Yeah, yeah, I’m doing this a bit early…but considering this will probably be the last time I blog this year (unless something MAJOR happens)…just be lucky I’m doing it at all!

1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
I started doing yoga. Don’t always get along with it, but I likes!

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions?
Well, I can’t really say I kept my resolutions. But that’s because I actually didn’t really make any last year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
We’re not close anymore, but we were once: the ex and his wife had a baby girl. She’s precious and I wish them all the happiness in the world.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nobody close to me. My paternal grandfather passed away recently, but considering I only ever remember meeting him once in my whole life, I wouldn’t consider us close.

5. What countries did you visit?
None! Hell, I barely even left Pennsylvania this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
A legitimate full-time Monday through Friday job rather than one in retail where full-time can mean anywhere from 28-40 hours per week Sunday through Saturday.

7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 5, 2012 – My graduation from Duquesne
November 13, 2012 – Meeting Seto for the first time

8. What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year?
Finishing graduate school was definitely a big achievement for me this year. But more importantly was finally realizing that I had broken through the chains that I let keep me down for the past year and a half.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Letting little things drag me down when I shouldn’t have.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing beyond the typical illnesses I always seem to come down with. Managed to pick up walking pneumonia for the third year in a row… I really should consume more vitamin C.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Aftermarket radio for my car to replace the dying stock one (and so I could more easily use my Sirius!)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I don’t know… A lot of my friends made me proud to be their friend this year. If I tried to go through and name everyone this blog post would be WAAAY too long.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Nobody really made me depressed, but I was appalled by the amount of ignorance and lack of respect shown by several of the people I consider close friends (and even some of my family members) around election time. It was one thing to have a difference in opinion or to agree to disagree, but what I was seeing was just absolutely horrid.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills and Medicine. Considering I don’t really spend all that much money otherwise.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to the Steelers vs Redskins game with John

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
“Spectrum” by Zedd

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Much happier.
b) thinner or fatter? About 50lbs thinner! (HUZZAH)
c) richer or poorer? Pretty much the same.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Making friends and socializing with people off the computer.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Stressing out over things that I couldn’t change.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Probably sleeping. Since the whole family can’t be together this year on Christmas, and work schedules are an issue, we had our Christmas in the beginning of December. So I’m really not doing anything but spending the day to myself.

21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
After spending most of my life traveling the “fast” route in relationships, this year I was finally ready to settle down and take things slow…not put my cart in front of my horse, so to speak. With that said, however, I did meet someone this year who has completely blown me off my feet. He is amazing, and I honestly don’t care who knows it…I am falling more in love with him each and every passing day.

22. How many one-night stands?
None. I never have and never will be a one-night stand kind of girl.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Favorite in terms of what I liked most: Doctor Who.
Favorite in terms of what I watched most: Big Bang Theory.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nope. I don’t hate anyone. And as a matter of fact I actually dislike fewer people now than I did this time last year too. I learned to let a lot of things go, and “rise above.” It’s pointless to hold grudges against people for things they did in the past. I know who I can and cannot trust, and that’s enough for me.

25. What was the best book you read?
Didn’t read that much his year >.> But it’d have to be: “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I’m going to have to say that it’s Zedd. I know I’d heard songs remixed by him before, but I never really listened to any of his music until very recently. And of course I fell head over heels in love.

27. What did you want and get?
A SiriusXM radio.

28. What did you want and not get?
A management position at work.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I’m going to call it a tie. Between Hunger Games (because hello, it was THE FRIGGEN HUNGER GAMES) and Wreck-It Ralph (because it was such a cute movie and I loved the music).

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
My birthday (Nov 29th) kind of got transformed into a two-day celebration. On Thursday, my actual birthday, I went out to Mad Mex with my best friend Kyle and our friend Kaylee. And then Friday I got to spend the majority of the day with Seto. Also… I turned 26.

31.What was one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Uh…. Winning the lottery? I dunno… I had a pretty good year.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
If it fits without falling off: wear it.

I spent a lot of time in 2012 wearing clothes that were way too big for me (due to my weight loss). So as long as something stayed on (most of the time with the help of a belt in the case of pants) I’d wear it. I just couldn’t see a point in going out every couple months and buying all new clothes considering the fact that I’m still losing weight.

33. What kept you sane?
For most of the year: Kyle, even when he was driving me insane.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Gerard Butler

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election, of course.

36. Who did you miss?
I spent most of this year missing Rochelle, since I never get to see her anymore now that she’s moved to Holland and only gets home to the States occasionally.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
It would be 100% biased of me to say Seto. ^_^ So instead I’ll focus on two others who I’ve met that have made a lasting impression on me even though I’ve known them less than two months: Lucky and Az. Both of these guys are awesome to talk to and to game with. I’ve spent many a late night on Diablo III with Lucky, or in JKA with Az. And of course, even when I’m not in the mood to game, I love logging onto Teamspeak just to chat.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
Early on in 2012 – When you carry the past around with you like a ball and chain, it’s nearly impossible to move forward. Before you can move on, you have to let go.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
“Let’s make this fleeting moment last forever
So, tell me what you’re waiting for?
I’m gonna keep it frozen here forever,
There’s no regretting anymore.”
“Alive” – Krewella

No, really. For my family Christmas came early this year. My aunt and uncle plan to spent Christmas in Texas with my cousin and her husband in their new house, so in order for us all to have Christmas together this year we ended up having to do it early. So I’m typing this from my mom’s house while I procrastinate going to bed even though I know I have a 6 hour drive back to Pittsburgh to make tomorrow.

