the year in review

With the tick of a clock, another year passes by. It seems to go by so fast, faster with each year. Here's a recap of my year with some photos and memories from each month.

January: This was so long ago; I hardly remember it. But I found this picture and it reminded me of that berry bush we used to have in our front yard. A year later, thanks to construction, it isn't there any longer. It's these things I might forget if I didn't take pictures.

February: February was volatile. It was full of ups and downs, but one of my favorite moments was the snow day. There is nothing better than waking up and finding the yellow grass covered in white and realizing school has been canceled for the day.


March: I made red velvet cupcakes for the first time, by myself. I need to do that again. March also held spring break, during which some of my cousins came down and traveled with us to San Antonio.

April: Oh, April, hmm. April is always the beginning of the countdown to summer. It's when the weather starts to get warm and the flowers start to bloom and I just get restless wishing for summer. That's the general feeling of the month.

May: I remember going to the farmer's market on a Saturday morning, surveying the fresh fruits and vegetables and surreptitiously taking out my camera to snap a few pictures.

June: I went to Hawaii. More than a few early mornings (everything was different because of the large time difference) were spent at the beach, in company of only the waves and the sky. It rained a lot, but not unpleasantly and not in a way that interrupted anything. It was very much a way of life there, waking up to raindrops on the roof that would be gone by breakfast.

July: July was a big month in terms of beginnings and endings. I had my fifteenth birthday and experienced the very last Harry Potter movie, both of which prompted all sorts of nostalgia.

August: August marked the start of sophomore year, which has proved this far to be harder academically but easier socially, as I know more people. August was also the start of my brief venture into running in order to 'get in shape' for soccer. It was interesting while it lasts and maybe if it stops being so cold outside I'll start that again.

September: One thing that stands out about September is how hot it was. The drought was at its zenith and the temperature was up in the hundreds for days in a row. I remember one day, on the bus home, seeing a fire on the side of the highway. The ground was charred black and smoke was rising into the air. That was a month of wild fires.

October: After a lot of convincing, my dad and I traveled to Boston to visit family during a three day weekend. One day my cousin, her friend, and I walked around the city, browsing in stores and riding the train.

November: Another month of writing and another novel written. I was behind almost the whole month and I think I wrote three thousand words the last day to catch up. That was somewhat excruciating but ultimately rewarding.

December: This last one is from just yesterday, a perfect winter afternoon of ice skating and hot chocolate. Cold wind whipped my face and I had to burrow my gloved hands deep in my pockets. Of course it was all worth it once I had a warm drink in my hands. Tea is home, hot chocolate is vacation.

I think, in some ways, I grew a lot this year. I stopped hiding behind online aliases and opened up a little. I made new friends and I found new things that I love (and some I don't love as much). I traveled a lot this year, visiting a total of seven states, four for the first time. I learned a great many things and made a great many memories.

Also, notably: I stopped using emoticons so frighteningly often, and I am very glad about that. The absence of these atrocities makes re-reading old entries just a bit less embarrassing. :)

Well, I have lots of plans for next year but that's another post.

Happy last day of 2011.