The Year of the Dragon

2012 is off to a great start. This year will be the year to make things happen. This year will be the year that dreams will come true. I don't know what it is about the new year, but something is definitely in the air, and it seems that I'm not the only one who feels it.

While 2011 was a very productive year for me, I'm not sure that it was the best it could have been. The last 4 or 5 months of the year passed so quickly - moreso than I've ever felt time fly before. It was as if the minutes, hours, days, and weeks slipped by unnoticed until they were absolutely gone. However, at the same time I simply couldn't wait for 2011 to be over and done with. I had many wonderful opportunities and met many amazing new people, but something just seemed to be lacking in the quality of time I was using. Yes, it was exciting for me to publish a book in March and to successfully present my research at several wonderful conferences in amazing cities. I started running which is a miracle since I never ever thought I would ever become a runner in my entire life. I can't believe I ran four half marathons, including one at Disney World in Florida! And that gave me the opportunity to visit the Harry Potter theme park in Universal Studios. What a dream! And I was able to visit more than 4 new cities, which was my goal for 2011. I went to Seattle, Portland, Boise, Calgary, Edmonton, and Orlando, and I'm so glad I finally had the chance to use my new passport I've had for a while.

On another note, I was not able to keep up this blog as regularly as I had hoped to. I do actually have dozens upon dozens of half written blog entries, but in the last part of the year, I found it difficult to finish them thoroughly. If I hope to continue this blog as an effort to keep up my writing skills, I think I need to start writing shorter posts.

After reviewing my resolutions for 2011, I have several things I hope to accomplish in 2012. As a continuation from last year, I do hope to stay more active. I want to continue running as much as I can, and I want to travel to at least 4 new cities, which definitely includes Chicago (where the 2012 Rural Sociological Society conference will be held in July), as well as 1 or more new countries. I really need to get out and see the world, especially Europe, like I always dreamed I would. In the past, every time I planned a trip my travel buddy would bail on me. This time I am determined to get there no matter what. Airline fees are only going to rise in the future, and I have enough friends in different places that I should be able to get around even if it's by myself. I am utterly determined to get to Europe! I have also already purchased a handful of tickets to attend several events at the summer Olympics in London this year, so wish me luck in finding a way there!

The most important thing I must accomplish in 2012 is to graduate from BYU with my MS degree in Sociology. I need to focus my writing efforts on my thesis project daily (rather than on a blog haha) and hone my statistics skills in order to finish. This will be the greatest challenge of the year.

With the exciting nature of events to come this year, especially regarding my travel plans for the year, I hope to have many new adventures as well. This is my last year living in Utah as far as I'm concerned, and I really want to take advantage of all the magnificent things I can do here. So my ultimate goal is to try 10 new, fun things here in the West/Rockies. I hope these things will include learning to ski, white water rafting, hiking the Grand Canyon, and attending at least one showing at the Sundance Film Festival.

I realize that accomplishing all these things will probably take both a lot of time and money, so this year I'll have to work harder than ever and take more risks in my life. And I'm willing and ready to do that. I have a certain clarity this year about what I want, and I'll do whatever I need to do reach  my goals. This year I am decisive (for once)! I'm so excited to see where this year will take me. Hello, 2012!