Thursday, January 3, 2013

2012 Highlights and Lessons Learned

2012 Highlights

A lot happened in 2012. It was a crazy year and I'm still recovering. I may or may not go back and post photos and actual posts of some of my 2012 highlights. But here's a summary of this year's craziness:


January
I ran my first 10k
Somehow I skipped the 10k when training. I went from 5K to Half marathon in 2011. So it was fun to run a 10k this year. It was the Hale Center Theater's "Hale Freezes Over" race in Orem. I got to run it with friends and it was good fun.


February
New Church Calling - YW President.
Apparently the Lord trusts me a lot more than I think He should. Or maybe He doesn't...this keeps me so busy I don't have time to get into trouble. :) Some wonderful friends have come from this calling though.

April
I ran my first (and perhaps only) marathon
This was truly a miracle. I didn't train quite as well as I should have and I had to be super careful not to injure myself. My friend and I ran this just a few days before leaving for Australia. Note to self - don't run a marathon the same weekend you leave for an international trip. I will probably do another one, but for now I just don't have the time to train for one.

January - October
I ran 3 half marathons and one Tough Mudder race
I ended up bruising my tailbone during the tough mudder race and am now convinced that those are not my favorite. I did it. I got my headband, my shirt, and the muddy photos to prove it. I don't have to do it again.
This tough mudder is so done...
April
Went to Australia and New Zealand with my favorite travel buddy
Lifelong dream come true. Though...I ended up being in New Zealand more than Australia and I need to go back and visit Australia to do it justice.

Piha beach - Auckland, New Zealand
Glenorchy, New Zealand
Kayaking Milford Sound, New Zealand
Hiking to Kitekite falls, New Zealand
Moss covered world - New Zealand

May
Got a promotion at work
Life pretty much turned upside down once I got back from the OZ/NZ trip. Work stuff changed dramatically and I ended up getting a new position and a promotion in the process. More money, more vacation days = more trips. What can I say...I work to travel.

May to November
Not much to report.
I worked.
A lot.
At my job.
In my calling.
Reached total burnout.
Time for another trip.
Playing with the sled dogs in Iceland
November
Went to Iceland
I had another birthday and I needed another trip. Iceland, it turns out, is a cheaper option than most US destinations in November. While a little cold and very little daylight that time of year, it had a lot of adventures to offer, including:

  • seeing the northern lights
  • dogsledding
  • seeing volcanos, glaciers, black sand beaches, and driving on sheets of ice in crazy strong wind. 
I may post a few of those adventures and post-date them. 

Hiking to some hot springs in Iceland

Life Lessons Learned
  • God has a sense of humor (and one that I don't always understand)
  • Your life high's seem to have equal low's
  • Life lessons repeat when you don't learn them the first time
  • God does send you angels when you need them and when you ask for them
  • Life just doesn't turn out the way you plan it...and that's ok.

Life List Items checked off this year:
  • Run a marathon (Salt Lake Marathon - April 2012)
  • Went to Australia (I was only there for about 2 1/2 days - I need to go back)
  • Went to New Zealand - I've decided I need to live there for awhile.
  • Saw the Northern Lights - Iceland - November 2012
  • Went dogsledding - Iceland - November 2012 - I need to do this again.

TV Shows that I currently love: 
Downton Abbey, Sherlock, Bones, Emily Owens MD, Grey's Anatomy

Music I enjoyed this year:

Notable Natural disasters in 2012
  • Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast
  • Pretty much the whole state of Utah was on fire in the summer
  • A few different earthquakes and floods across the earth
  • The world did not end on 12/21/12

What I'm looking forward to in 2013:
  • More wonderful trips and meeting more wonderful people
  • At least two half marathons - hoping to run them under 2 hours this year
  • Learning to drive a stick shift... (how I grew up in the country and never learned to do this is beyond me)

Here's to a great new year, new friends, staying in touch with old ones, and new adventures!