2011 is Dead!

(Feel free to listen to me as you read this post.)




So the fateful year, 2012, has arrived. Only ~11.4 months left until the end of the world, as I was so kindly reminded by The Whimmer. Personally, I'm A-Okay with that. This world has been around long enough. Let's not get greedy, k?

Like most silly people, I find myself looking back on 2011, wondering the normal questions
1. Did I accomplish anything?
2. Have I improved and gotten better, or have I just gotten older?
3. Am I any closer to achieving that which I consider to be success?
4. How can I make 2012 better than 2011?
5. Did I get enough Likes on my Facebook status updates?

The great thing for me is this: 2011 was the best year of my life thus far. Certainly I've received many likes on Facebook. In addition to that, I moved across the country to California (and then moved three more times... but that's neither here nor there, or maybe that's "there, then there, then there, then here"?). I started a temporary job and was awesome enough at it to be hired permanently. I've met nearly 8 bajillion new people. I've spent many hours of quality time with my sister, Grizelda. I was cast in three theatre shows with three different theatre companies, and tap danced for the first time. I saw cocaine for the first time (NO, I didn't do any!). I've put nearly as much into savings as it took me over two years to save in Michigan. I got a brand new car. And really, the most exciting part of 2011 is the fact that I've lost over 20 pounds and am in the best shape of my life.



This is the basic summary of my 2011.

(Warning:  When I started this post, I meant for it to be fully cheerful and happy.  If you only want puppies and rainbows, you might want to stop reading here.  I'm about to get a bit Debbie Downerific.)

There are still some let downs from 2011, but that's to be expected, right? I definitely miss my wonderful friends in Michigan, and that's the hardest part. With the crazy schedule I've been maintaining this year, I haven't spent a great deal of time developing relationships with many people, even though I've met many. I believe I've been hoping to find people here who are just like my Michigan friends. I need to realize this: I'm not going to find another David & Emma, or another Willis & Esther, or another Krista or Jen. Those people are all unique and cannot possibly be duplicated.

There is a dual-sided lesson in this.

First, it is important to appreciate all of those people with whom you are close.  Friends.  Family.  Coworkers.  Hairdressers.  Whomever.  Realize that (yes, I know this sounds very cliche, but try to get past that) each person is unique.  You cannot possibly know how much time you have left with that person.  Today, you may be sharing dinner at a restaurant, having a smoke together, watching a movie in your living room, or playing Euchre.  Tomorrow, you may be moving across the country, or worse, your friend may be in a motorcycle accident and be lost to you forever. 

How do you show this appreciation?  This is how:  When you are with a person, be it friend, family member, or acquaintance, BE WITH THAT PERSON.  Give him your full attention.  Your friends deserve this.  This means not checking your Facebook status, texts, tweets, or email.  Most of us have this habit of being in the same room with someone, but mentally checking out and paying more attention to everyone else who happens to be on Facebook at the time.  If you are with one person and receive a text from someone else, my guess is that 99+% of the time, the text is not critical, and the sender can wait for a response until you wrap things up with the person you are seeing face-to-face.  If the situation is that dire, they can always call you.  Three times (that's a sufficient signal that an emergency is taking place).  I promise your phone will not literally blow up if you have 10 unread texts. 

Look how unloved her friends look!  Don't do that to your friends

So that's the first half of this lesson I'm learning:  My friends deserve my full attention, and so do yours.

Here's the second half:  I am also unique and valuable, and I deserve the same attention.

I have eyes and they are pretty.  Check 'em out sometime.

So while I don't plan to start doing this often, try to not get upset if at some point I ask you to turn off your phone and pay attention to me.