2011 in Review

2011 is coming to a close and it’s that time when people start putting their 2011 in review posts.  Usually stuff like “best movies/books/songs/albums of 2011”.  This one is more personal.  More so than I normally post in this space.

Towards the end of 2010, I came to some realizations that finally got me to start turning my shit around.  I left a terrible job, went on my first trip outside of this continent and flew solo, got a fantastic new job, and set plans in motion to move away from my parents and finally to a place of my own.  That momentum continued into 2011 and I’m glad it did and I’m even more glad I managed to maintain it so far.  A lot has happened this year and it’s led to a LOT of personal growth.  Far more than I imagined.  This year has been an epic journey and a wonderful adventure.  One which I don’t even know how to begin describing.  

So.  Where do I start?  How about the very first day of 2011?  My sister was visiting from San Francisco and arrived on a 5am flight on January 1 and I was tasked with picking her up.  Of course, I was out partying.  Hard.  It’s new years.  You can’t NOT party.  Off I went to the airport, strung out from the night before, overdosed on red bulls, jittery, and in no condition to go home and say hi to the parents.  So we went to Denny’s and I laid out my plans for moving out to my own place.  The details were finally out in the open.  No turning back.

That set the pace for many things to come  

  • I moved into a place of my own
  • I met my nephew on the day he came into this world
  • and watched him go from a tiny blob of skin to a curious, perpetually confused, spoiled little kid trying to figure out how to walk.
  • Severed ties to people that were a toxic influence on me
  • I fell in love with Toronto
  • Went on a road trip with a good friend and a near total stranger.  The three of us came back as brothers
  • Started using my bike for leisure and stomping around rather than point to point training exercises and fell in love with it all over again
  • Rekindled old friendships
  • Climbed onto rooftops
  • Sneaked into abandoned structures
  • Flew to Japan on a whim with a great friend
  • But not before spending the night before leaving with some amazing friends to watch Naked and Famous perform while we danced like idiots in a flooded concert hall with wrecked plumbing
  • I grew as a photographer and captured some of my best photos to date
  • I went to San Francisco so I could..
  • I registered for school again.  I start my classes next week
  • I fell in love with Kendo and have signed up to start this week.
  • I learned that I still enjoy sculpting after never having done anything like it since high school.  It’s a great way to cope…
  • I saw three relatives pass away but managed to tough it out
  • I learned more about nature of who I am and I learned more about where I want to go.

2012 is here now.  My goals for the year include:

  • Learning more about photography.
  • Advancing myself as a project manager.
  • Learn to play Guitar again
  • Spend more time with Kendo
  • Most importantly.  Continue the trend I began in 2011
  • Cut back on some of my toxic and negative habits and round myself out as a better balanced person

I own my fate.  Only I get to decide where that takes me.