cell phones to keep in touch in the giant malls we were trolling through, dropped pins to find our way back to the cars and debate plans that were constantly changing! I also had a 'hallelujah' moment when I finished the really entertaining book I was reading and was able to download the sequel from the Public library's e-reading service almost immediately. Not that I was anti-social, but you need a little something to read through a 4 hour (slightly longer than anticipated too) train ride. It was great to catch up with my friends in person, do some retail therapy and of most importance - start my Christmas shopping!

But tomorrow real life will recommence and it will be almost d-day for my french test - going to try an all french blog tomorrow in preparation!

Packing logic....

... am off for a shopping weekend in Toronto and these are the (dumb, oh so dumb) decisions I make...

... wait to pack until the night before when your brain is bleeding French grammar...
... plan all my outfits around the $7 dollar sunglasses I bought at Ardenes today...
... keep getting distracted from packing by trying to plan my winter vacation...
... or Glee...
... pack a bigger bag than I really need to ensure I have room for purchases at the end of the weekend! (That is a SUPER smart decision btw)

A life worth Simming

In 4th year of university, most of my roommates were addicted to the Sims 2. The Sims 2 was a mega step up from the first iteration as it let you test out couples before you started games, and you could see what kind of children they would likely create together. Thus, we were able, through some subtle adjustments to facial features, able to almost ensure only cute babies. Cute babies, well matched couples in stylish outfits, who lived in houses that I would usually furnish courtesy various cheat codes that got me extra money.... it is unsurprising that for a bunch of girls on the cusp of the end of our undergrads, facing a big scary world, the control inherent in the Sims was comforting.

At times I still wish life was like that. Having my career all mapped out for me, being able to build an addition onto my house whenever necessary, knowing if I'm going to make cute babies with guys I meet.... it's an attractive prospect. The real world can be tough. It's an adventure and the days that I pull it off it feels amazing, but there are still days when the uncertainty is tough.

But maybe I should live my life more like the Sims - make sure I take the time to develop my competencies (logic via chess but for that I hate chess), take the time to work on my friendships (it could advance my career after all) and make sure I sleep enough (overtired Sims absolutely weep, often when I have kept them up for way too long trying to develop their skills to get a promotion faster, ooh that's reflective of my life). But I should probably stop peering at guys' features to try and determine what's recessive and dominant.

3 minutes to spare...

...but I just make it again!

Just home from seeing 'Cloud Atlas' - a touch unwieldy but definitely impressive. Amazing makeup and while the acting was a little over borne at times, it was super cool to see so many roles played by one actor at a time.

We are all bound together. Certainly something to consider.

Bedtime for me!

You are being recorded

You know how most people hate to hear their voice on their own voicemail/other recordings? It's even worse if you have to listen to yourself butcher a second language, as I have spent part of today. I say um, I drop in random English words (wtf?). One week tomorrow to my language test so I have to keep it up.

French studying is made slightly better by watching the always entertaining Tout le Monde en Parle and Le Banquier so back to that, le sigh...