2012 roundup.

2012. 

I can't believe you are over. You were such an exciting time for me, and how do I count the ways. 

1. January. Nothing much. Very blah New Year celebrations (in Houston), felt like I needed a vacation from that vacation. Finally caved in (after 2 years) and got cable. Cable to a single woman is like a reason to keep her glued to her couch, and I'd been resisting that for years. 

2. February. Went to my first adult event. It was blah! While at the event, heard that Whitney Houston died, so I guess someone was having a shittier day than I was. Booked a trip to Vegas just because I owed myself a vacation from January.

3. March. Joined the Gym at Exhale Spa. I had been wanting to do this for 2 years. I realized that you should give yourself the things you've been wanting because life is way too short. This is the time to live your best life now. Not tomorrow. Now. I joined the gym of my dreams and everyday after work, I got a chance to...Exhale. And it felt good. Money well spent. 

4. April. I went to Vegas. This was also Easter but I was looking more forward to Vegas than anything else. It was my 5th anniversary at my job and of course, my chance to have an adult vacation in the best adult destination of all time, Vegas. My chance to do stuff and not have it come back to Atlanta to bite me. Vegas. It was awesome. I spent my time drinking, and eating and partaking of all the spoils. And believe it or not, I actually squeezed in 2 job interviews while I was there. A gal has to work and play! I spent my lazy mornings walking through the hotel lobby to partake of breakfast buffet food and then lounging at the pool sipping fruity strong drinks that don't quite get you drunk but are just enough to leave you loving the day, the moment, the air and the cheesy sights of Vegas. Was having so much fun that I couldn't make it home in time to start work but no matter, came home and was greeted with a promotion. So that  reinstated a fresh round of celebrations. It was one of those moments that make you think, "Life feels good right about now." 

5. May. I went to New York for Cinco de Mayo. I actually went for a job interview but I squeezed in a mini visit with some shopping at Herald Square while I was there. It was my first time staying at Times Square and it just blew my breath away. I want to do it again (and again). 

6. June. My birthday. Orange County and Hermosa Beach. A chance to eat fish tacos at the beach. It was all that and more. Not quite as crazy as Vegas, more suburban if you ask me, but it felt good. It was relaxing. It was that subdued moment where you get to see what real people experience in your dream vacation city. Shopping at the grocery stores, going to their Sunday Mass, and using their public buses. It's a different outlook. God was trying to tell me this is what living in my dream city would feel like. Not that exciting. I still had a good birthday and I have the (toe)rings to prove it. 

7. July. Love affair and Spiderman and fireworks and yoga. Lots and lots of yoga. That's all I can really remember about July. Plus an impromptu trip to Houston. Only love (and a need for excitement) makes you take impromptu trips. 

8. August. Took a trip to Seattle for a job interview. Surprisingly had to carry around a sweater in August, who carries around a sweater in August?! If you're keeping track, I've travelled every month since April. Not bad, aye!

9. September. My mum came to visit. She got here in August but we kinda settled into it in September. My mum, a suburban woman in the crust of the inner city living in Atlanta, that just writes itself. Plus, it was black gay pride weekend on one of her weekends so it took quite some explaining from my end. 

10. October. A rebirth. I don't remember much about October except it was supposed to be a rebirth, at least it started that way and then, there were no trips planned. I had nowhere to go, and this upset me. So I booked a a Halloween trip to Austin!

11. November. Halloween in Austin, first couple of days in November in Austin at the Domain. Met the warmest employees at the Domain, the Aloft Austin, it was one of the most subdued, intricately exciting trips I've had in a long time. There was an inner warmth to it which I will always carry with me. It gave me time to sit and reflect on the failed attempt at a rebirth from October. Finished up the month with a visit from my brother and a family trip for Thanksgiving. It was good family time. Glad I could keep up with my record of traveling every month.

12. December. Christmas. I was counting down the days until New Year's because I had saved up some vacations days at the end of the year. Every employer should actually give their employees a week off at the end of the year, give them the time to exhale as they usher in the New Year. We all deserve that time. Mine spent with family and kids was not the raucous time I had imagined when I booked the days, but is it ever? Whenever family talks you into vacationing with them, you feel obliged to say yes, but then you hope they'd bring their party hats on when they say yes.  Either way, I'm not vacationing at this time of the year with them again. I love them but this is not the time to be all "child up" in a city where you obviously came to party. 

In summary, after everything, the year, the months just run together. I would say I am happy. I am not like most people who say, "Let's wish 2012 away so 2013 can start." I am not in that big of a hurry. Why, you ask? Because I am not in the mood to get older. Yes, older. But when you have a good run like I had with 2012 you just don't want to loose it. If 2013 will bring a bigger (and better) run than 2012 I'd be happier, but who's to know, one can only hope that it does. 

Now, I just hope for the best and just hope (DECLARE) this as my time. This is my time, it's the single gal's time to get noticed and not shrink into the abyss. It's our time to live more, love more and laugh more and we're not apologizing for it. This is the solo life we've been given to live and we will experience it to the fullest, till the clock stops running on our fun. 

Happy 2013 to my single gals!

end of year vacay...debotched

You know those end of year vacations where people go to some summery place with nice sunny weather, and just lay at the pool sipping sugary alcoholic drinks, getting a tan in the middle of winter while they contemplate the year ahead and the year they are leaving behind. That's the type of vacation I want. From my thoughts, to my blog to hopefully, God's ears. 

End of year ho-hum

December.

Christmas.

The Last Month of the Year.

