My 2012 has been a fantastic year. It has been full of laughter, hard work, heartbreak, and happiness. By far it has been the most exciting travel year of my life.
- January - Listening to a lecture about the RMS Atlantic - largest civilian Maritime disaster in history (bigger than Titanic)
- February - Seeing the amazing Sutton Foster in "Anything Goes" on Broadway in NYC
- March - Jeep riding in Sedona, AZ with great friends
- April - 2 weeks in England
- May - 3weeks (combined) Switzerland, Italy, Istanbul, Canada
- June - Work and family in Texas
- July - Making new friends and seeing old friends in California
- August - Family, Friends, BBQ, and Jetski on Lake Erie; Two weeks falling in love with the mountains (and steak) of Montana
- September - Learning there is nothing good to eat in Columbus, GA but there are some great places to run
- October - Baltimore Relay with the LM Lunch Run Crew; Halloween at The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood
- November - Ragnar Relay in Las Vegas; Thanksgiving with fantastic friends in Chicago
- December - My brother graduating from his Masters program; A festive Christmas celebration like I've never experienced before.
More than travel and what I've seen, its what 2012 has taught me
- The value of sleeping in my own bed is better than a free week in a 5 star luxury hotel. Don't get me wrong I love a nicely appointed hotel room as much as the next person, but when you've been on the road for weeks at a time, being able to be home, if only for one night, can recharge you.
- Having my dog greet me at the door can bring a weary traveler to happy tears. There is nothing that says "Welcome Home" than a happy dog, with a waggly tail to greet you at the door.
- I miss my life. This didn't actually hit me until mid-December. I've been working from home on internal corporate projects and it was during this time home it hit me "I don't live here anymore". Sure I pay mortgage, have a bed, roommate, pets, etc, but I don't have a life anymore. I realized, I missed a lot of mid-week birthday celebrations, dinners with friends, and races because 36 hours on a weekend home is enough time to catch up on laundry, buy dog/cat food, and re-pack for the next trip, but not much of anything else.
- Living out of a suitcase taught me what I REALLY need. Living for weeks out of a suitcase makes it so made it so much easier to declutter my house. Cleaning out closets and drawers is not the chore it used to be because I've learned what I really need and what is just taking up space.
Still, 2012 has been one of those years that I will look back on with a smile. So many great memories have been made. I'm not sure what 2013 will bring but I'm ready, so bring it on!!
