2015: A Year in Review

2015 was a good year! Despite wanting to throw this blog in the trash numerous times, I'm glad I kept it going, and even happier that I took the time to record many of the special and not so special moments of the year.

At the end of last year I made a list of seven "simple" goals.

1. Fill out my 5-year journal every day.
2. See new places.
3. Be happy.
4. Make people smile and laugh as much as possible.
5. Drive more often.
6. Go on dates with new people.
7. Live by this: "When a door closes, knock on it a few times. But if it still doesn’t open, let it stay closed. In career, in love, in life – when you see the period at the end of the sentence, don’t try and turn it into a comma. Know when something is over and move on."

I filled out my journal every single day! It has become a wonderful, peaceful ritual of pause and reflection at the end of each day. Every night I get into bed, turn on my little lamp, and see what question is waiting for me in the tiny journal. I love it.

I saw many new places! Israel. Miami. Nashville. New Orleans. Oakland. Palo Alto. Stanford. I saw old ones too! Dartmouth. Wellfleet. Philadelphia. San Francisco. And many, many visits to New York.

Israel

New Orleans

Dartmouth

Philadelphia

San Francisco

Miami

Nasvhille

New York

I felt a lot of happiness. Particularly the last few months have been filled with joy. I feel so happy these days. I smile all the time and laugh constantly. I feel content in my life and (mostly) excited about figuring out my next steps. I finally feel like myself again.

I think my happiness was contagious this year, and in turn, I made a lot of new friends, and created stronger bonds with some older friends. I tried my best to make sure the people I love knew it.

I drove a lot! Not nearly as much as I could have, but I made it a priority every time I was in New York. Still some things to work on there... :-)

I went on so...many...dates. There was a point this year where I had 1-2 dates every week! I met a lot of great guys and I learned so much about myself and what I want in a partner, about what really matters to me. I also learned that I don't need to date all the time. I deleted OkCupid (the only site/app I used) a few months ago and have felt really happy about it. I wanted to prioritize other things over dating and make sure I was really happy on my own. I imagine at some point I'll get back to it, but right now I feel satisfied with just living. One of the best things dating did for me was help my confidence to grow. Here's what I know: I'm not perfect, but I will make a great partner to someone one day. If I continue to focus on being my best self, I know I'll be ready when the right person comes along -- someone who is worthy of all I have to give to a relationship, and someone who will give me what I deserve in return.

That last goal is an interesting one. I'm notoriously bad at trying to "turn periods into commas." I have a hard time letting go. I always have. I am learning to accept that about myself. I love deeply, and I cherish the relationships and bonds I form with people, maybe to a fault. But still, I'd rather be like that than hold people at arm's length in an attempt to avoid getting hurt.

When I look back on the year as a whole and try not to dissect the individual days, minutes and seconds, the year was really a great one. I took a lot of chances. I volunteered quite a bit on my own. I went to a blogger dinner and shared my URL with the public. I asked for a title change at work. I booked a trip to another state with a guy I had only met twice. I tried Blue Apron. I spent 30 days without eating carbs or drinking alcohol. I helped my sister plan her dream wedding. I cut my hair short. I played in kickball and volleyball leagues. I went to physical therapy for my never ending foot problems. I said goodbye to my childhood home. I skipped work to go to the opening of the Boston Public Market. I went to a trillion free Red Sox games. I wore a neck brace. I tried Stitch Fix. I posted a Craigslist Missed Connection. I read 30+ books. I went to a bunch of beer festivals. I went to the Oddball Comedy Festival. I saw Taking Back Sunday. And made many, many more memories...

Wow, that was a lot of pictures! I think I need to retire that black and white striped dress in 2016...hah!

Here's to another amazing year!

Fast Forward

Can we fast forward to December 5th? Pretty please??

My biggest work event of the year is coming up on December 4th and I'm so ready for it to be over. This year in particular is driving me nuts and I'm looking forward to some post-event down time and relaxing. In the meantime, here's what I've been up to!

Starting way back with a visit to Nigh Shift Brewery! So fun.

Toad is my signature Halloween costume, apparently.

Pretty fall days in Boston...

My new favorite instagram account. Thanks Andy!

One of my favorite Humans of NY posts <3 <3

My new obsession! Hot pot!!

Finally got to try this amazing beer! And it's basically named after me.

Just a big ole' puppy sleeping on my lap (the amount of hair on my leg is NOT okay).

Delicious brews at Cellarmaker in San Francisco!

Casual drive over the Golden Gate.

My first In-N-Out experience. Overrated IMHO.

 San Fran skyline from the Alcatraz ferry.

I hate taking selfies, but whatcha gonna do when you're playing tourist on your own?

Tiny Alcatraz jail cell.

I asked someone to take this of me. It was quite warm, but windy on the island!

Ramen at Orenchi in Santa Clara.

The beautiful Stanford campus that looks like Spain!

Hiking part of the "Skyline to Sea" trail. This day was PERFECT!

More beers at Half Moon By Brewery.

And one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen. Sorry for picture overload!

Friendsgiving with the best of friends!

Typical Julie creation

That's all. Catch ya on the flipside...probably somewhere in mid December! :-)

The Best Things In Life

Today I stumbled upon a photo that I took in Brussels back in 2013.

It made me smile. It released a flood of memories. I remember feeling full from the huge pot of mussels I had eaten earlier. I remember the taste of Belgian beer on my tongue. I remember feeling warm, finally, after days of trudging through cold, rainy London and Paris. I remember the first time I set eyes on the Grote Markt at night, lit up in fantastic blues and purples and filled with people. I remember wanting to soak up every moment in the beautiful city. I remember feeling so happy and like the words on the wall were speaking right to me.

For the first time in a long time, I let my guard down today. I let myself remember things I had long ago tucked away in the back corners of my mind. I smiled. I laughed. I felt grateful for the experiences and the memories. I felt grateful for time.