Laying the past to rest and welcoming in a new year

As 2011 is coming to a close, it's time for me to let all the crap go and get ready for the new year. I have so much to look forward to this year!

I'm very excited to be starting college in less than 2 weeks. This is the biggest, most positive step I've taken in my life that I can remember. There is no negative to me going back to school and bettering myself!

2012 will also bring more hiking. For sure I want to hike Tillamook Head and Eagle creek trails again. I didn't go nearly far enough on either. Funny, if I hike less than 10 miles, it's just not a real hike to me anymore ;-) There's also talk of hiking to the top of Mt. St. Helens. This one would really push me, it's not like any other hike I've done. Two years ago, I would have said there's no way I could do it, now, I know, I can do anything I set my mind to!

I am also very excited about the new babies that are going to be born in 2012. Three of my very close friends are all pregnant and going to be having babies within weeks of each other. I have blankets to make, baby showers to plan, pictures to take and hopefully, lots of baby sitting to do.

2012 has the potential to be a great year for me, which I really need, after last year. I'm not gonna lie, 2011 was not my best year. I was in a horrible relationship that was mentally and emotionally draining. The stress and anguish caused me horrible migraines and the worst depression I've ever endured.

I am so frustrated with myself for letting that relationship go on for so long. I have spent too much of my life in relationships with the wrong people. I have wasted too much of my life desperately searching for Prince Charming and my happily ever after, while all along, I should have been focusing on me and doing what I want, and letting the happily ever after come along naturally.

Now that's over, it's water under the bridge. My migraines are gone, so is my depression. I am ready to leave the past in the past and start 2012 on a happy, positive note. I have way too much good going on to let any more negative bring me down!

Happy New Year everyone. May your 2012 bring you much love and happiness!

A low key Christmas

Our family tradition for the holidays is to have a huge and when I say huge, I mean MASSIVE seafood feast on Christmas Eve. Mountains of crab, shrimp, oysters, clams and many kinds of fish laid out over a huge table covered in newspaper with bowls of melted butter for dipping. Last year, we probably had at least 25 people over for the feast.

This year though, we just couldn't make it happen. We got back from our family vacation 6 days before Christmas and between getting the house ready, shopping and doing all the cooking, mom and I just couldn't get it together.

So, we decided to have a very low key Christmas. Both of us were still really wiped after our vacation. Ten days of traveling and theme parks and being away from home, really take it's toll. You almost need twice that time to recover. Not to mention that I'd gotten a pretty bad cold while on our way home.

The only thing I wanted to do for Christmas, was spend time with a close friend. With him, I knew it would be really low key. I could cook a nice dinner, we could see a movie and just have quiet, stress free time.

For dinner, I made lobster with browned butter over angel hair pasta, sauteed calamari and green beans with garlic. It was all delicious. I'd never made calamari before, so I was very surprised how easy it was. The hardest part was cleaning it and even that wasn't difficult, just had to get over the gross factor.

After dinner, we went to see The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I love the series of books and I really excited to see the movie and how they would adapt it. Sure they changed some things, but how often does a movie follow a book exactly? I wasn't crazy about some of the actors they chose, but all in all, I think it was really well done.

Definitely wasn't like any Christmas I've had in too many years to count, but it was exactly what I needed. Nice, quiet and relaxing.

I'm a college student :D

I have been thinking of going back to college quite often over the last few years. When I graduated from high school, I went to PCC for a little while, but I had no direction, no idea what I wanted to do and I hated it. I was working full time and going to school full time and at that point in my life, it just made more sense for me to work and not go to school.

Now, I'm ready to try again. It's time. I need something new in my life and there are no negatives to going back to school. As a matter of fact, it's probably the most positive step I've taken in a long time!

Yesterday, I registered for 2 college classes (math and English to start), a total of 8 credits, which is a little more than part time. So far, I don't have a major, I want to take some classes, see what I like and maybe get a 2 year business degree. Who knows, I might really like it and decide to transfer to a University and get a 4 year degree!

I know this isn't going to be easy but, I'm ready for the challenge. The path I was on, wasn't working for me and I need a major life change. This should do it :)

Refreshed and renewed

Well, I'm back after a wonderful 10 day vacation. It took a few days for the dark cloud I've been carrying around to dissipate, but once it did, I really started to have fun and to feel like my old self again.

The condo we stayed at was really nice. It had 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, a full kitchen and a washer and dryer. The complex had a pool and hot tub, which was so great to use after a day of walking around the parks.

We visited all 4 Disneyworld parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios). My favorite was the Animal Kingdom. I got to see giraffes up close, my favorite :) They also had a really awesome gorilla exhibit. I could have watched the gorillas for hours. They are really beautiful and majestic.

We also went to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure for one day. All of us really wanted to see Harry Potter World. It wasn't as large as I expected it to be, but it was still fun to go and see it. I got to have Butter Beer (YUM!) and I bought myself a wand.

They also had a Dr. Seuss area there, which was pretty neat. We took some fun pictures in that part of the park. They had Whos from Whoville and the egg from Horton Hear's a Who for people to sit on and have their picture taken. Yeah, that was fun ;-)

By the end of our time in Orlando, I was more than ready to come home. I'd seen just about everything I'd wanted to see and I was exhausted. I had a fantastic trip though. I feel renewed and refreshed and ready to start the next chapter of my life!

T Minus 4 days!

Vacation is right around the corner. I need it so bad. My well of patience has run dry and I am in serious need to sooth my soul and take care of me. I need to relax my worries away.

This won't be the most relaxing vacation I've ever been on, but I think it's definitely going to fill my happiness meter to the max!

My depression that was completely dragging me down last week has started to abate. I no longer feel like I'm going to cry any second or that I'm living in darkness.

I see the light at the end of the tunnel and it all starts with vacation. The day after I get back from vacation I am going to an advisor workshop where I'll be getting information about what classes I should take and hopefully registering for at least one winter term class.

There is so much good coming my way and it all starts in 4 days. WOOT!