A quite memorable year at to boot. 2012. One filled with heartaches, travel, food, wine and laughter, some laughter not a whole lot but some that I can remember having, and then, of course, sex. Good sex. It's always a good year when you start with sex and end with sex. 

But not so good when you don't end the year with the people you had sex with. We've just gone our separate ways, I suppose. 12 months seemed too long for us to draw out our time together, good sex does not a relationship make.

2012's just been a memorable time. I will remember the adventures, sexual and otherwise, would have longed for more but I'd be happy to take what I have. Most importantly, I will remember the hot afternoons in Vegas. 

Xmas ... 2012

December.

Christmas. 

I spent the better part of December counting down to Christmas like I was waiting for something big to happen to me on that day. Technically, it is something big, because it's Christ's birthday, but I was just counting down like, 20 days to Xmas, 15 days to Xmas, seriously all caught up in it. One would think I had some type of big announcement. It really wasn't necessary because so many things were off about this Xmas.

For one, my weekend trip to the North Georgia mountains (Dahlonega) could not happen. Winter wine highway was cancelled this year so my wine group could not go and then, I just didn't feel like going on my own just to taste wine. Where's the fun in that?

Then, my local radio station B98.5 refused to play all Xmas music from Thanksgiving to Xmas - the norm. They gave no reason whatsoever and there was no substitute. So where does a gal go to get her Christmas music on to give her some holiday cheer?

These 2 things (though insignificant) made a whole lot of change to my Christmas scenario, my Christmas landscape was just ruffled.

But I still managed to summon up some fun. 

1. Yelp Holiday Party.

Not a great party. Not a good one at all. It was just all over the place. The invites were open to everyone so indeed everyone was there. Unfortunately, it just happened to fall on the coldest day in Atlanta - a 45 degree evening. And the line to get in took 20 minutes. 20 minutes of nothingness as we shuffled to the door. 20 minutes in 45 degrees can take the partying spirit out of you. It did for me so upon getting there and seeing more crummy lines for the food, this party gal was not happy. It was not a good look at all.  

The only saving grace - an oh-so-cheesy photo on Santa's lap.

2. Winter White Party.

Punk rock band. See the chick with the afro-puffs!

After the Yelp event I needed a good party. And this was a GREAT one. To me it topped last years, in price and oddities. I had a great time. Mingling with folks dressed in all-white getups was simply breathtakingly awesome.

Slight recap - The Winter White party is held every year, on the Monday just before Christmas at the Historic Georgian Terrace hotel. It requires attendance in all white outfits with a little craziness/adventure in your attire, the crazier, more flamboyant the better. It's all white, how else can you stand out? I went for the first time last year and promised that it would be my annual winter escape. There's a small fee to attend but it is reasonably minuscule compared to the amount of fun you're sure to have.

This is how my night began - see the glee in my eyes!

If you look real close, you can spot me and some of the artists from Totem.

I asked this newly-formed group to play me a Xmas song. They obliged and had to (Google) research the lyrics. Fun. 

One of my personal faves from the evening. Marie Antoinette and me. 

Cirque du Soleil trapeze acts stopped by to entertain.

Lovely ladies of the night. 

Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

3. The Gidewon Foundation holiday gift drive at Le Fais Do Do.

Very well-organized compared to the Yelp party. Open bar all night. Live music. DJ. Loads of holiday desserts. Most importantly, there were no lines anywhere. Slight line while we waited for drinks was quickly counteracted by an usher that took us to another bar with an even shorter line. I just thought that was A-Plus service, don't you?

Live band doing their thing. 

Me, the giggle of excitement.

No matter how subdued I may look, I am the Life of the party! 

Quick shot of my drive home - Peachtree Street at Xmas = Awesome.

                         
The solo life at Xmas - has its ups and downs. Moments when you think, "Oh gosh, not another Christmas hoping Santa would bring me a man." But you get to downplay that, you take in the parties, the champagne, the laughs, the scenic atmosphere, the shopping, you just get to embrace all the joy and love. And sometimes when you allow yourself to be consumed by it just stop and say, "Hmmm...I did have a Merry Christmas." 

The act of being me

On Friday I was supposed to go meditate in church . Instead, I chose to go to happy hour. I inevitably still had fun but I couldn't help but feel as if I was missing out on what was supposed to be quiet solace and a chance to once again commiserate with God about my life.That's the kind of person I am. I wonder, am I torn between being a good person and a bad?

On Sunday I was tempted to have sex with someone who is in a committed relationship (not marriage!). We got to 2nd base when I was suddenly hit with a bout of conscience, that made me stop. Then, I had to apologize profusely for leading said person on. Once again, I was torn between good and bad.

In the past few months, it's been back to me time.

Late October, early November, I decided to take a very short but very explesive vacation to Austin to try and forget about things, especially 2012. Say goodbye to love lost Anita and try to forget about things, people, and come back to Atlanta and be me. I promised not to look back at that Anita and to face future Anita. Past Anita died as I got on that flight. Did it work? Somewhat. Every time I try to look back I find myself saying, "Remember how much the recovery vacation cost? It would be a waste of money if you came back and dwelled on the same issues."

In the past few months, I also haven't changed much. I still discuss details of my personal life with unwilling parties. People who spend their time judging you like they haven't made any mistakes in their life. They relish in their judgment and I feed them with the opportunity to relish in it at my psyche's expense. I just need to think out my life more and live it for me. Be my own fan.

Of course, this wouldn't be a post on my blog without it involving me, thinking about me, contemplating something about me as I am faced with a fork in the road.