2013 - My Year In Review

I was going over the posts I've published on this blog over the past year and decided to do a recap.  It's strange to look back at what I've written and see how much things have changed for me.  I mean, we all know life is constantly changing and evolving, but that's one of the reasons I'm glad I write - sometimes we don't see it even when it's happening right in front of our faces.  I do the same thing with my journals - I venture back through the pages, laughing and crying, sometimes disbelieving of my mindset at any given time.  This blog is a kind of journal that I'm willing to let other people have a peek at.  So, here we go.

January

Ah, 2013!  A new year, a new me?  Maybe.  My new year technically started in August of 2012, being as that I turned 30 this year.  Three decades, man, I've survived three decades on this earth.  Let's keep the ball rolling with a positive outlook and a new body!  Woohoo!

Trying to cheer up Mr Cranky Pants on NYE.

New Year's was a blast, spent with Philip and the new friends I had made over the past few months.  It was a tough month for me though, work was slow and I was struggling with my finances, so my depression was getting the best of me.

I started to going to the gym on a regular basis, being as that I had a lot of free time on my hands, and I was interviewing for a new job because I had become fed up with my photography gig.  Philip and I were growing closer together, and I decided that I was going on the 311 Day Cruise come hell or high water.

Flyer from the Bowery Ballroom.

One of my good friends, Jay, and I braved public transportation and ventured up to New York City to see The Dirty Pearls, one of the best bands to come of that town in the past few years.  Even though we were drunk by 4 PM, we still had a blast.

  Lesson Learned - Make the best of free time, whether it's by improving your mind and body or helping someone else do it for themselves.

February

My latest tattoo.

This was the first time I actually enjoyed Valentine's Day, because even though Philip and I hadn't defined our relationship yet, we celebrated like we were and I received a gold-dipped rose from Steven Singer Jeweler's.

Ready for a night in Atlantic City.

The Mid Winter Classic was the best one yet.  The annual trip to Ocean City, NJ with friends and cousins was pulled off without a hitch or incident.  Philip came with me this year and it was a wonderful respite for the both of us.  We were both dealing with internal issues - his job loss, my search for a new one, various levels of depression, etc, but we put it all aside for a weekend of good times with good people.  (He mentioned the other day that he still thinks about that weekend and how much fun he had.  Well duh, the people I surround myself with are awesome.)

Hitting the slopes in the Poconos.

I also vividly recall the day trip we took to the Poconos, he and his friends snowboarding and me skiing.  I hadn't been on the slopes in almost 15 years and the day we went had been the two year anniversary of my father's passing.  It was the perfect way to honor Pop's life (he was an avid skier.)  There's nothing like the rush of flying down the slopes knowing there's nothing to save you if you crash.

I had been hired by a pharmaceutical company and was to start my new job in March.  That was reason to celebrate as well.
Lesson Learned - it's probably not smart to participate in one of the most dangerous sports in the world three days before you're to embark on a cruise, but go for it anyway.

March

St Patty's Day, 2013

Things started to look up for me in March of 2013.  I was excited about starting a new career and, most of all, going on my first cruise - with my all time favorite band.  Stress was still a major factor in my day to day life - money, work, depression.  It all blends together more often than not.  But I kept my head up, with the help of Philip, and persevered.

Hot tub party! 

The cruise was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.  It was my gift to myself for turning 30 this year and landing a new job.  I partied in South Beach and Miami, met and made some awesome new friends that I still keep in touch with, drank my weight and more in booze while managing to never throw up or make a fool of myself - small victory, I know, but sometimes it's the little things, right?  And I set foot on an island in the Bahamas for the first time in my life.  That, to me, was a major deal.

Great Stirrup Cay, March 2013

Philip and I also started going back to church, something I had been wanting to do for a long time.  Having a partner who felt the same way and shares the same beliefs as me was also something I've never experienced before, so I was elated.

I started my new job about a week after I got back from Miami and was gung-ho about it....
Lesson Learned - 311 fans are some of the most amazing people in the world.  They will have your back within minutes of getting to know you.

To be continued...