My Year in Retrospect

2013 has been one hell of a year.  I fell in love, had my heart broken, met some new friends, lost old friends, re-kindled friendships, lost some loved ones.  I traveled to Orlando, Chicago, NYC, Oshkosh, Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Columbus, Bloomington, Philadelphia, and northern New Jersey.  I ran my second marathon.  I decided to do bikram yoga three times a week.  I discovered I like to push my body to extreme physical limits.  I took the LSAT.  I also like to push my brain to extreme physical limits. I saw a lot of live theater: Les Miserables (twice), The Book of Mormon, Urinetown, The Old Man and the Old Moon, Wicked, Hamlet, and The Sound of Music.  I fell in love with Radiolab.  I then saw Jad and Robert live.  I discovered The Pigpen Theatre Co. I saw them live as a band, and as a theatre company.  I continued the tradition of seeing City and Colour live anytime they come to Milwaukee.  I saw Mumford & Sons.  I relished in afternoon impromptu dance parties and many hours spent at Camp.  I took a cooking class on the history of chocolate.  I listened to a woman perform feminist post-apocalyptic poetry. I spent many hours at Drag Queen Bingo. I sang to the ukulele on an outdoor patio. I witnessed a surprise engagement.  I was told of many exciting upcoming events in friends' lives including but not limited to: pregnancies, engagements, and returning to school for advanced degrees. I saw the Hunger Games, twice.  I introduced many a person to Thrift Shop.  I rummaged many rummage sales.  I watched the sun set on Lake Michigan.  I biked around Milwaukee and NYC.  I spent hours swimming under the stars.  I played in a summer beach volleyball league.  I danced on a rooftop in the East Village.  I was introduced to the silliness and awesomeness of Dave & Busters.  I was given too many hugs to count by a little girl who calls me Nenny.  I spent every summer Tuesday night I could at Chill on the Hill. I made countless phone calls to my mother crying when I was stressed and needed someone to talk to.  I discovered espresso and how it really keeps me awake.  I re-discovered my love for soul.  I ate lots of small plate dishes with great friends.  I discovered anyone important in my life likes David Bowie and/or Labyrinth. I listened to a lot of live jazz.  I rode in a taxi with a man named Saul who played Shakira videos to his passengers.  I danced to the entire film of the Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense. I saw the best American contemporary art.  I relished in Thomas Sulley's The Torn Hat. I led 800 college freshman in a dance during their orientation.  I didn't cut my hair for 6 months. I sunbathed in Lake Park. I watched the Brewers play.  I ventured to Northwestern to see my Broncos play.  I cheered on my Buckeyes in the presence of the Golden Eagles.  I drove in a couple blizzards.  I ate a lot of pints of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream. I completed a 1,000 piece puzzle.  I attended toddler music classes with my best friend and her daughter.  I helped start a junior astronomy club.  I spent some hours as a receptionist for the Urban Ecology Center.  I listened to Janet Jackson's Number Ones on repeat.  I was introduced to the show GIRLS.  I ate lots of Benji's.  I went on a tour de Midwest road trip, solo.  I snuck on a rooftop at Columbia.  I read Joyce's The Dead.  I took a nap almost every Sunday.

This is a snapshot of my 2013.  It is full of moments. Moments that I can't re-create and moments I can't take back.  Moments that taught me how to feel.  Moments that made me laugh.  Moments that changed me.  Moments that made me stronger.  2013 wasn't the easiest year of my life.  But, it was an important one.  So, thanks 2013.  I am appreciative of these moments and am looking forward to the moments of 2014.  I have a feeling it's gong to be a great year full of many blessings.  Who knows what it will bring and I can't wait to live in those moments.