to end the year.

I want to see beauty in all things, that is what I strive to do

I started a blog this year and have succeeded in making in an outlet for my thoughts - go me! - so I just wanted to add one more post before the year is up. I don't know how to feel about this year. Most people are ready for the year to be over to get a chance to start fresh again. I definitely want to start fresh and made necessary steps to ensure that I leave some unpleasant things in 2010, but altogether I mostly remember the fun I had in 2010...

• I went skydiving!
• had my two closest Japanese friends visit me
• finally went to Ultra Music Festival and loved it!
• lived the life a New York City girl while spending time with my brother who I hardly get to see
• went to the legendary Hogwarts!
• met some awesome people I really connected with
• applied to JET (one of my lifelong goals up to this point)
• took the JLPT (one of my goals for 2010)
• was thrown a surprise party by the love of my life
• was surprised by one of my favorite people ever all the way from Japan.
• and last! I finally made a big step towards one of my other lifelong goals - becoming a professional amateur photographer (taking pictures of overturned lawn chairs and such, haha!)

Embedded are some of my favorites shots that I took the other day when I was just trying to figure out the settings of my awesome new red camera. In reality, I know nothing about the subject of photography but have been told that I have a natural talent and a good eye so I want to nurture that since I already know I can be great at anything I put my mind to.

At midnight tonight I'll be shouting 'Happy New Year!' and thus starting what I see as the next chapter in my life. I will (finally) be done with schooling for the first time in my life and will get my first full-time job. I'll be moving out of my house and have my own place (doubly exciting and scary is that it will be in Japan!). I'm going to sell the first car I ever had which will be hard. I'll be away from family and friends on holidays for the first time ever which will also be hard. I'm going to travel to new and exciting places and hopefully take that Eastern Caribbean cruise I've always wanted to take! I'm going to see three of my favorite performers in concert and am SO excited for all three of them. I have a condition and if that condition is met, I'll be getting a tattoo. I've also decided to, for the first time, do a serious diet and exercise regime. I know my boyfriend and some friends say I have the "perfect body", but I don't agree since we all have things about ourselves we want to improve on. I mostly want to feel healthier - have more energy, look more rested, etc. I'm not going to do anything drastic, but at the moment I'm not doing anything to achieve this so my baby steps will hopefully show results in about 2 months time. Maybe some before and after pics? haha! That a BIG maybe.

Well that's all for now. Another resolution of mine is to blog more. It really lets people know more about me and allows me to see how much I've grown as a person (as well as laugh at my past-self for being such a dork). Plus considering how much I view this year as a turning point for my life, I want to document it as much as possible.

So long 2010, here's to 2011!