Monday, December 31, 2012

Year in Review ... 2012

Tomorrow we'll welcome 2013.  This has made me a bit reflective.  It's been quite a year for me, both good and bad.

The good -- I accepted what has turned out to be a good job opportunity.  I attended not one, but two, very good professional conferences, one in Austin, one in Anaheim (which made me a bit nostalgic for the days I lived in central CA).  I got to make one more trip make to tiny town in Illinois, and stay one last time in my father's childhood home, before we sold it.  I'm still a little sad about that and will miss my summer visit there, but it was totally the right thing to do.  Christmas in Louisiana was particularly good this year (especially the food), even if the weather was bit dreary and rainy. 

I'm cooking more, which I'm finding I enjoy.  For a variety of reasons, I've been experimenting with dairy free cooking, which has led to some vegan cooking, and vegetarian cooking and I've found I like it.  I've gotten a couple of cookbooks and found some blogs and have made some changes that have turned out very positive.  I'm trying to blog my adventures in cooking and I'm trying to ramp up my food photography as well, though not always with my anticipated results.

The bad -- well, on some levels, the job hits both lists.  Wonderful opportunity and every day I know why I took it.  However, the organization, not so good.  It could be worse and I'm super grateful I have a job, especially in today's economy, but unfortunately, it's not a job I want to keep till I retire.  And, while I'm getting used to my new town, it isn't where I want to live forever either.  Sometimes you just connect with a city and sometimes you don't.  I've been blessed.  In all of my moves, this is only the second time I haven't really connected with a city.  So, I guess that's a positive of sorts.

The other huge negative is my apartment, which is fixable.  I had only two days to find a place to live (I will never not take a house hunting trip again).  I actually like the apartment itself, however, it's the poorest built place I've ever lived and the noise from above is just something I'm not going to be able to handle long term.  I don't really blame my neighbors -- they are young and they have a puppy and well, the apartment building is not well built.  I hear every bump and thump and they make a lot of bumps and thumps; it's more than just walking - it's not uncommon for the ceiling to shake due to one of their bumps or thumps.  So, I've been looking and have just about decided on a place.  I have a couple of things to ask the property management company and am not sure it will work out.  But, I have seen a few places that would work.  The thought of moving again makes my teeth itch, but the lure of quietness is too much.  Oh, and a solid surface for working out and doing yoga.

All in all, while this has been a somewhat disconnected year for me, I can't say it's been a bad one.  Just one full of learning  about me and what makes me tick.  I'm looking forward to what will come in 2013.

Best wishes to everyone for all good things in the coming year.

I leave you with a picture of kitty enjoying the mild weather:

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to seeing some of your newer dairy-free recipes. And maybe next time your kitty with smile for the camera :-)