New Year, New....Nope, can't do it.

Here is my obligatory, annual New Year post. I write one every year, I think, so I clearly wouldn't want to disappoint the masses who would have to survive 2014 without my wisdom to kick things off. 

I kid. 

(Only kind of)

2013 was a big year for me. As many of you know, 2012 was a serious rebuilding year. Fresh off the chopping block of a break-up and feeling very confused about school, life, and (please forgive me for the inherent sap) love, 2012 saw therapy time, mandatory roomie Chinese food sessions to get my spirits up, and a lot of Grey's Anatomy on constant loop because that's how I cope with anything. Thank God for MerDer. 

So, I entered 2013 hopeful. It was going to be the year of college graduation, a big girl job, a real apartment in the real world, and so much more. Little did I know how much I would really learn in 2013.

Here's my list.

1. College graduation is probably the most boring 3 hours to ever happen ever... except when your commencement speaker is Anders Holm. Major shout out to you, bud, keeping UW classy since...whenever you were a freshman. Way to keep me awake during the inherent snooze-fest.
2. Job applications are moments of hope, the culmination of your dreams and aspirations....until you fill out your 32nd one and you want to cry everywhere all the time for all of the potential rejection. Except wait, they won't even reject you. They'll just ignore that you even applied.
3. The last semester of your college career is such a deep chasm (see also: glass case) of emotion. For example: "I don't want to graduate but I hate all of my classes and my TAs are all stupid and so are papers. But I'm going to apply to graduate school because no jobs exist anywhere. I also hate walking everywhere all the time and Bascom is really such a pain in the ass. But Bascom is SO BEAUTIFUL AND I NEVER WANT TO LEAVE. Let's just drink our pain away. Oh, but wait, hangovers are like 20398423x worse now too. WHY IS LIFE SO HARD?! Oh good, now I'm crying on the way to my last class. I just want to eat Babcock ice cream for ever." 
4. Working retail full time is probably the worst thing that's happened to anyone ever so major props to all of you who do it. 
5. The definition of the word "brusque," which was used to describe me by a customer in said retail position. LOL WHOOPS sorry you're crazy.
6. Bikram yoga is the shit and everyone should try it at least twice. Why twice, you ask? Because the first time you finish a Bikram class you'll want to cry and you'll probably doubt your sanity. Go one more time, and you'll understand why people pay hundreds of dollars a month to stand in a 105º room for ninety minutes. 
7. Moving is expensive. Moving to a city like Chicago is even more expensive. Living in a city like Chicago is so expensive that I seriously question my and every other citizen of this fine city's sanity. 
8. Sometimes a job isn't everything you thought it would be, but you should stick with it it because it might end up being just that. 
9. How to ultimate fight. Okay, maybe not really, but sometimes it feels that way with my kids in therapy. I can avoid a punch and proceed to prevent said punch from happening again in mere moments. Living out my dream of being a power ranger. 
10. Running a half marathon is way more of a head game than a physical one, especially when your nike running app goes "Congratulations! You've reached your goal of 13.1 miles!" just as you reach the 11 mile marker. I HATE YOU, NIKE. I HATE YOU SO MUCH. 
11. My affinity for potential suitors who live far, far away is astonishing and apparently very persistent. Good thing plane tickets are super cheap! Oh, wait...
12. I have the most amazing friends who are willing to stay up with me on the phone while I drive over night through ho-dunk Indiana where there is nothing for miles and miles and miles and I want to cry everywhere. 
13. Indiana is the worst.
14. Cats like to poop on tree skirts.
15. Even when one meets all of their "New Year" goals, the year can still turn out as unpredictable as ever.
16. And, in that same vein, relish the little victories. Take great pride in the big ones. Keep a brave face when you need to, cry when you can be vulnerable. 
17. Don't be afraid to take a crazy, weird, unforeseen risk. Sometimes it'll turn out to be the best damn decision you've made in a long time.

I'm sure there are more, but that's all I have for now. I've got some goals for 2013, like going to church more, continuing to eat healthily, blahblahblah you get it. All I know is that I've got a great year ahead of me, and I'm excited to see where it takes me. I started 2013 as a single college senior, living in Madison,  going to classes, working retail, and having no idea where I'd end up. I ended it as an ABA therapist living in Chicago. Life is crazy sometimes.

I hope you all had a terrific 2013. Happy New Year!