2013

And the year is over. Just like that.

365 days have just whooshed by in the form of twelve months and four seasons. Wasn't it yesterday that we were just talking about how we couldn't believe that it was going to be 2013 already? And here we are, it's already a full year later. I must be getting old.

Well, bring out the champagne!

Since I never put up that personal post I promised, here is a quick overview of things that happened to me over the past year. Bear with me, I'll try to make it entertaining:

*Queue lighthearted uplifting music*

- Rang in 2013 in Kyoto, Japan.

- Met my best friend Fletcher in person for the first time. And his lesbian husband, Heather.

- Started going regularly to the gym.

- Turned 23.

- Broke a few hearts. Sorry.

- Got my fifth tattoo.

- Got way too drunk and broke my laptop.

- Swore off tequila.

- Got a new laptop.

- Walked the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time with Kate.

- Spent way too much time at the Met. (Not actually possible)

- Spent way too much time at the MoMA. (Also not possible)

- Became a regular at McSorley's.
- Met my pianist/brother/son Steve. Pivotal.

- Became acquainted with Katz's Deli.

- Went to an Edward Hopper exhibit at the Whitney and fangirled over Nighthawks.

- Started going to my friend's live gigs.

- Formed a band.

- Started playing the guitar to quit smoking.

- Quit smoking. 

- Saw RAC with Emiko at a Two Door Cinema Concert.

- Discovered St. Lucia with Emiko at a Two Door Cinema Concert.

- Saw Two Door Cinema Club with Emiko.

- Bought tickets to see St. Lucia on their Headline Tour in January 2014.

- Started developing my own prints.

- Did I mention McSorley's?

- Saw a Banksy piece in person.

- Made some clay sculptures.

- Took the GREs. (Ew)

- Went to a few awesome house parties with beautiful friends. (Definitely not ew)

- Fully enjoyed Thanksgiving. (Thanks, Regina and family!)

- Twice. (Thanks, Jesus and family!)

- Spent most of my free time and money on photo developing and equipment.

- Spent the rest of my free time and money on eating and drinking with these two.

- Played my first real gig.

- Sold my violin.

- Bought my first guitar.

- Traveled to Angkor Wat, Cambodia with my family. (Minus dad, who had work)

- Successfully finished the last blog post of 2013.

In short, I had a pretty decent year, and I am more than thankful for all the incredible people I've met along the way and all the friends and family who have stuck by me through all of it. I couldn't have done it without you guys. Thank you all for the many experiences, thanks for putting up with all the many, many different sides of me.

To those friends who are no longer as in my life as I would like them to be: I miss you all terribly, and I promise I will work harder to keep you in my life.

Now I go back to furiously procrastinating to avoid thinking about the multiple grad school applications I should be working on along with the GRE prep work - yes, I am taking the test again - and personal statements I have to write.

May all your New Years Eve be as fun as you want them to be without being TOO expensive or stressful, and may you launch into 2014 with as much gusto and energy as you are prepared to have.

GOD knows I'm definitely not ready, but - geronimo.

I love you all.