2012: the do morer year.

It’s a new year.

*sigh*

With a new year comes the obligatory reflection on the year past, and looking back I realize just how tumultuous 2011 was.  There were ups, and there were downs.  Boy, were there downs.  And struggles.  Like when the BF first moved to Charlotte and the struggle I faced in deciding to move away from home.  Then, I struggled to sell my house, struggled to rent my house, and struggled to find a condo to rent.  When I couldn’t sell the house, I struggled with becoming a landlord.  I struggled with the world’s worst movers.  Then, I struggled to plant baby roots in a new city.  I started my new job and struggled with the realization that it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for.  I struggled with the decision to leave that new job for a new-new job.  I struggled to be happy.  Far too much.

Amidst all of that there were also ups, and as I think of them thoughts of my family rush  into my mind with an energetic fury.  Just thinking about them makes my eyes start to water.  I think of deep conversations with my mom over steaming cups of espresso, sitting on the deck with my dad while we slammed Lays potato chips and Lawsons chip dip like we hadn’t eaten in days, long laughter-filled phone calls with my sister, and hand-hugs with my brother.   I love them and I miss them, and I think that makes me love them even more.  Oh, and those watering eyes?  Now I’m sobbing as I type this.  (I know, I am an emotional basketcase.)  And then there’s the BF.  He’s the lucky recipient of my often irrational sometimes irate behavior, and he handles it like Mother Teresa.  And then there’s Charlotte.  The city I love and absolutely adore.  The city I’ve explored by car and by foot, but mostly foot.  And the food.  O.m.g. the food.

Through it all, this blog kept me sane.  It gave me a purpose.  Something to fill every ounce of my free time.  Something to work on, and ponder about, and grow.  It was the key to making new friends in the Queen City and connecting with local restaurants and epicureans alike.  It’s admittedly inconsistent and jumps from place to place and idea to idea.  It’s up and it’s down.  It’s happy and it’s sad.  It’s not always proper.

It’s me.

But enough reflecting already!  It’s time to be in the now, right here, on January 1, 2012.  And what better way to start the new year than with some list-making (in Excel), of course.  My list of hopes for 2012 is growing at a rapid pace.   A few of them are:

  • Find more time to write.
  • Be greener.
  • Save more money.
  • Pay more on my student friggin loans.  *insert dagger throwing here*
  • Find more time for hobbies.
  • Find more time to sit in coffee shops.
  • Be more organized.
  • Do a better job of staying connected with family.
  • Laugh more.

I saw a lot of “mores” and a lot of “er’s” on this list, and from this I came to my 2012 new years resolution:  Relax, Enjoy Life, and Do-Morer.

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8 Comments

  1. what a year! 2011 was big.

    most excellent goals. i like the last one the best! it’s possible that it would be easier to measure your success in achieving all these things if you were more specific (ie: instead of “save more money”, say save X$, or “find more time for hobbies”, say do something hobby related every week, or something, instead of “being more connected to friends/family”, figure out how you want to be more connected – more phone calls? 3 a week! or send real letters in the mail, or whatever you want).

    1. I like it! I do have specific financial goals in my 20-tabbed 2012 annual budget spreadsheet 😉 But setting specific goals for the non-money related items is a great idea!

  2. Wow, What a crazy, exciting year you had Mary! Im so excited for your new new job, more time for super long calls from your sista!
    P.S.You’re not a basket case, I got teary eyed reading it 🙂

  3. Always cheerful Mary has constant struggles? And you have the gift of writing. I started 2012 in a very bad mood because AOL made some updates that affected my Yahoo and Facebook. Jaime’s birthday is today; he’s beginning a new relationship which has promise, and there have been tears here too. Happy 2012 and good luck with the “list”.

  4. happy happy new year! i love reading your postings and you always put a smile on my face! best of luck in fulfilling all your goals dreams and so much more in 2012!! xo

  5. You sure had an event-filled year! I think 2012 is going to be a great one for you! I’m looking forward to May when Jen and I will be in Charlotte again, and to sitting and relaxing with you at Angel Falls. Love you, dear. Dylan, who’s sitting here with me, says “hi!” too.

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