I started it off -- and, honestly, spent most of it -- unemployed and very unhappy about it. Each cover letter sent out into the void felt like it took a tiny piece of my soul with it...and that's only being a little bit dramatic.
But you know what? It all finally worked out. I'm ending 2018 with a new job I like, in an apartment all my own, in my favorite city. My friends live minutes away. I can get Torchy's any time I want. Life is so cool right now.
Which is not to say cool things didn't happen the rest of the year! So, let's go: year-in-review time.
In March, my favorite little ball of chub -- who is now a bigger ball of chub who needs a haircut -- turned one!
I got really into taking pictures of flowers this spring. Like, really into it. I posted so many on Instagram.
In April, I made the Mature Adult decision to travel to Austin to see Bowling for Soup on 4/20 with my best friends. When they played "Yankee Rose" in Spanish during a "photo op," I knew it was a great choice. When I got to scream-sing along to "Ohio (Come Back to Texas)" with a bunch of equally enthusiastic Texans and honorary Texans, I knew it would be a highlight of the year.
I went back to the beach, which is becoming a thing I love to do because all I do while I'm there is read books and drink -- two of my favorite activities to do anywhere, but made better by the ocean.
In June, I went to Dallas to see Poison for a third time because I will always be the person I was when I was 15. Cheap Trick, who I had not seen, was also there and they were great.
I got to hang out with my former work wife, Vanessa, one last time before she moved to Arkansas.
I bought several pairs of great shoes.
I saw so many good movies. Since six is my favorite number and a dozen is a good amount of anything, here are my 12 favorites -- half from 2018, half from previous years: A Simple Favor, Annihilation, Begin Again, Definitely Maybe, I Tonya, It, Lady Bird, Love Simon, Ocean's 8, Set It Up, Sleeping With Other People and To All the Boys I've Loved Before. Honorable mention: Moon.
I also read so many good books! The one perk of being unemployed for...ever is that you have a lot of time to read. And I didn't read any book I didn't like because I made a vow to quit reading anything I wasn't enjoying (there are just too many books in this world!). These six were my faves: I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson, Carrie by Stephen King, Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, Attachments by Rainbow Rowell and An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green.
I watched new episodes of some old TV favorites (Santa Clarita Diet, Daredevil), got into some of the shows everyone talks about all the time (Game of Thrones, Bojack Horseman) and caught a few great new and new-to-me shows (Halt and Catch Fire, Waco, The United States of Tara).
I listened to these six albums a million times: Expectations, Dirty Computer, Mania, Pray for the Wicked, Sweetener and Tell Me You Love Me, and I also listened to a ton of Lizzo, Betty Who, Lorde, Walker Hayes and Florence + the Machine (especially "Howl" and "Lover to Lover").
Some of my other fave music discoveries of the year were: "Devil Woman" by Cliff Richards, "Ghost" by Awkwafina, "Stonewallin'" by Jane Decker, "Shutter Island" by Jessie Reyez, "Everybody's Lonely" by Jukebox the Ghost and "Psycho" by Lauren Aquilina. Here's the full rundown of what Spotify said I listened to the most.
I took this fantastic photo of Drake
I bought a cookbook (Cravings by Chrissy Teigen) and actually learned to cook some things from it.
In September, I turned 26, which was great because I was so tired of being 25.
ACL was a dream. I saw Paul McCartney from what amounted to third row (my feet have not forgiven me for all the standing), saw Metallica for a second time, had a religious experience watching Janelle Monáe and got to do all of that with my friends. Truly magic.
Oh, and while I was in Austin, I had a job interview.
For a job I was offered about a week later. Thus began my incredibly stressful but exciting search to find an affordable (LOL) apartment in time to move in and start my new! job! by the end of October. And also find time to vote.
All of which I did. I now live in an apartment I really like with no roommates, in my favorite city. I still can't get over it and honestly hope I never do.
Since being back in Austin, everything has kind-of settled into place. I like my job -- Digital Content Producer at KVUE -- and I'm good at it. My coworkers are great, and it feels like a position I can learn in and grow from.
I've also joined Maggie's book club and through that, work, events and some very strategic planning, I've made a few new friends.
Oh and, bonus, earlier this month, I got to attend Bryan and Tess's beautiful, sweet wedding. What a cool way to wrap up the year.
I'm super lucky and have New Year's Eve and Day off, so on NYE, I'll be hanging out at Maggie and Melany's house with a few of their closest friends. A perfect, chill way to end a year of crazy changes.
For the first time in quite a while, I'm actually stoked to see what the new year brings. Happy 2019, y'all.
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