New Year's 2013

1.  What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?

Started nursing school (Welcome to Yale, this is a bedpan.)
Fell in love with a boy.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?  

I try to operate under the philosophy that I don't have goals that depend on a start date of January 1st in order to be accomplished.  But some things I want to accomplish for this year include: keep running, keep doing well in school, pass the NCLEX and become an RN, and keep working on moving through "the tiny gigantic revolution wherein you move from loathing to loving your own skin." (Paraphrased from Tiny Beautiful Things, by Cheryl Strayed).

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Well, we weren't super close, so this is a stretch, but a first-year midwifery student friend of mine had a son in December and named him Jasper.  He is a bucket of cute and I want to squeeze him.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, but there but for the grace of God go I.  Tragedies abounded in 2012 and the victims and families are not forgotten.

5. What countries did you visit?

Puerto Rico is technically part of the US, but I'm still throwing it in here because yeah.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?

Despite huge (enormous) improvements in life in 2012, I think that something that was still lacking was any sort of rooted sense of self-confidence.  Not the kind that makes girls take duck-face photos in bathroom mirrors and post them everywhere.  The kind that allows me to stop wasting time feeling like, I can't do nursing school, or I can't run a half-marathon so why bother, because okay, yes I can.

7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

February 29th - got accepted to Yale

early April - found out my dad had cancer

June 29th - said goodbye to my sweet nanny girls

August 1st - moved to New Haven

August 26th - the boy and I went on our first date

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Far and away, finishing my first semester of nursing school still intact, and ready for more.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Leaving yet another nanny family behind.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Bad stomach flu in May, and some sore hip flexors in October but that was IT!  Knocking on wood right now for nothing else.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Probably my stethoscope.  It'll be with me for decades to come.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

The boy's, my mother's and father's (always).

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

H. and I had our moments this fall.  And some of the doctors at the hospital could use a talking-to.

14. Where did most of your money go?

YALE TAKES ALL OF MY MONEY.  ALL OF IT.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Getting accepted into Yale, moving into our sweet little New Haven house, falling in love again.

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?

Hard Way Home, by Brandi Carlile.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder?

Happier.  Hands down.

b) thinner or fatter?

Fatter.  Moving on.

c) richer or poorer?

Poorer!  Didn't think that was possible.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Running.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

I'm convinced that Twitter, Buzzfeed, Pinterest, and even Facebook to a certain extent are sucking the life-blood slowly from our nation.  Let's fight back!

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With my wonderful parents, sister, two brothers, and the one brother's new wife and step-son at my parents' house by the lake.

21. Did you fall in love in 2012?

I did indeed.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

I watched very little TV this year!  But the Olympics were awesome, I thoroughly enjoyed them.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Hate is not only an awfully strong word, it's an incredibly imprecise one at that.  I ache for the perpetrators of this year's tragedies but as for my personal circle of people, no, I do not hate anyone one bit.

24. What was the best book you read?

Impossible to pick.  The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh was incredible.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

The Lumineers, The Head and the Heart, Of Monsters and Men

26. What did you want and get?

Always, another year to grow into something better.  Bonuses: the path to my future career, the chance to fall in love again, and another year with the people I love the most.

27. What did you want and not get?

Can't I just be [blank] weight and eat sometimes and not be hungry but also not throw up, ever, and food be normal and exercise be normal and I be the size I used to be?  No?!

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

H. and I had a grand time seeing Pitch Perfect. 

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 24, and it was low-key and a little depressing.  But my nanny family made me a card and we ate cake, and the ball of terror called Lucy (or Lucifer) rounded out the week.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

I feel awful saying money.  But.  I have never before been in a situation where I lay awake at night and worry about being evicted.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?

Scrubs.  Sweats.  Running clothes.

32. What kept you sane?

The boy.  Running.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I was uber-pumped that Obama won the election.  I mean, obviously, right?

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Access to healthcare

35. Who did you miss?

I missed Alix, for a little bit.  Then I missed my nanny girls, desperately.  I miss my parents, always.  I even missed H., as we would go for days without seeing each other this fall.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

The boy, without a doubt.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.

The small things you do with love and compassion add up to the biggest things of all.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Cause though the truth may vary

This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore.

Long post!  Congrats if you got through it all!

Here's to a happy, healthy 2013 for us all!