goodbye & hello!

I don't know about you, but 2011 was a hard year. I was challenged in every way possible (financially, spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally) and my true friends rose above the bs and came to my side. Thank God for friends, accountability, and hope. I don't think I would have made it to the today with such high spirits if it wasn't for good people. But the year wasn't all bad, 2011 was filled with some good times so let's cut to pictures!

 I crossed off working in NYC from my To Do List. Picture is from The Met and Jacque Torres Chocolate Chip Cookie which is the best thing I ever ate!

Had an all expense paid work trip to Chicago. It was a great summer! Started off as hell but ended it with a bang!

 Many trips to Disneyland with the Sister.

And a very special trip to Bishop to see the trees with my mom.

My main lesson for 2011 was to have hope and to cling on to what is good. The year ended with a slew of movies watched but the last one for 2011 was The Adventures of Tin Tin and boy did that movie speak to me. Captain Haddock says something to Tin Tin towards the end of the film that stuck with me (may be a spoiler... so skip this section if you plan on watching it).

Captain Haddock 

I thought you were an optimist.  

Tintin

You were wrong, weren't you? I'm a realist.  

Captain Haddock 

Ah, it's just another name for a quitter.  

Tintin 

You can call me what you like. Don't you get it? We failed.  

Captain Haddock 

Failed. There are plenty of others willing to call you a failure. A fool. A loser. A hopeless souse. Don't you ever say it of yourself. You send out the wrong signal, that is what people pick up. Don't you understand? You care about something, you fight for it. You hit a wall, you push through it. There's something you need to know about failure, Tintin. 

You can never let it defeat you. 

So here's to you 2012! I will never let failure defeat me!  

Happy New Year everyone!