Hello and Goodbye: A 2015 Appreciation Post
7:55 PMI've officially had this blog for over a year! That's quite exciting for me, someone who is notorious for starting blogs and then forgetting about them. There have definitely been lapses with this little blog over the past 12 months, but here I am, 2016 right around the corner, and I'm still writing (even if it is slightly infrequently).
At the risk of sounding quite cliche, 2015 seems to have flown by and yet also seems to have been around forever. It's part of being young, I think. I'm still changing and maturing and finding my place in this world. Therefore, I'm quite a different person at the end of the year than the person I was at the start. In that respect, last January seems so far off. However, I'm also only 23 years old. I can remember things so vividly that it also doesn't seem that long gone. It just depends on how I'm reflecting on the year for how short or long it feels.
A pessimist trying to be an optimist, I find that reflecting on what's good in my life helps me to be more positive about the present and future. So, as one year comes to a close and another one begins, I want to reflect on and say goodbye to the wonderful moments and experiences that marked my 2015. Therefore, I'll step into 2016 with confidence, excitement, and preparation to create more great memories.
In February, I took a potentially stupid and dangerous risk that totally paid off. I got invited by someone I didn't know to see one of my favorite musicians perform at someone's house. Now, I'd normally never(!!!) recommend this, but I got the show verified by the musician and his management and brought a friend along. And I, therefore, got to see Greg Holden (the musician) perform in a very small venue and got to chat with him and his band afterwards.
There are few things I love more than snow. In February, I got to see some (even if it was a tiny amount with a lot of ice on top). It melted quickly, but it still was wonderful to see.
A good friend of mine moved away in March to teach in Thailand for 8 months. Saying goodbye to her was quite difficult because she means a lot to me and because the number of friends moving out of my current city seems to be continually rising. However, she had a blast in Thailand and traveling to other countries. She's now safely back in the USA and returned earlier this month to live in my city again.
One of my dearest college friends now lives two and a half hours away. She came to visit twice this year (in April and August) and it's always a lot of fun.
There are quite a lot of festivals and street fairs put on in my city. I'd lived there for 5 years and never been to one until this year when I went to River Fest in the spring.
I went to see Greg Holden perform again in May. This time was at an actual venue and he was the opening act for a lovely band I'd previously never heard of called Delta Rae. The concert was amazing, Delta Rae totally won me over, and Greg and Alex remembered me by name when I saw them after the show.
I learned to just be friends with a guy who hurt me in 2014. He was a friend before he hurt me and, while it took me some time to heal, we're friends again.
I read some life-changing books this year. I'm an avid reader and read a lot of great books every year. Two that really impacted me were Wild and Tiny, Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. That woman is wonderful and became one of my heroes this year.
My family goes to the same beach multiple times a year. I hardly ever go with them. This summer for July 4th, I actually went to the beach with my family for a week. It was a relaxing, wonderful weekend.
I put myself out there a lot more this year. I took chances, tried for opportunities, made steps to better my life. A lot of these chances didn't work out. I didn't achieve a lot of the things I'd wanted to achieve. But I tried and I know I tried my hardest, and I'm proud of that. Hopefully this motivation that began in 2015 will pay off in 2016.
One of the chances I took in 2015 was to reach out to someone I admire: Carmin Black, the founder of Half United. The advice she gave and kindness she showed really left an impact. I also got the opportunity to intern/volunteer with the company a bit during July. I learned a lot and got to work with a lot of things that pushed me out of my comfort zone.
Two other chances this year paid off... sorta. I got opportunities to move to both New York City and Los Angeles. Unfortunately, I had to turn them both down for financial reasons. Even though I couldn't take these opportunities, I was very excited and honored to be given them.
I turned 23 this year. Even better, a guy I've totally had a pathetic, little schoolgirl crush on for the past three years asked me out on my birthday. We went on a few dates, but things didn't progress from there. That's okay, though. Getting out asked in the first place was a great confidence booster and made my birthday a bit more memorable.
One of my best friends got married and I was blessed enough to be asked to be in attendance to witness it.
Reunions are always nice, and I had one of the best I've ever had this year. A friend and I have basically lived on opposite sides of the country for the past five years. In a wonderful coincidence, we were in our hometown at the same time this past summer and were able to catch up over drinks. It was wonderful to see him again and I was happy to see how easily we slipped back into our friendship.
Katie, my roommate of the past three years, moved out in July. I was sad to see her go. When she left, it also caused me a great deal of anxiety trying to find a new roommate. At the end of August, Heather moved in. Things have been honestly wonderful since for the three of us that live there.
Another dear friend got married this past September. It was a beautiful wedding in Hilton Head, South Carolina. It was only my second time in the state (and the first time was barely over the border). In addition to being an enjoyable wedding, it brought all of my high school friends back together again, something that is quite rare now.
I saw Greg Holden perform again in October. He was again the opening act for another band. After he played his set at this show, he stood at the back of the venue before the main band. I went to say hello. He remembered me yet again and I actually just talked with him and his band for the entirety of the main band's set. Being on a such a friendly basis with a musician I really respect is pretty cool. Thanks for that, 2015.
I kept with tradition and went to the state fair with friends. It was a smaller group than last year, but we still had a lot of fun and ate too much fried food.
My job responsibilities doubled this year due to the loss of a fellow employee that did a lot of similar tasks. I was very apprehensive of my ability to handle it all. It definitely stressed me out sometimes, but I learned to balance it and have tried to remain as positive as I can even when my to-do list seems never-ending.
I got to see a (dead) great white shark in real life! They're one of my favorite animals and I've always wanted to see one. While I'd still love to go cage diving to see one alive, it was pretty cool to see one in person this year, even if it was dead.
I'd enjoyed Delta Rae's music so much in May that I went and saw them again just a few weeks ago. This show was a bit more intimate and acoustic. I also went to the concert with my friend Hannah, who moved away a couple years ago and I no longer see very frequently. The show was fantastic. Seeing Hannah was fantastic. I couldn't pick which I enjoyed more.
My roommates and I celebrated Christmas in our little townhouse, exchanging gifts and chatting around the Christmas tree. Everyone was very excited by the gifts we'd given each other, and it reminded me how much I loved living with the two girls I do.
While home for Christmas, some high school friends and I went out for drinks in our small town. It ended up being a bit of a motley crew and I was unsure how the night would actually play out. However, everyone got along really well and it was one of the best nights I'd had in awhile.
The last thing that made 2015 memorable hasn't actually happened. It's happening tomorrow. I've been wanting to see The Book of Mormon (the musical) for years. I even had tickets a few years ago, but I'd had to give them up when I got sick days before the show. However, I'm finally seeing it tomorrow night with my sister. My parents gave me tickets for Christmas and I'm so excited. Even though it hasn't happened yet, I know it'll be a great, ending memorable event for 2015.
2015 was another good year, even if it wasn't exactly what I expected and didn't give me everything I wanted. Bring it on, 2016.
2015 was another good year, even if it wasn't exactly what I expected and didn't give me everything I wanted. Bring it on, 2016.
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