fiery skull diaries

2012 has some of the worst memories of my life and will never be a year i look upon fondly. but while we’re still in the beginning of this new year, i wanted to take a little time to appreciate and share some of 2012’s better moments and some of the life changes i made that i’m proud of.

our just-because trip to dc in february was my first time in our nation’s capitol city. (and to say i loved it there is a gross understatement.)

in 2012, i got a little more adventurous with my hair.

in july, i got a gorgeous new bicycle and now feel confident being on the road with cars. (not going to lie, that first ride home from the bike shop was really scary when i had to join traffic on one of the city’s main roads.)

in march, i rescued a baby duck who was wandering frantically in the road. i hope he survived after i took him to a nearby creek where ducks are known to gather; i remember feeling so helpless as he bobbed off into the dark night, tiny and alone.

this little calico continued to bring happiness into our lives every day, even during our saddest times.

in 2012
+ i began taking vitamins and supplements every day.
+ i started making yoga part of my daily routine.
+ i began to practice meditation.
+ i came out as an atheist, found a supportive atheist community on twitter, and attended a local atheist meetup.
+ i voted for president barack obama.
+ i wrote a letter to a church.
+ i sent a message to a gay man i knew in college to apologize for something offensive i’d said to him in my homophobic days.
+ i recommitted to juicing at least once a day.
+ i went to the dermatologist and had my first little surgery, the removal of a “suspicious” mole on my back – a procedure i’d put off for two years.
+ i went to the dentist for the first time in eight years.
+ i quit a job that was doing much more harm than good in my life.
+ i traveled two states farther west than i’d ever been and saw the sun set over the ocean for the first time.
+ i discovered essential oils, ditched my stupid petroleum-based lotions, and began creating my own body moisturizer.
+ i rekindled my love of playing the piano, vowing to practice it every day.

if you haven’t taken time to commemorate the good stuff in your last year, i highly recommend it. there might be more than you think.