Wednesday, January 4, 2012

2012: New Year... the best yet?

Well, November and December breezed by and aside from some annoyingly awesome writing and photos about Africa (which can be read here, here and here), my posts were few and far between (and if we're being honest, paltry at best).

The problem with having an-almost hiatus on a blog like this is... it's hard to get going again! What do you write about when you've been sitting on your ass eating Bonbons for weeks at a time? (I'm lying here- November and December were actually craaaazy busy months and I don't even like Bonbons). After reading some of my favorite blogs after New Year's (this one being a favorite for almost a year now and having given me the idea), I'm recounting 2011 in all it's bittersweet glory and throwing out goodwill and hopes for 2012.


This time last year, I was working 55 to 60 hours a week in a job that was not only mentally and physically exhausting, but not fulfilling in the slightest. While I can't say enough good things about my former coworkers... ummm, maybe I'll just leave it at 'I can't say enough good things about my former coworkers.' They were fabulous (and a few were like characters out of a movie... you couldn't make up some of the shit that flew out of their mouths).

After quitting in June, I started this blog with a post affirming my hopes for my future. Admitting I didn't know what to do with the rest of my life was the first part of the battle; the second was actually figuring it out.


At the time, my husband had just graduated from USC and had yet to find a job. Within weeks, he was offered a position and we moved to San Diego... where we moved in with my in-laws because no one would rent to people with a pitbull. Do you know what it feels like to move in with your husband's parents at the not-so-young age of 27? I sure do and it's pretty awesome.

It's not pretty awesome, FYI, and I actually have awesome in-laws. [Side note: Adults out of college who live with their parents and like it: how and why do you do it?]

On the work front, I had the brilliant stroke of luck to be asked by a friend to help out with some social media accounts of hers and realized it was not only something that interested me; it was something I was good at (and could do from home!!!). I was able to help create the aesthetic design and content for an awesome boutique's website and continued to help my mother-in-law with a project that has been two years in the making and should launch in 2012.

In the blink of an eye, August and September had flown by. Before you could say African adventure of a lifetime, October was upon us. There is one thing I will say about the month of October, aside from our incredible trip: it was one of the most challenging and difficult times of my life. I realize I overshare to all you three readers quite a bit, so while I won't go into specifics, I will agree that the saying is true: what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger (in all aspects of your life).

I'll refer to November as "catch-up hell," which then luckily trickled into December, nearly killing all good holiday spirit and cheer that I normally have in abundance at that time of year. One stroke of luck was finding a small house with a landlord who would rent to us, even with our dog, and getting our own place calmed things down in our lives a ton.


So here we are... 2012. I can tell you there is already much in store for this leap year, including the launch of my business (SCARY and exciting, simultaneously), hopefully some decent and creative writing, as well as a special little project I have in the works...

How about you? What do the next twelve months in your life look like?

I'll be sitting on the couch covered in chocolate and ice cream awaiting your responses.

All three of them.


Happy New Year!

5 comments:

  1. Good recap Elizabeth, congrats on your fun times in 2011.

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  2. Rock. Star. So excited for you. Miss you like woah.

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  3. Yay you!! Can't wait to read/hear what is in store for 2012!

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  4. It's Dawn!
    I have been to college and I do live with my parents and I like it. Why do you ask? Well I did the move-out on my own deal, spent the money on a landlord I didn't know personally, lived with friends, and enjoyed it for a lil while. But I ended up coming home after work, no one to talk to because my roommate was already asleep, boyfriend lived 30 min away, so I was bored to tears at least 5 days a week. Now I'm with my parents and it's a lot different than it was before I moved out. I pay them rent instead of a landlord so they can pay the mortgage and not lose the house, my boyfriend stays the night, there is no curfew, I don't have to check in with them as I come and go, mom makes dinner, it's not that far from my work, I honestly can say I enjoy their company MOST of the time, I work full time and do my own thing when I have time off so I'm not always around so in a way distance makes the heart grow fonder, or whatever that saying is.

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  5. @jmcneice: Very excited for our Skype sesh tomorrow night! So much to catch up on and miss you to bits.

    @Brittney: Are you kidding?! You have a very exciting 2012 coming your way; can't wait for Baby Ahrens' debut in May and hope to see baby room decor posts on Our Poverty with a View.

    @Dawn: Dawn, I love you. It's as simple as that.

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