Where the heck have I been?

WHOA. It’s been a year and a half since I last updated this thing, and that feels like a definite failure on my part. I started this blog with such high hopes of fanning my creative fire and sharing my point of view. And then, ya know… life happened.

A quick caveat: I don’t want this blog to turn into a journaling exercise – I want to share special moments and trips and interesting perspectives without this reading as a timeline of life events. However, with such a long time between posts, I feel like a bit of a catchup is necessary:

My very last post was on the heels of a rough summer, and it encompassed all of the confusion and anxiety that ensued. But that ray of positivity it ended with was well-founded: the rest of 2018 and all of 2019 were kinda awesome. In November of 2018, I took an EPIC trip to Thailand and Cambodia with Phil and 2 of our closest friends, Andrew and Dianne. It was truly the trip of a lifetime, and at some point I will share it – look back and point out all the best things we did and saw and learned and  bathed (spoiler on the last one: elephants!)

In February of last year, I landed a job (after being laid off in October of 2018 – another downward blip on the heavily volatile 2018 scale of ups and downs). I’ve been there a year now and really, really love it, the people I work with, and what I do. It’s been so rewarding to finally find a place where I feel like I can continually be challenged. AND I happen to work with extremely smart, lovely people (most of them women!), which has been so wonderful. I’ve also gotten to travel, sit in front of other awesome, smart women (and men)  that work with us as clients, go to conferences, and stretch myself creatively, strategically, and analytically. Finding a work family I fit into so perfectly was definitely one of the greatest highlights of last year.

In March, (exactly this time a year ago, actually) I did something I am super, super proud of – something I never thought I’d have the guts to do, but something I am so, so glad I did: I traveled internationally alone for the first time. For a week, I explored Florence and Rome, ate all the pasta and drank all the wine, visited all the churches and saw all the art, and thoroughly and totally enjoyed myself. That’s another post in and of itself, but it’s important to note here, as it was a huge part of what made 2019 spectacular.

But September of 2019 held the absolute best part of the year for me. Phil and I met my mom and dad in Ireland, and later my sister and brother-in-law in London, and had the most amazing family trip. I haven’t been on a family vacation in 5 years, and a FULL family vacation (one with my sister), in probably 20 or more years. So it was special. In addition to all the wonderfulness that is seeing a new place (and Ireland and Scotland in particular were TRULY, TRULY magical), we got to do it with my family. We laughed and ate and drank and ate and drank and laughed and ate some more (all the things we do best.) This is also another post to come – but it was so special and we made myriad memories I’ll hold with me forever.

In December, I somehow landed the part of the Audi Gift Tester, where I got to be part of this huge, awesome production and star in the holiday social videos for a brand I rep hard (another high-point of 2019: buying myself an Audi) This experience held some MORE memories of a lifetime – I met some sincerely awesome people, saw a huge commercial production first hand, was certified “the talent”, and officially got to post branded content, complete with posts labeled “paid partnership with audi.”  (as a Social Media strategist, that was particularly fun.) hahah.

Not EVERYTHING was roses though; My back issues have persisted here and there, I continue my life long struggle with my weight (including my vision of myself and all that encompasses), I’ve experienced lots of self-doubt in my work, and I still battle comparing myself to others and where they are in their lives. Among the bad, there were a number of new friends made, a few concerts attended, tears shed and fights had, some snow skiing improvement, hikes and tennis matches, 4 (!) Vegas trips, lots of great meals cooked, and many many good reads, good laughs, and good times. All in all, 2019 was one for the books.

I guess you could say that I am proof that even when things seem terrible, there is good on the horizon. My last post, though it finished on a note of positivity, was born from a place of distress and pain and worry.  A year and a half later, while things are far from perfect, I can say without question that I have a lot to be grateful for.

I am going to attempt to be better at this. To keep this promise to myself to follow through and finish what I start. For myself.

And for the other 2 of you that read this.