As Good a Time as Any

The time has come: for me to commit to The Allisonian Institution, fully. I have decided to blog here at least once a week in 2012.

I'm no stranger to this blogging thing. I had a LiveJournal for...well, ever, but that community had a time and a place for me, and that time is mostly over. I still value and treasure the friends I've made over there, but it seems like as I change, my writing habits need to do so as well. It's not like I don't have a lot to talk about--I've got PLENTY to talk about. But I never knew where to start. I felt my first quality posts had to be something special. But if I keep waiting for that something special, I'm never going to actually write anything.

So I figure now is as good a time as any. However, this first post of 2012 will actually be about 2011. I've done a year-end meme religiously since 2004, but that meme came from LJ and I feel that I may have outgrown it as well. So I'm just going to do the summary-ish thing I've seen floating around other blogs. And I may add in a few of my favorite questions from the old meme, because well, it did have its merits.

2011 in Review:
2011 was tough for me. I mean, nothing wildly dramatic happened (you know, in the grand scheme of things), but it was just tough, especially during the first part of the year. I was out of college, but most (if not all) of my friends were still in school. Okay, well, I was still in school, but it was online and that's just a whole different animal. And then there was work...oh work. But through all that, I still managed to end the year on a positive note. And that is totally fine by me :D

January
-Started graduate school for library science.
-Got a job as a page at the library (the same job I had in high school. As you may be able to ascertain, not the best thing for my morale).
-The Monster High obsession began to germinate.
-Met my lovely work wife, Rachel :D
-Become obsessed with Community, the greatest TV show you're not watching.

February
-I literally cannot remember anything significant happening in February. We'll call it a wash.

March
-I start watching the People's Court. My life becomes very sad very fast.
-The Fab Four reunites for the first time in years. Hilarity ensues.

April
-Applied for and was turned down for promotion #1
-Read part of my senior thesis at Scholar's Forum! And won the creative writing prize, thank you very much.

May
-Turned 22! Got an iPad <3
-Walked at my college graduation. Almost passed out from dehydration.

June
-Was in the Library Information Systems class FROM HELL. Well, it wasn't hellish as much as it was pointless. It was a class about technology and we were using a book from 2002. AND I PAID $1000 FOR THIS. And I'm sure other things happened this month, but all I can remember is this STUPID CLASS. And the fact that I worked ALL THE TIME.

July
-Turned down for promotion #2
-Started working Sundays at the library (it's the one thing I miss from my page job)
-Laptop battery craps out on me. Vow to only buy desktops from now on.
-Dressed up as a cow for free food at Chick-fil-A. Feel no shame
-Bought my first car! A 2008 Ford Escape, named Firefly. Admittedly, she does love to om nom gas, but there's something about driving an SUV that makes it all worth it.

August
-Turned down for promotion #3
-Bought the most perfect Blythe doll, courtesy of the lovely Alice :)
-Had to buy a new tire. Discover true joys of car ownership.

September
-FINALLY GOT A PROMOTION!!!!
-Bought my tickets for BlytheCon 2012!!
-Salted Caramel Mocha Frappucino at Starbucks. Enough said.
-Declared Literary Overlord of the World

October
-Cards won the World Series. Hells yes.
-Started my new job at my new branch. Love it there, and library love is back :)
-Was Carmen Sandiego for Halloween. Total awesomesauce.

November
-Came to the startling but stunningly beautiful realization that I am perfectly content with being by myself. Just because I'm alone doesn't mean I'm lonely :)

December
-Had surgery to open up my nasal passages. Will know if this was a good investment come allergy season.
-Wrote a 10-page, single spaced paper in a little under 12 hours. Officially decided that grad school turned me into a MAJOR procrastinator.
-Just generally enjoyed my life. After an emotionally draining year, this was really nice.

And some list-y items:
Favorite Book of 2011: Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares. I was kind of "over" the whole Sisterhood of the Traveling pants series, but I felt like I had to read this book out of obligation. BEST OBLIGATORY READ EVER.

Favorite TV Show of 2011: Well, Community was my best television discovery, but Bones finally gave me everything I wanted and more this year. I think the advantage has got to go to Community, though, considering I watched something like 19 episodes in a 24-hour period. Don't do the math. It's just sad.

Favorite Movie of 2011: What's Your Number? Okay, so this movie is textbook chick flick, but that's part of the reason I loved it. I think the reason I liked it so much is that I saw it right after I saw Bridesmaids, which I feel is HORRIBLY overrated. I kept reading all these reviews about how Bridesmaids was empowering to women and that's how women actually act and...well, no. I felt like it was self-consciously trying to prove it could play with the boys. But What's Your Number didn't pretend to be anything it wasn't. The relationships in that movie were more realistic than in Bridesmaids, and I don't know. I felt it captured certain aspects of the female psyche far better than Bridesmaids did. And it was just fun! Also, naked Chris Evans.

Best Musical Discovery: Tough call. I don't think there's one person who I just fell totally and completely in love with every song of theirs. This year, it was more individual songs that I feel in love with.
"Love is Requited" by Elisa
"Wicked World" by Laura Jansen
"Colors" by April Smith and the Great Picture Show
"Up Up and Away" by Lights
"My Racing Thoughts" by Jack's Mannequin
"Arms" by Christina Perri

Favorite Song of 2011: "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)" by Kelly Clarkson. So it wasn't released until late in the year, but this is my JAM. Plus, it does sum up my epiphany from November: "Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone."

Most Valuable Life Lesson in 2011: Learn to enjoy things as they are. So, admittedly, I was inspired by an episode of Bones for this life lesson, but it seemed like as soon as I would make peace with whatever situation I found myself in, my issues were resolved. It's tempting to try and change things, and sometimes I do feel an urgency to get things done NOW. But it's important to remember that there are certain experiences that we're meant to have. And if we don't take the time to enjoy them, then we won't get the lessons we're meant to learn.

And why 2012 will be awesome?
In just six days, I've finished my first real crafting project, successfully started a 365, and bought a Kindle. Boom goes the dynamite.