Oh, hi!

It's been a while, hasn't it?  I wasn't sure if I should even bother with the annual meme but then again, it's about the only New Years tradition that I've got.
The meme from last year is here, and there are links to the previous years on that page.


1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
SO MANY THINGS!!

I got married

It was pretty awesome.

We went to Hawaii

We went scuba diving

Two days ago, I got my very first brand-new-not-used car and it's my dream car - a Fiat!!

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I'm pretty sure that I didn't make any resolutions because I'm realistic and already know that I'm not going to keep them.  HOWEVER, this year I'm making one resolution, and it's an easy one, and it would be pathetic if I did not keep it.
RESOLUTION: I am going to keep up with this blog.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not this year.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
I've been lucky to keep those I love around another year.

5. What countries did you visit?
I didn't leave the USA this year (again) but I did get to different bits of it and that was fun.  Maui and Philadelphia were the furthest from home that I got and they were both so beautiful.  I spent some time with my BFF in San Diego.

Later in the year, I went back to San Diego for the Comic Con.

He proposed to me (again and officially) while we were in Philadelphia.

My brother and I went on a road trip earlier this month.  We went to visit a friend in Santa Cruz, stopping in Solvang and at the Madonna Inn along the way.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
There are a few projects and ideas that I'd like to pursue and I really need to work on being a little more fearless about it.

7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I'm not so good with specific dates but there were definitely some unforgettable months.  August, obviously.

Charles threw an awesome bachelorette party at The Edison for me. It had a Roaring Twenties theme and everyone looked amazing.

I made my own crown and dress, too.

Then, of course, there was the wedding and honeymoon.  I think, really, it's hard to get much more memorable than that.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I was able to leave a job I didn't want and focus to focus on my photography and get another business off the ground.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I can't think of any big failures, really.  This year has been a particularly good one and I feel incredibly fortunate.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just a cold or two, here and there.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
The car, obvs.  I have named her Clarence.  J does not like the name but it does not matter.  I drive the car, I name the car.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
A family member went through an incredibly difficult time this year and he's been able to change his life, push past it, learn, and grow so much.  He's really amazing.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I skip this question every year, I think.  Really, I should just take it out of the meme but then next year, I'll notice the missing number, forget why it's missing, go look it up, get annoyed, and then put it back but not answer it.  So I just won't answer it here. 

14. Where did most of your money go?
The wedding.  It was awesome and beautiful and fun and great and cost roughly a bajillion dollars.  More than the new car, anyway.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The wedding.  What can I say?  It's a big deal.

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
Nina Simone's Feelin Good.

It was our first dance and a song I listened to obsessively all year.


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
Much happier
b) thinner or fatter?
About the same, which is better than fatter but not as good as thinner.
c) richer or poorer?
Poorer but better for it.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I let some things go for longer than I should have.  I didn't take any photos for the last few months.  I haven't sewn all year (but J got me a new sewing machine for Christmas and yay!) and I need to get more serious about staying in shape.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
There were a few too many days spent doing nothing at all.  I need to do less sitting around this year.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas Eve with my family, parents, brother, and uncles and it was wonderful.  Christmas day was quiet, here in the new apartment with J and the kid.

21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
I stayed very happily in love.

22. How many taco stands?
Just the one, I think, in our old neighborhood in Echo Park.

23. What was your favourite TV program?
Doctor Who, as always.  Sherlock.    We've started watching Homeland, too.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope.  All the peoples is fine by me.

25. What was the best book you read?
Cloud Atlas was phenomenal.  I've really enjoyed The Walking Dead graphic novels, too.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The tuba.  Although I didn't so much 'discover' it.  It was more like I had it forced on me.  The kid picked the tuba as his instrument this year and he practices faithfully.  We've already heard from the Cranky Neighbor about it.

27. What did you want and get?
My guy and my dream car.  Oh - and an iPad, which I only mention because I had on this meme from last year that I wanted one.

28. What did you want and not get?
A new camera.  The Canon 5D, specifically.

29. What was your favourite film of this year?
I loved Beasts of the Southern Wild.  Love, love, love.  The soundtrack was incredible, too.

30. What did you do on your birthday?
Jesse and I met my brother in San Francisco.  It was so much fun!  The rest of the photos from that trip are here.

31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A new camera.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Feminine and quirky. Always the same.  This year I went with added feminine.

33. What kept you sane?
My guy and my friends.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
There was no new person that piqued my fancy.  I am a loyal fan.  I heart the same people every year.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
The elections this year were riveting.

36. Who did you miss?
My best friend, who lives far away, my brother, my grandparents. It was so wonderful to have them all there at the wedding.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
There are probably a few but my memory is rubbish.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
That it's ok to trust some people.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year
"It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life, and I'm feeling good.