Final Notes on 2012

This year was big.

The yarn shop I was working at closed its doors in mid-February, and I started going to its transplanted Friday Night Knit Group in Issaquah, which has been a great source of friendship, support, and laughing my butt off.

We adopted MacGuyver, aka Mackie/Mr. Boo, in March.  I love him fiercely.  He bounces when he's happy, he licks faces, he tries to eat my engagement ring, he enjoys stretching out on flat wooden surfaces when he's relaxed.  He is my first pet as an adult as well as Lumberjack's and my first pet together, and he's the best rat probably ever.

I started getting more serious about fashion school, and in April, Lumberjack and I made the decision to move to Ballard from our lovely apartment in Bellevue so that I could spend more time at school.  I still miss it sometimes, but it was absolutely the right choice to move.

In August, we went to LA to visit my grandma, and took a day to go look at fabric.  I ended up buying about 85% of the fabric for my line while we were there, and it was a huge factor in my decision to participate in the fashion show this coming April.

I visited Oberlin twice this year - once in late March with Lumberjack, and again in September by myself.  I miss Oberlin and all the people I know/knew there, and it's nice to go back and revisit the people and places that shaped who I am today.

Lumberjack and I went to Reykjavík for Iceland Airwaves.  We saw Sigur Rós, Phantogram, Vacationer, and several really amazing smaller artists and bands.  I had insomnia the entire time and got my first migraine.  We went to Blue Lagoon for an afternoon.  I bought yarn and some really cute fabric (which I should totally remember to share!) and we ate surprisingly good Thai food.  It was a long, hard trip, and it took me several weeks to recover when we got home - but it was a huge learning experience, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Over the year, I've met lots of new people and made several new good friends.  I am constantly floored by their generosity, kindness, and sheer awesomeness.  I couldn't ask for better friends.

Shit started getting real re: the fashion show.  I'm still kinda in denial.

2013 promises to be another big year: the fashion show is in April, one of my best friends is getting married in June in Oberlin, we're getting married in August, I'm hoping to finish the fashion program by the end of the year (which includes Ballgown), and I'm also hoping to apply to the JET program so that Lumberjack and I can fulfill our dream of living in Japan together.

Overall, this year has been one of huge transitions.  It's been hard, but it's been good - I live in a great part of the city; I have a wonderful partner, a kickass family, and awesome friends; I have a dopey rat companion; I'm doing what I love.

Don't let the door hit your butt on the way out, 2012.

Bring it, 2013.