Happy Holidays and New Year Adventures

Here it is, my first blog of the New Year. I made it past my last fall semester of college! I ended up with a 3.8 GPA which is probably the highest my GPA has been since high school. Yes, I’m over here patting myself on the back. Maybe I should get to the real point of this post…

I don’t know about the rest of you, but January for me is usually pretty depressing. I’m not sure what it is. I love the feeling that Christmastime brings. Schoolwork is over, and I get to visit all my friends and family back home. Not to mention my son. That’s right. I’m the proud mother of a 6-year-old named Max. While I’m away at college, my parents share custody of him. I miss him terribly while I’m at school. Here’s a picture of him dressed as a Christmas jester.

He's so purdy!

But once again, I digress. The point is: I get very happy in December, and I guess January ends up feeling miserable because of all the hype of Christmastime and seems to end too abruptly for me. But I guess this year kind of came with a lot of firsts and lasts that’s made me a little more nostalgic than usual.

For instance, this was the first time I was able to drink at my family functions. It was also my first Christmas with the newest addition to our family. He’s my second cousin, and his name is Marcus. Incidentally, it was Marcus’ first Christmas ever, and he too dipped into the alcohol… he was teething, so we rubbed some Jack Daniels on his gums.

Here we are both a lil tipsy.

This was also the first Christmas my grandma on my mom's side spent with us in about five years. She's become sort of a recluse these past few years, and I'm not sure why. Christmas Day we went to her house. It was a small function: just me, my mom, grandma, my uncle and his wife and son. The food was delicious-- she makes the best spaghetti! The family got along pretty well too, until my 4 year old cousin got mad and didn't want to show me his Nintendo 3DS because he thought I was going to steal it... Really, kid? I don't want your DS. I have a car!

Unfortunately, this was the last Christmas that I’d come home on a break from school for two weeks. Not too traumatic, but strange to think about. Even worse, it was also probably the last Christmas we’d be spending at my grandparents’ house. That place is very close to my heart because they’ve lived there longer than I’ve been alive and it’s the only permanent home I’ve ever known. They’re trying to sell it because they’re getting older and need to move closer to town so they can get around easier. But at least we had a great time as a family on Christmas Eve. The only thing I missed is that we didn’t get to build a fire in our fireplace while I was home. Mostly because it wasn’t really cold enough to build a fire. Which is strange because it’s winter! Where the hell is winter?

After Christmas, I was ready to ring in the New Year, but I got sick the whole last week of break. By New Years Eve I didn’t have a voice. So I didn’t speak all day and drank plenty of water so I’d be able to party that night. It worked and by 9pm I was at my best friend Megan’s house ready to drink, which I did plenty of. I also danced—a lot. So much that I was sore the next day just from getting my dance on. Ahh, good times. Even though we didn’t go out, it ended up being one of the best new years of my life. Here’s a sample of that night.

Why did she need a helmet? You don't even want to know...

Me and Meg also recorded a video on my phone that night. I found it on my phone two days later, and I only vaugely remember saying half the things I said on that video. That's a sign it was a good night :)

Also with the New Year is the fact that I’m about to start a new chapter in my life. I’m graduating this May and will be starting my career in the entertainment industry as I attempt to be a TV writer. I’ll be moving from Orange to LA. I’m in the midst of independently producing a feature film that I wrote last year (still in rewrites).  A couple of my friends that I met at my internship want to help me produce it in hopes that it can be a calling card for all of our careers. I also want to travel to Italy after I graduate, among other places. That excites me the most. Basically, I’m looking forward to doing new and exciting things instead of being a student for once. I’ll be a student of life! (Cheesy, but true). I’m looking forward to this new chapter in my life, and I want to seize every opportunity that I can.

It’s kind of strange that I feel this way. Four years ago when I was a senior in high school I was stressed out and terrified because I didn’t know where I would be in a year. I knew I’d be in college, but I just didn’t know where. I guess I had/have issues with change, but I realize this and now try to embrace change. This year, as a senior in college I really don’t know where I’ll be in a year. I won’t be a student, but God-willing I’ll have a job in my career field. But I’m not as terrified as I was back then. I’m more excited than terrified, and it’s actually comforting to know that I’ve grown so much in the past four years. I guess I know deep down that I’m going to be ok and everything will work itself out. It’s also comforting knowing that I’ll have the support of my friends and family the entire time.

I hope everyone’s holidays have been as fun and reflective as mine were. Sorry to get all sentimental on ya, but that’s what the New Year is about—reflection. So, until next time…

Peace, kids!