Year in review: 2011

Hello, friends. Happy New Year!

I can't believe its 2012. Where did the year go?

2010 was a difficult one, and 2011 was much kinder to me.

All-in-all, 2011 was a good year, and I'm kind of sad to see it go.

I have high hopes for 2012, though!

Let's take a minute to reminisce over the past year...

January

Last January it snowed a whole lot, the blog got a major makeover, and I started using Instagram!

February

I turned 26...and not too much else happened in February.

It was snowy, and I was mostly just a hermit. ;)

March

I started data collection for my thesis in March.... it was cold!

April

I spent a lot of time with old and new friends in April.... I reconnected with my long-lost bff Lani in April, and made new friends at school. I went to several concerts in April.... Joan as Police Woman in Philadelphia, The Kills in D.C., and Brand New in Baltimore.

May

The semester ended in May.... I continued my monthly trips to Wallops for data collection (above), went to see Alexander & Family with Lani in D.C., and got ready to enjoy the summer.

June

I spent most of June house- and dog-sitting for my advisor.... very relaxing!

July

July was entirely spent traveling - first to Florida for a couple of weeks, then to Wallops for a class and to continue my field work...

August

August was crazy-busy. I had just returned home after 6 weeks of travel... and jumped straight into my assistantship at school, getting everything organized and ready for 2,100 incoming students at the university. I found a little bit of time to visit some friends (and a brewery!) in Kutztown, go camping in a cabin with some friends, and paint a giant banner for the university.

September

September was pretty hectic, but in a good way - I spent a lot of time at Wallops, went to the VirginFest, got a new tattoo, went to the Rennaissance Faire, and hung out with my bff a whole lot.

October

October was a really fun month! I got started on trying to figure out what I wanted to be for Halloween....decided on TWO different costumes (a pirate and a circus ringmaster), celebrated with good friends, had a freak snowstorm, and enjoyed a visit with family that I don't get to see as often as I'd like to.

November

November was spent almost exclusively hanging out with these 2 hooligans... we had a massive final project to work on for our class, so 5 days a week were spent working.... and rewarding ourselves for our hard work ;)

December

December was a whirlwind... a last hurrah of decent weather in the field (but I was still bundled up like an Eskimo), two new tattoos (bringing the grand total to 7) - an ocean wave armband and a BFF banana tattoo.

  

Christmastime crept up out of nowhere!

Time was spent with family and friends.

Before I knew it, it was December 31st, and a dress for the occasion had to be bought...

...and the New Year was rung in with the best of company :)

 Looking back, 2011 was largely uneventful.... and I'm glad. It was a good year to just slow down, and let life happen at its own pace. I hope that 2012 will continue in the same manner.... I haven't made any resolutions, or even goals, yet. I want to take some time this week to think about that.... because I have a feeling that this year is going to be significant somehow. I don't know exactly what that means yet, but I hope that it means good things are coming.

All the best to all of you in the New Year, too! :)