It was a nice weekend, despite the fact that it didn’t feel very Christmas-like. I guess it’s just the timing, since my mother truly went all out. The whole house is decorated, she made a traditional Christmas dinner for us on Sunday, and we opened presents, but it’s not December 25th, so its not really Christmas. That, coupled with the fact that I know I won’t be home with my family on Christmas kind of put a damper on my spirits. But I had a good time anyways!

Ended up getting a few really awesome things! I had asked for a few different tea’s from Teavana from my mom, and while she did get them for me, my cousin also ended up getting me a Japanese tea set. It’s a pot and two tumblers with dragons painted on them. I’m absolutely in love with it.

My other awesome gift was from my mom. She got me a SiriusXM radio and a year subscription. The radio itself wasn’t going to work very well with my car’s factory radio, so it gave me the perfect excuse to finally replace it (since the CD player in it was basically on it’s last legs anyways). So now I have a pretty new stereo and a Sirius radio to go along with it! It only took my friend Dessa and I about 5 hours to get everything installed (since in Cavaliers, to get to the radio you have to take the whole dashboard apart).

Other than that I got some clothes, some really neat jewelery, and enough Starbucks gift cards to keep me in Chai Tea Lattes for the next 6 months.

I’m glad I got to spend the time with my family, but now I’m ready to head back home to Pittsburgh and resume business as usual. Plus, there’s a certain someone back in Pitt that I’ve been missing like crazy since I got home and who I can’t wait to see again.

I hope that everyone had a good Thanksgiving!

This was the first year for me that I didn’t get to spend the holiday with my family at all, but still managed to make the best of it. Kyle was also unable to go home so he decided to cook dinner for us. I was just expecting him to want to make some turkey or mashed potatoes or something simple…but he ended up going all out.

Best best friend ever!

Aside from that, I’ve been spending some time with someone who I can really only describe as absolutely amazing. I’ve honestly never met anyone who gets me (or at least who I feel like gets me) the way that he does. And even though I’ve been able to genuinely say that I’m happy for quite a while now…this is a whole new level of happiness that I really wasn’t expecting. I just…don’t even really have the words to say to describe it, except that he’s unlike anyone I’ve ever known and I am truly blessed to have met him.

So remember last week when I mentioned being addicted to a new (older) video game? Well… it’s gotten worse. Now not only am I addicted to Jedi Academy single player, I’m well on my way to being addicted to multiplayer as well.

A lot lower than they would be if I’d actually remembered to turn XFire on…
Considering I played Multiplayer for 2 hours just tonight.
14.3 hrs this week all together for both SP/MP

But Jedi Academy will never be a MMORPG like WoW was… So I had to find a solution for that… Enter Star Wars: The Old Republic.

….oops.

She’s too cute NOT to love!
Whitters – LVL 12 – Sith Sorcerer – Jedi Covenant

But, just to prove I’m not COMPLETELY insane yet… We now take this small break from gaming!ramble to bring you actual life news.

Since my last blog post I’ve lost another 6 or so pounds, making it roughly 15 lbs down since the beginning of October (even with the crazy Steelers game weekend with John and Rochelle being here)! So… huzzah!

</gangsta>

And now back to actual!gaming.

Okay, where the hell did October go? I need it to come back so that Kyle will stop reminding me that in 27 days I’m going to be old. But considering I’m only about 6 months older than him, I guess he’ll be following me into old age pretty soon as well, so I guess I’ll live. I’m actually kind of looking forward to my birthday this year which is a really strange thing considering I usually hate it! I do have one goal though that will make this birthday much different from the last five or six: to NOT wake up sick on November 29th.

Spent this past weekend having tons of fun! John and Rochelle were both here visiting! I hadn’t seen John in two years and have missed Rochelle every day since she moved to Holland, so it was good to have them around. Kyle was also around to be a general pain in my ass for the weekend too (and that’s why he’s my best friend). We saw a couple movies (Paranormal Activity 4, Silent Hill Revelation), went out to eat (IHOP, Mad Mex), played a couple games (Cards Against Humanity, Kings), Rochelle and I watched two and a half seasons of Say Yes to the Dress, and on Sunday John and I went to the Steelers v. Redskins football game!

ERMAHGERD FERTBERL!

Potentially one of the best days of my life, ever!

I’ve also started playing a new game, completely blowing my “don’t buy any new games until you finish the ones you have” mantra that I’ve had going for the past few months. But I couldn’t resist since Steam had a bundle of all the Star Wars – Jedi Knight games on sale! So I ended up getting all of them, and I will eventually play them all but for now the one I’m most interested in is Jedi Academy. It was mentioned to me by a friend because he loved the combat mechanics and after I did some reading I figured why not give it a try.

Even though it’s an older game, and despite the fact that I am absolutely rubbish at it, I’m loving it so far! I’m not used to playing games on the PC since I’m more of a console girl. The only games I’ve really played in the past year are Portal 2 (the hardest of the three due to aiming/timing), Diablo III (a joke, really) and WoW (click, faceroll, loot, repeat), none of which are anything like JKA. But I can see why my friend loves this game and I can’t wait to get further into it! Plus it gives me something that will take my mind off the fact that Disney now owns Lucasfilms. >.>

Other than that, I FINALLY got my 101 in 1001 list revamped and back up. I felt so stupid when I moved domains and accidentally deleted it. Especially because I couldn’t even get a snapshot of it from the Wayback Machine. I could only find my OLD list from whitters.nu. So instead I decided to revamp it and restart it. There aren’t too many different things on it this time around, but hopefully I’ll be able to actually accomplish this list and won’t just forget about it like last time. And since I don’t plan on changing domain names again…ever, I (hopefully) won’t be able to stupidly delete it again.

I hope everyone had a safe Halloween and those of you on the East Coast are drying out after Sandy! But now it’s time for me to migrate towards bed before I get the “good” idea to open up Steam again!