Best and Worst of 2011

Best Moments of 2011
When Rachel, Nina, Stephanie and I were dancing on the roof at Bar Smith and this guy tried to dance with us and we blocked him and he was like, "What, is this like, a circle that can't be broken?" Yup.
When my parents came to visit and we climbed rocks at Joshua Tree and my mom tried to kick me in the Grand Canyon

My 8th period Reading class

Amanda telling me I had to put my arms up and embrace life on Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland. The lumberjack/wilderness firefighter

Standing in a meadow in the Maroon Bells wilderness in a dress and hiking shoes, surrounded by mountains and wildflowers and a creek, declaring that I want to build a house in that exact spot ;

Holding Carmen at my good-bye dinner.

Singing "Colors of the Wind" in Upper Antelope Canyon with our Navajo guide

High School Musical Karaoke with Jenna

Singing "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros with Nina and Steph on our trip.

Walking into my classroom and seeing flowers on my desk Reunion with Ryan.

Kristin and I deciding to jump in the water at Johnston Shut-Ins State Park.

Dancing with Carmen.

Rappelling off a 150 foot cliff.

Snowtubing race with Kelly

When my grandma said I was one of her best pals

"We out-bad-assed the scouts!"

Lang's ghost story

Standing in the Pacific Ocean at Laguna Beach and thinking, "I can't believe this is my life." The anticipation of encountering quicksand in Buckskin Gulch ("we'll Macgyver it!"); the disappointment when the canyon was dry

Hiking the Fairyland trail at Bryce Canyon National Park, singing along with "Mine" by Taylor Swift. Rounding a corner and getting caught singing by other hikers.

Hiking in the rain in the North Woods listening to that Kenny Chesney song, "Somewhere With You"

The Do-It-Yourself Messiah when we were singing "For Unto Us a Child is Born"- when we got to the "Wonderful Counselor" part

Singing Celine Dion with Nancy. We now have motions that go with our dramatic singing. Look out, world. There may be a drunk karaoke performance in the future. Singing the Praetorious piece with Professor Brown

Worst moments of 2011:

Crashing my car

Driving away from Rachel's house for the last time

The 7th grade team meeting where another teacher tried to take me down and turn everyone against me

Crying myself to sleep because I missed my Phoenix friends so much

My iPhone being stolen

Being lost on Picketpost Mountain

Swimming through that log jam in White Canyon

The NFC Championship fiasco

Dropping off Kristin at the airport in St. Louis

I think the theme for 2011 was change. Not just the change of moving back to Chicago, but the internal changes of becoming stronger and figuring things out. Also, one year ago, I was just starting to get into hiking. I am not the same person I was a year ago.

Hoping that the theme for 2012 will be adventure.

And my resolution for 2012: Be Fearless.