12-Month Wrap Up (Wrap, Wrap Wrap Up)

Alas, 2012 is coming to an end. I kind of can't believe it, but at the same time I feel like I'm a different person than I was 12 months ago, so I guess it really did happen. In the spirit of Liz Lemon [the spirit in which I try to do most things], I thought I'd do a 12-month wrap-up (wrap wrap wrap up).

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STDb9Fyd8AU]

To save you some time reading hundreds of parenthetical side notes and rambling sentences, I thought the best way to approach this would be in list-form.

Especially since you are likely on vacation, and really, who wants to wade through a bunch of nostalgic blubberings when they're on vacation?

And I like you. And I want you to read the things I write. So it only seems fair.

AHEM. Right, the lists were to prevent me from rambling. So HERE WE GO.

Things I learned in 2012:

1. People really like their bacon.
2. Having a community of people you trust is of the utmost importance in order to get through life.
3. It's possible to walk through something difficult and come out on the other side, because God is faithful.
4. I'm actually pretty ok at this whole writing thing.
5. At least two people on the planet think I am good enough at writing to pay me to do it, which is amazing.
6. The term "selfies."
7. Two-year-olds are my favorite age group.
8. Marriage isn't always easy, but it's worth it 100 times over.
9. I don't actually like Starbucks' pumpkin spice lattes.
10. Just as many people can't stop watching House Hunters as me.
11. A lot about my identity and living free from expectations of others.
12. The title for The Worst Person Ever is a close call between Lindsay Lohan and Chris Brown.
13. I am capable of loving a cat. Like, a lot.
14. Podcasts are a great way to pass time and be entertained without crashing your car or falling off a treadmill. Also they are FREE. (I recommend The Courtesy Laugh, Nerdist and Xtra Bacon)

Books I read in 2012:

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling
5. Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
6. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
7. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) - Mindy Kaling
8. Every Bush is Burning - Brandon Clements
9. The Pursuit of God - A.W. Tozer
10. Purity - Jackson Pearce
11. Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott
12. On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness - Andrew Peterson
13. North! Or Be Eaten - Andrew Peterson
14. The Monster in the Hollows - Andrew Peterson

[currently brushing my shoulder off]

I've always been bad at finishing books, so one of my finish year goals was to finish the Harry Potter series and read two additional books. That list has 14 books on it. WHAT UP BOOKS. Come at me, bro.

By the way, I highly recommend all of the above.

Writery and/or Internet-y Things I did in 2012:

1. Wrote an ebook.
2. Got this whole blog thing rollin'.
3. Made friends on Twitter (it's not weird, okay?)
4. Guest posted.
5. Talked about TV a lot.
6. Tweeted even more than that.
7. Did my first freelance writing and editing work.

Overall it's been a year filled with highs and lows--like every year I suppose--but I think even though the lows were lower, the highs were much higher. I think that's the way it's supposed to be, anyway.

I learned a lot about myself and accomplished a lot in the way of pursuing writing, which I'm proud of.

Dang. This post was still really long. If you made it this far, congratulations! If I could I would send you all emoji stars and smiley faces for days. [side note: I just enabled emojis on my phone.]

Happy new year, everyone!

What did you do this year?

Happy New Year! [a reflection on fall]

[Chattanooga, TN - 1st Anniversary Trip 2011]

Fall makes me feel like all is well in the world. Like nothing bad could happen today, because it is 65 degrees and clouds are nowhere to be seen. Even though, of course, those things are not actually true.

The sun starts to descend late in the afternoon, and the shadows it casts between the buildings tell me it's fall even if I'm looking at it from behind glass at my desk 12 floors high.

Somehow fall is nostalgic and refreshing all at the same time. I've found that many other people feel the same way.

I wonder if this is because it takes us back to the first day of school--new pencils, new teacher, a fresh start. You can be anyone you want to be. Because you, my friend, are in SIXTH grade now. Nothing that happened in fifth grade matters anymore. A whole 90 days of summer separates you from the person you were then. Plus, you get to see your friends every day again.

Fall also means the holidays are right around the corner, and I love any reason to theme something. Even celebrating with themed activities and decorations is nostalgic. Carving pumpkins for halloween, eating turkey at Thanksgiving, seeing Christmas lights up for the first time...it all reminds me of childhood and joy.

All these things make me wonder if January 1st is really the New Year at all.

I rarely feel any different on January 1 than I did on December 31. Chances are, I'm not even in Nashville, and it feels like I'm somehow removed from everyday life anyway. When I go back to Nashville, it's back to the grind. Gray skies and winter coats. Not very refreshing.

But when that first crisp day sneaks up on me--I feel different. My shoulders relax. I literally breathe it in deeply just to experience it fully. Air smells so good in the fall, am I right?

I get to break out my boots for the first time. I get to wear scarves again. I get to lounge around and watch Auburn games and eat chips and salsa on Saturdays.

But more than that, I feel renewed. Like this is a restart. A new school year. A breath of fresh air to get me through the winter.

So I maintain that The First Day of Fall is really the start of the New Year. Maybe not for the calendar, but for our souls.

Today you can make decisions to change your life, not because you begrudgingly feel like you have to because it is January 1, but because you want a do-over. Or you want a start-for-the-first-time.

So Happy New Year, everybody! Fall is here.

What's your favorite part about fall?