2012

You know, I always expected my first year of adulthood to be a game-changer, and holy shit did 2012 come through for me.  The only way it could have been a crazier year would be if I had literally run away and joined the circus.

- My year started off with a San Francisco-shaped bang.  My gift for my 18th birthday was a trip to California, and I loved absolutely everything about it.  I could definitely see myself living in SF someday.

- I graduated high school! There isn't much to say about this... the endless essays were enough of a bitch the first time around, without dwelling on additional words here.

- ... I may or may not have gotten arrested for doing something really, really, REALLY dumb that I probably shouldn't publish on the internet. Hooray for new experiences?

- The entirety of my June was spent in Tanzania. I helped build a schoolhouse, got charged at by baboons, growled at by a wild lioness not five feet away from me, and had a bat land on my foot. Not to mention the eye infection... god, what a phenomenal trip.

- When I got back to the good ole first world, I started working at an independent film theatre. This is notable for the simple reason that it was THE ABSOLUTE BEST JOB EVER. I loved everything about it... the people, the perks, the job itself.  Five stars, five stars.

- I met my best friend on a four hour flight.  In the five months since, I haven't gone a day without talking to him in some medium.  He is the single weirdest (and most fun) aspect of my life.

- I moved across the country to a city where I didn't know a single person. It was a huge gamble, obviously, but Seattle turned out to be the best decision I have ever made.  It turns out I thrive in my own little studio apartment, with my own job, making my own decisions and paying my own finances. Who woulda thunk it?

- I started volunteering at the Burke Museum, handling and cataloguing artifacts such as a five thousand year old whale vertebrae.  Holding history in your hand is such a lovely mindfuck, to put it delicately.

- Banana Republic became the sun that my world revolves around. Seriously, I had no idea that working in retail could be such a bitch.

- I watched 375 films, 271 of which I had never seen before. 53 were in cinemas, and seven were midnight premieres.

- I read 55 books.

- The world survived 365 more days, despite our best intentions.

Not everything about my year was a peachy keen delight, but it sure as hell wasn't boring.  If 2013 is half as interesting, I'll count it a success.