Hello 2012

Happy New Year!  Last year was a pretty great year.  There were some firsts, lots of homework, and several fun trips.  I think I learned more this year than I have in a good long while.  I'll spare my typical month-by-month break down of the year and just say that it was good and that I'm almost done finalizing my resolutions for 2012.

As for New Year's Eve, let me just say that is one of the most underwhelming holidays ever.  It usually turns out disappointing.  Awkward house parties, sitting in parking garages, uncomfortable shoes, watching drama unfold between friends and/or their (in)significant others.  I promise I'm not a downer, but I've tried everything--Times Square, family, acorn drops, Vegas, concerts, etc.  Maybe I have too high of expectations or maybe I just never have been able to figure out how to properly wear something with sequins, but the evening usually doesn't' live up to the hype.  I was debating feigning a cold and just going to bed early this year.

The plan this year was going with my roommate and some of her co-workers to a New Year's Eve party in Raleigh.  It was the kind in a huge conference space where people dress up fancy, drink champagne, and you can always find at least one person crying in the bathroom.  I was already worried about my lack of sequined apparel...  Yesterday morning, Megan and I were trying to figure out the timing seeing the pickle drop in Mt. Olive and getting back to the fancy party thing when a friend invited us out to her beach house for the night.  After a quick pro-con analysis, we decided to head to Wilmington.

Our first stop was Mt. Olive.  (the nearby pickle company), which drops a glass pickle at 7pm.  I think they explained why 7pm, but I don't remember, sorry.  It was on the way to the beach, so we took the dogs and cheered for the pickle.  Very exciting.

Next up, we put on jeans (way better than sequins) and went with some Wilmington friends to go dancing Liquid Room and City Limits.  It was fun to dance at more casual places and one even had a mechanical bull! I even got to use the Cupid Shuffle dance moves I learned at Megan's work holiday party.

The next morning, we took the dogs to the beach.  It is the off season (even though it was 70 degrees) and so dogs were allowed on the beaches.  The pests made friends and got nice and tired for the long drive home.  After getting home, I took a three hour nap.  Talk about a good way to start the new year!