2011 could have been better, to say the least. Since I'm one who counts my curses before my blessings I will start there:
-Thousands of dollars were spent on ankle surgery
-$700 total was stolen from me-The boyfriend of 4 years said the "over" word
-Half the year I sat alone in my apartment icing, the other half I exhausted myself working 7 days a week
-One of my cousins passed out of this world
-I found out which of my friends aren't going to be there for me when I need them most
-Not one, not two, not three, but FOUR flat tires
-Two leases ended- resulting in two stressful moves
But counting my curses first means I end on a good note. I'm not as dark as I may seem. Ultimately I want to count my blessings, and to be grateful for the wonderful things that came out of the pandemoniac year:
-I finally put a ring in it (my nose) -Nick and Lizzy tied the knot
-Pat and Suzanne exchanged vows
-While sitting at home waiting for my ankle to heal I found new hobbies
-Physical therapy started teaching me how to take care of my body for long term dancing health
-Tomatoes, basil, and parsley were all grown successfully
-While teaching at Blue Lake I got to work with fantastic kids and coworkers,
*met wonderful inspiring people*relaxed on the beach
*saw my family
*discovered kombucha
*found my color
-Meat was finally removed from my diet (if not strictly)
-I saw the Grand Canyon
-Fuser moved in with me (at the moment he's eating a printer cord...)
-I still get to invest in the person I love with my whole heart. And every day I am grateful that- in spite of all that's happened - we found and maintained love in the discord-Every day I get to wake up and combine two of my lifelong passions- teaching and dancing
-I blogged!...even if it's not so good
-My financial situation went from "barely scraping by" to "scraping by"
-Some amazing new friends came into my life, and they understand me without needing explanations-I decided what path my career will take next and started looking at graduate schools
-My new apartment is wonderful and the landlord's wife has cooked for me on occasion
-Logan Square is a great place to live and drink
-I was in a movie (fuck yeah)
-"Christine Hands" appeared in numerous dance programs as "performer"
-My choreography was presented at four different professional venues-Rudolph Nureyev's Swine Lake, colored nail polish, Lula's Cafe, Bacardi Orange, Game of Thrones
-Everyone in my family is healthy enough
-Let's talk about the amazing friends who never stopped answering the phone no matter how many times I called in hysterics
-I made a hat among other projects
-This year I stayed cool in air conditioning
-Nearly all my bills are paid off
-I acquired an I-Phone-My Jessie and Brian came to visit
When I'm worried and I can't sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep. And I fall asleep counting my blessings.
The world's falling apart, everything crumbling around us, but for every curse I've got 4 blessings and for every loss I've gained something new. So though I'm looking forward to a better 2012, I want to end the year with a touch of gratitude. Happy New Year to my friends, enemies, and everyone else.
