Cheers to 2014!

 I'm about 9 days late, but Happy New Year!

I did it big for New Year's 2013 by going to a big party in downtown Houston with a fun group of friends. 

Open bar, taco buffet after midnight, dancing like a idiot, and a disco ball dress [courtesy of Rent the Runway- such a great company]..what more could I ask for?

Adieu to what I shall deem the busiest year ever

2013 by the numbers:

2 bouquets caught

3 bachelorette parties
5 continents

7 business trips

9 countries

10 weddings

33 weekends spent NOT in Houston

It was a year of travel and a year of weddings...and sometimes traveling for weddings.

I was busy, exhausted, broke financially challenged, and loved every second of it.

In a year where I lived out of my suitcase more than my closet, I feel like I really started to come into my own. This year, more than any other, I feel like I've embraced who I am and really owned it.

With a giant move coming in March, I'm glad that 2013 was spent celebrating so many friends and making such lasting memories.

2014...expat life in Australia. Let's do this!

Toodles, 2012

What can I say, 2012 was...interesting.

I traveled...a lot.

I went to concerts...a lot.

I both cried and laughed...a lot.

There were endings and new beginnings in both my personal and professional life. 

Most of all, I think I finally learned to embrace the here and now and just live in the moment. A dear friend told me that we are in the prime of our lives, and we better damn well enjoy it. So enjoy it I did.

 THE TRAVELS

 

THE CONSTANT OPPORTUNITIES TO DRESS UP

CELEBRATING ENGAGEMENTS AND WEDDINGS

  

  

  

AND ALL THE OTHER GOOD TIMES IN BETWEEN

 

 

  

 

I think 2013 will be pretty kickass, as there's a lot to look forward to...

Another trip to Australia and about 500 weddings [all good friends, so I'm quite excited about these]. And maaaybe some big changes around here.

Whatever 2013 has in store, I'm ready!

Happy 2012!!

Can you believe it's 2012?!

Since this is coming from the land of scheduled posts, I will have already celebrated New Years in London. 

I hope I didn't freeze to death! 

Here's to a beautiful 2012 for all of us!!

New Years hugs and kisses!

The new year is upon us!

2011, we're ready for an adventure!

2011...Bring it

I have been internally debating [because it's such a huge deal, ya know] whether or not I should do a "top moments of 2010" or "year in review" post to commemorate the New Year.

I decided to go with...No.

Honestly, I just could not come up with enough fabulous and exciting material to thrill you all with. Plus, after reading Naomi's year in review over at Rockstar Diaries, I realized that she will put any other New Years post to great shame.

Instead, I am choosing to reflect on how far I've come since the beginning of this year because 2010 was a giant rollercoaster of emotions and uncertainty.

In January, I was a jobless college graduate living with my parents and feeling like an absolute failure. I'm a planner and a dreamer, and that was NOT how I envisioned by life. I had to stand by as my best friends all got jobs and Aaron was being his usual impressive self. I was low as low can be.

At the end of the month I got a job in College Station basically being a glorified secretary. Once again, not how I planned things for myself, but it was a job! Being in a college town, with a college boyfriend, but not being a college student myself was...interesting. I think it caused me to revert back to age 21. This time was probably hardest on my relationship with the ginger.

Fast forward to October, when I finally got a job in Houston that had "marketing" in the title.

So that's where I am now. Houstonite. Apartment dweller. Employee of a ridiculously large company. Payer of all bills. Cat mother. Girlfriend.

I'm still a planner and a dreamer. This can be both a good and a bad thing. The planner in me says that I'm almost on track. I'm almost there. Do I absolutely love my job? No. Is it a good job? Yes. It can lead to other possibilities, so I am thankful for this.

The dreamer in me is confused. She doesn't understand why she's here. In this city. In this job. Why isn't she having that amazing adventure she always planned on? Always counted on. Some time ago, the always lovely and eloquent Meg [Meg, I am almost certain it was you but apologies if I'm randomly crediting this to you when it was not!] had a quote on her blog that upon reading, felt like I had been hit over my head with a ton of bricks:

sometimes i can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives i'm not living

-jonathan safran foer

 

That says it all. Does anyone else ever feel like that? Like you're just not QUITE where you're supposed to be, and you yearn for all the things you COULD be doing?

 

 

Sorry y'all, I've done it again and gone all emotastic. New Years posts are supposed to be encouraging and spunky and fun! I apologize for whatever the hell mine turned into.

 

REGARDLESS. I have fine expectations for 2011.

Getting to know Houston better. Making my apartment a home. Learning to enjoy my job. Or perhaps getting a completely different job [one never knows]. Spending more time with my friends. Finally learning how to use my camera. A BOYFRIEND WHO WILL FINALLY GRADUATE. A trip to Europe with said boyfriend. My maiden voyage to Las Vegas with friends who will make the trip unforgettable. The impending marriage of one of my besties [Ronnie...I'm counting on 11/11/11 :)]

 

Doing FABULOUS things.

 

So here's to 2011, my friends!

 

I sincerely hope it is one of the best for all of us.