On 2011; Begin 2012

2011
1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
A lot of things! I gave 2 big recitals, I graduated college, I got married, I went on a cruise, I’m paying my own bills, I wasn’t with my parents on Christmas Eve…

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I think so! I finally stopped biting my nails, and that’s been a resolution of mine for the last 8 or 9 years. I wanted to start taking photos for money, and I have. I also wanted to be happy, and I have for sure succeeded at that.
I haven’t made any real “resolutions” for this coming year. We’ll see if any come into being on their own.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My brother! Nephew Kentaro was born last January, which means he is almost a year old. I love him.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. Thank goodness.

5. What countries did you visit?
Roatan, Cozumel, Belize, Grand Cayman. Honeymoon cruise ftw!

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
More consistent marketing plans for LKP; a better clientele; for one of us to have a job that pays less terribly.

7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 31. Of course.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting married. Also, graduating from college. But getting married.

9. What was your biggest failure?
None that are big enough to remember. Yay!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not more than the usual cold.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A lot of nail polish. 🙂 I received a new lens for Christmas that I totally adore (see: all of the pictures in this entry) but I don’t know if that counts.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Ryan treats me like a queen. Constantly.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I had a couple near falling outs with a friend, but we’re past it.

14. Where did most of your money go?
The wedding. So much money to the wedding.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
How many times can I mention getting married in this survey?

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
Ben Folds – Gracie. Ingrid Michaelson – You & I. And yes, you guessed it: they were both songs I danced to at my wedding.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? Happier. And much less stressed.
– richer or poorer? I’m making more money but I’m spending it all, too!
– thinner or fatter? Exactly the same.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Yoga. I stopped having the money to go to sessions, and I stopped doing it on my own, too.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Sitting on the couch.

20. How did you spend the holidays?
Driving across the state and spending time with both of my families.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
I stayed in love. It’s the best love.

22. How many one-night stands?
Ha. Haha. You don’t know me very well, do you?

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Hm. Big Bang Theory? Psych? Inuyasha?

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nope. I’m not energetic enough to hate for longer than 10 seconds at a time.

25. What was the best book you read?
The Hunger Games. Also, Battle Royale, which is pretty much the same book but Japanese. A couple books by Nick Hornby. Tokyo vice. I read a lot of books (thank you, Kindle!) but those are the ones that stuck with me so apparently they win.

26. What was your favorite film of this year?
Harry Potter 7:2! Ahhhhhhh

27. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Plain shirts + skirts. Summer = flats; fall/winter = tights/skinny jeans & boots.

28 Who did you miss?
1: Kristin & Shannon. The three of us all got to hang out this last year because of the wedding, and it was a reminder of how amazing it used to be for the three of us to get together all the time. Now Shannon is in Nola & Kristin is in NYC. I miss them both a lot.
2: Logan & Tom. They moved almost exactly a year ago. Now they’re moving from Cali to Portland, and we are seriously considering moving there this summer. We facetime a lot. We’ve even watched tv shows together over facetime, just sitting there and not doing a lot, like we would in real life. It’s sort of wonderful.

29. Who was the best new person you met?
Not a new-new person, but finally meeting Brittany was pretty damn worthy of the title “best,” I’d say!

30. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
Love is not about what you do or do not deserve, it is about how much you are willing & able to give & receive.
I am not a very strong person, but I have the most amazing support system. Without my parents & my husband, I would never have found the strength to do half of the things I have.
Love is all that matters.

2012
1. Any big plans for 2012?
Not yet. I intend to make my photography business a lot more successful, and we are considering moving out of Kansas, but other than that… After last year, it’s hard to consider anything being really life changing right now!

2. What do you expect to have achieved most by the end of 2012?
I hope that Ryan & I continue to cuddle & laugh & fight & make up & kiss & love just like we do now.
I hope that I am more confident in myself, as a teacher, photographer, wife, and person.
I hope that I restart a yoga practice; I can feel my body starting to get old and unflexible, and I hate it.
Mostly, I just hope to be a truly happy person. That’s been one of my goals for the last 2 years and I can really see the change that has made in my outlook. It’s amazing.

3. What will you do in 2012 that you never did in 2011?
I won’t be in school at all for the first time since I was 4. That’s insane to me. I will be married for the entire year. I might live somewhere other than Kansas. I will be a business owner.

4. What are 3 words you would use to describe 2011?
Busy, warm, happy

5. What are 3 words you hope to use to describe 2012, this time next year?
Happy, wonderful, love-filled