2011, in review

The usual. Annnnddddd, go:

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
After a lot of anticipation, planning and excitement, we traveled with 12 of our favorite people to a different country, the Dominican Republic. There, we said beautiful vows and declared we’d spend our lives together. I’m a wife!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I could have done way better. My goal was to get organized. In some senses, I have. Paperwork sort of lives in the same place, we have a fire safe box on our list of things we need to buy for the condo, we’re likely listing our condo in the spring, we’re paying off debt at a decent pace and I’m throwing things away. However, I did not ever buy a file cabinet, which could have helped tremendously in that New Year’s Resolution. I’ll put that on my 2012 list.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes. Two of my lovely girlfriends both had baby girls a few months ago.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thank God, no. And I pray this year will be the same.

5. What countries did you visit?
Dominican Republic. It does go down as one of the most beautiful places in all of existence. I say so.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you didn’t have in 2011?
I’d really like a house. And we’re ready. We have a lot of memories and elbow grease in this condo, but I think we’re kind of just outgrowing it. We know it’s going to take a lot of work, an investment of time and money to get our condo ready to sell. Again, I think we’re ready. So, if you know anyone who wants to buy a condo….

7. What dates from 2011 will be etched upon your memory, and why?
December 9 will be a day to remember.

8. What was your biggest achievement of this year?
I think I really got on top of all of my stupid debt, as I like to call it. I’ve made a goal of  being debt-free when I turn 30 (except a mortgage), which means my car has to last a couple more years and I have a few things left to get to a zero balance. We’re well on our way.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I should have blogged and/or written more. Being engaged and those months leading up to our wedding were filled with great emotion and memories. It’s one of those times of your life you think you’ll always remember how it feels. Then you get married, which I feel is already starting to trump how great engaged was. So yeah, I just wish I would have written more.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really. It was a healthy year. And I’m praying for another healthy year in 2012.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
There are several. A wedding dress, Jeff’s wedding ring, plane tickets, souvenirs on our trip (even though I was reluctant to buy all those necklaces, it is fun to say, “Oh this? Got it on my honeymoon!”), a new refrigerator (in hindsight) and a lot of coffee.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My best friend’s. This is a cheesy Manda-style answer, but I was so proud of her for trying so many new things on vacation.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
This would be very fun to write about if my blog was anonymous. Mouth shut.

14. Where did most your money go?
Toward our wedding and trip, which I’d say was well worth it.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
In 2011, I think we went out of our comfort zone more than we ever have and invited people over to eat. Yeah, it’s small and all of our rooms are pretty much one, but I think we learned that people don’t really care when there’s good food and drinks to be had. It all works out, even with a lot of people. Each time we’d be anticipating people, I’d be in my happy place. The kitchen buzzin’, beer cracked, something in the oven, the whole nine yards. 

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
There are so many. The interesting thing about break up songs is they translate well to “my friend is dead” songs. Some parts of the heartbreak feel the same I guess. Just about every cheesy song on the radio speaks to me, and I hate it. So there.

Early in the year, I fell in love with the Avett Bros “January Wedding.” And then spend the rest of the year rockin’ out to songs like “Marry You,” Bruno Mars, “Marry Me,” John Mayer, One Republic’s “Good Life,” Widespread Panic’s “Airplane” and Stockholm Syndrome’s “Wisconsin Death Trip.”

But really, the song that has to take the top spot is Jason Mraz’s “Lucky.” We found a part-Spanish version and I walked down the aisle to it.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier, about the same, richer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
As stated earlier, I wish I’d done more writing. This is my year.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I’d like to say worrying. But the thing about it is, I worry about things that are important to me and sometimes it makes me angry at the people who tell me, “Just don’t worry about it,” as if they are dismissing what is important to me. So I don’t know, maybe I need a therapist. I carry a lot of worry with me. Some of it valid, a lot of it not.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Married. That was pretty cool.

21. Did you fall in love with 2011?
Yep.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
“Top Chef” is my go-to. And just recently, we’ve begun “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” which is hilarious.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I think I’m pretty much a hate-free person. I like most people.

24. What was the best book you read?
Ohhh, reading. What’s that?

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Couch tour. It became trendy this year for bands to live-stream their concerts. So, essentially, you grab your friends, some drinks and snacks and you veg out on the couch while listening to a live concert. I, being the lazy and slightly social awkward person I am, would rather be at home in my living room than crushed in between a bunch of unshowered wannabe hippies. Just sayin’.

26. What did you want and get?
I wanted a vacation. A real one. We took one and it was fabulous. So fabulous that we’ve already narrowed choices for our 2012 vacation.

27. What did you want and not get?
I still need to paint my upstairs bathroom. I want that, a lot.

28. What was your favorite film of 2011?
Yeah, right. Funny.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28, that I know.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Planning a wedding brings out the opinions of everyone, even those who don’t think they are giving you their opinions. Since I’m a worrier, hearing everyone’s opinion was really hard on me because even when their next sentence is, “but it’s your wedding, do what you want,” it’s hard not to hear what they want while making your decision. This vicious cycle took up a lot of time and tears in 2011 and I wish I would have learned a better way to deal with it. If I could have dealt with it all better, I think I could have been more at peace with my decisions.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2010?
Lots of dresses.

32. What kept you sane?
Living only five minutes from my job has been really good for me. I’m thankful for the life-change that made it possible.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?
Gahh.

34. Who did you miss?
Beck.

35. Who was the best new person you met?
The co-workers that came along with my job in May are pretty awesome.

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
It’s about the marriage, not the wedding. Even though I loved every ounce of our wedding, I reminded myself of this frequently in 2011 while we were planning. I think we started our marriage at a great point in our lives and I think we both have a vast amount of knowledge and tools, which will aid in keeping us strong and making us work.

37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
“You wear while and I’ll wear out the words, “I love you” and “You’re beautiful.” Because. I. Can.

Last year’s entry.

 

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