As the holiday cheer rolls around and the year comes to end, it’s time to reflect on the year that was. And tell it to GTFO and never return.
10. When in Hawaii, don’t get a tattoo until the absolute last second (and always, always wear sunscreen).
So, Hawaii happened. While most of you were basking in the glow of Saylorville Lake or the Res in Iowa City, I was on a beach. At an Ocean. In Hawaii. And was it ever gloriously splendid. I tanned (burned a tomato red), and climbed (complained), and fed chickens (this also happened). I drove a shady spray painted Nissan, I met nice 30 year old graphic designers; I didn’t wash my hair.
Even though the tan lines have begun to fade, one thing hasn’t---the spur of the moment tattoo I decided I wanted. Do I still love it—yes, absolutely. However, getting it two days before I left was a bad decision. I couldn’t go in the water the last 48 hours I was there—what a travesty.
9. Choose temp jobs wisely.
DART was a disaster. Wells Fargo sucked. See previous blog post for more of the agonizing details.
8. Be careful in eating cheese.
I guess I have become more of a ditz since leaving school? The blondest moment of my life happened a few weeks back. My mom needed accompaniment to a jewelry party, so I obliged, ogling fancy things that I couldn’t afford. But there was free wine, and cheese. Oh so much cheese. Fancy cheeses from France. Blue ones, orange ones, oddly shaded white ones. Kinds I didn’t even know existed!
I became attached to one cheese in particular, it had no name nearby, but that didn’t stop me from piling it on top of crackers, eating more and more. Finally, my sister convinced me to ask the hostess what it was.
I politely asked “This cheese is DELICIOUS, what kind is it”
Without skipping a beat, she responded, “oh, that’s cream cheese”
Awkward.
7. Always check for flashlights
It was 2 in the morning. I was about to tackle a 14,000 foot mountain. Long’s peaked loomed a dark monster ahead my dad, sister and myself. And it would stay that way. As we unpacked and hit the trail, we realized we greatly miscalculated. We only had one cheap 1.99 flashlight to lead us up the mountain. A classic epic Wonderlin fail.
But we trekked on, and that tiny little flashlight led us 5 hours in the dark, long enough to see the breathtaking sunrise over the Rocky Mountains.
6. Drives to Minneapolis are long
Hey did any of you realize that I was looking for jobs the past six months?! Well if you didn’t you’ve been living under a rock. Despite the fact that I am currently gainfully employed in Des Moines, there was a time oh so not long ago that I was looking for work in the Great North. Well, Minnesota at least. I went to Minneapolis four different times for an interview. And each of the four times I failed, miserably. Minneapolis doesn’t like me very much, I guess.
Maybe I would make a better impression if I didn’t drink the night before. But when you stay with a Williamson, what else is there to do :P
5. Being 3rd row at Mumford and Sons is AWESOME. Being 3rd row at Mumford and Sons out of 10,000 people in 110 weather is STILL AWESOME.
During the June which I did nothing, I trekked to Kansas City to see Mumford and Sons. It was the best concert I have been to, and lining up roughly 3 hours a ahead of time got us to the third row. Now, as Mumford was the 4th act on, I had been standing for nearly 7 hours by the time it was over. And was it ever painful. I was covered in sweat by the 10,000 other eager concert goers pushing against me to get as close as possible. Too back suckers, I was there first.
4. You Can’t Go Back To College.
I graduated. I’m a big girl. It’s weird. But that doesn’t change the fact that 95 percent of my friends are still in school, so clearly I am going back to Iowa City to visit. Clearly, this is a bad idea. Clearly.
My liver must know I am not in college anymore, as bad things happen when I go back. Things that never used to happen when I was in school. #whitegirlwasted.
3. Six hours of Bones in a day is a day well spent.
There was a time, albeit briefly, where I did absolutely nothing. I didn’t work, I didn’t go to school and I wasn’t looking for jobs. What a beautiful 3 weeks it was. I spent it sitting on a couch, eating and watching the love story between Booth and Bones. Watching an entire series in that compact of time left me with PTSD. I felt the emotions of the characters, and I was sad and cried when they didn’t end up together in an episode. After that emotional breakdown, I knew it was time to look for a job.
2. You can’t go back to college, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a kid again.
I am just going to come right out and say it. Living at home isn’t all bad. I have come to appreciate my very weird family and all the bizzaro quirks that my dad brings to it. I get free board and a master bedroom as big as some apartments. There is always cheese, ranch dressing and mayo in the fridge, and there are always Sunday Night Sing Alongs to look forward too. Namely, songs to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I loved that musical as a kid, so it’s no surprise that when I put in the VHS I still knew all the words and belted it out (off key) with Amy and my mother.
I totally didn’t realize this as a kid though: Donny Osmond was a fox in that musical. Hotdamn.
AND THE NUMBER ONE LIFE LESSON LEARNED IN 2011
1.Don’t ever ever ever EVER show up to Graduation still feeling the “effects” from the night before.
….because your parents will know. And they will give you shit for it till the end of time.
Or as my aunt did, pull me aside and give me a breath mint.
And there you have it folks, the top 10 lesson of 2011. May 2012 wisdom be just as educational.
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