2012 Year in Review.

So this post is obviously three months late; but I still felt like I had to spend two hours writing it.  Before I started, I had no idea what I would even write about since it feels like nothing happened; but turns out that was just classic I-have-nothing-to-wear Syndrome.  2012 was filled with comedy shows, crazy great meals, a constant revolving door of visitors, live music, sunny outdoor recreation, and my eternal love affair with yoga.  Oh yeah, and I'm still a PICU nurse working and stuff; but no one really wants to hear about that.  Yearly wrap up; look for the fun links!

January:

UCB 101 graduation show

My family spent Xmas in LA, but as soon as they left I dived right into the local fare.  I rung in the New Year completely out of my element at the fanciest spot in LA, kissing my dear Molly and a middle aged British man at midnight.  Good omen, eh? This month I started my first level of UCB Improv classes, and subsequently developed my first amorous infatuation with a teacher.  Sheepish grin.  I was completely knocked over sideways by the UCB method, and became obsessed with learning and developing this skill.  Still am.  I spent a lot of time this month seeing live music, and being outside in those hills (addendum: I've hiked 7/10 of those listed; and 6 of these are legit)

                                                     

Bored Birthday Girl

February:  I always try to get home to Spokane for my Goddaughter Sammy's birthday.  Made it again this year, and got to spend 9 days with my friends and family.  I was introduced to the great band Mutemath via live concert (the best way), and played dress up with my best gal.  I also was delighted with the comedy scene here in LA, went to the Meltdown Comedy show every week, continued my UCB classes with level 201, and of course then saw a LOT of UCB shows.  This is also the month my bestie ASHBO and I became friends, which is noteworthy because, as my sister says,  I hate everyone until I love them.

At the end of February, I spent 10 days working at the annual TED conference in Long Beach.  My friend works for the organization, and he got me a spot amidst the brain love to experience it for myself.  It was overwhelming and I met a lot of smart, fun, and socially awkward people.  Bill Nye the Science guy and I got to be fast friends.  I'll try to not let it get to my head, but no guarantees.

Draw Something

March: The month started out with a few of the TEDsters in LA after the conference to play.  I dragged them all over the city, showing them my favorite spots.  We all laughed, I made things weird.  Eyeroll.  I turned 26. (gulp, still closer to 25!) A few of the work gals dragged me out to a the Spare Room at the Roosevelt.  QuestLove was DJing.  Oh okay.  The app DrawSomething swept the nation and I was taken prisoner by it.  It was a fast moving tornado, wrecking my life and taking my attention for a mere month before losing steam and leaving a trail of wasted time in its wake.  It was devastating.
Coco came to visit this month, and we spent a week eating our weight in Cafe Gratitude entrees and pretending like she lived here already.  Ashley's best friends came to visit from STL, we all had laughs and I made things weird.  But funnily, of course.
At the end of the month I got talked into a spontaneous trip to Vegas to meet my bestie and Sammy's mom TL and her crew of friends for a weekend of such abhorrable events that I refuse to even recall them in my head, let alone divulge to all you hairy monsters.  I was punished at the end of this month with the worst sickness I can recall, and did not deal well as you can see here:

Standup notes from my first time up

April:  This month was dark and stormy in LA, and I was all riled up and thrashing around.  Well I finally got some balls, and got onstage to try standup.  I immediately fell in love with the instant gratification of the provided stage, light and mic.  Go figure.  Ashley and I got to be fast besties this month, and kicked off a long spring season of bars, boys, belly-filling and body scrutiny, beaches, and Bullshit. Lots of whoo-hooing and next morning ugh-NOing going on this month.  I was still continuing my UCB classes, getting through level 301.  I had a serious identity crisis when I gave in to my logical mind and took a position at my work, instead of maintaining the rouse of travel nursing.  I had been in LA for 18 months, the jig was up.  I went through New Employee Orientation and loathed myself the entire time.  My friend Monica came into town from Seattle, we tried to watch Silence of the Lambs both for the first time, shown outside in a cemetery.  I started packing blankets as soon as Hannibal escaped from prison, and ended up stress eating sweet potato fries at Cafe 101.

Dinking around Griffith Park

May: The Sloshy Spring continued as Ashley and I tried to make light of our lack of life direction and purpose.  We both wasted time wine-ing our way through LA men completely wrong for us; feeding our delusions with fear of boredom.  Lots of veeeeery deep reflection on love and life this month.  She tried online dating; I renewed my vow to never do it.  In between regrets, I played outside a LOT as usual.  I introduced her to runs around the Silverlake reservoir, and Ashley took me to boxing class.  This was fun, esp because I ended up with uber tough looking bloody knuckles the next day.  I bought a new car this month, and realized my penchant for price haggling and mind games.  I refuse to acknowledge the asian factor to this.  I drove my old car from LA to Seattle in a very short 24 hours, stopping to see my sister in Salem, OR and then spent a few days squeezing my family and friends in Seattle. Did some standup, and ran a 5k.

Cinespia movie screening

June: This month is usually gross and gloomy in LA, but certainly not true, at least weather-wise this year.  The aforementioned cemetery movie screenings lightened up, and I could be found there with a pile of sleeping bags and a picnic dinner every weekend.  Ashley was living with me this month before leaving in July for a Eurotrip, so our bestie-ness was at an all-time disgusting level.  We were inseparable; in a constant cycle of taking workout classes, and refilling with trips to Whole Foods.  My Gonzaga bestie Sheriann and her husband Peter came into LA on their Tour de California, so I took them down to San Diego to see our other roomie Andrea.  While there, I fell asleep at the bar after fully intending to let the dancing Panda out that night.  Woke up the next morning with a new sense of my age, in full on self loathing.  Gross.  I also spent 10 days at home in Spokane this month, taking care of my mother and trying to coordinate her new life after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and kidney failure.  Double gross.

It's ten thirty.  I'm in REM

Not the tat I got; but an option for later, eh?

July:  I spent the 4th in a Thai massage.  Seriously.  The 4th always reminds me of Thailand,  because the Fosters are there at that time every year, and I always wish I am with them.  I got a new tattoo in a whirlwind caffeine high dream state.  Not sorry yet!  I spent another week in Spokane this month; having to go care for my mom after her kidney removal surgery.  I breathed a small sigh of relief after her surgeon informed us that the mass they found was not cancer.  Her and our lives are still completely changed, but I was definitely not trying to deal with the chemo battle.  My mother does not care for Western Medicine with its big bad Chemicals and Lasers; and it was battle enough to get her to consent to surgery.  Blurgh.  This month I also sent my sister to South Africa for her semester abroad, and one of my favorite patients home after NINE long months in the hospital.

My favorite place in the world to wake up, Foster Farms in
Carnation, WA

August:  Cue exhaustion!  Also cue refusal to slow down!  I started my last level of UCB classes this month, still was doing standup as I could and improv as well with my team Reply All.  We formed after all taking class together at the 201 level, and after some Destiny's Child-esque lineup changes, are still going strong.  I ran up to Seattle to meet my cousin Janae's new baby, Baker.  Spent a dreamy few days with the Fosters on the Farm, before jetting to Vancouver, BC for a weekend.  I hadn't been there since childhood, and really needed to reacquaint myself with Hollywood North.  I got to spend some QT with my bestie Kim, and fell in love with the Pacific Northwest all over again.  To all you non-natives reading this: GO AWAY!  Stay wherever you are; leave the NW alone!  I love it so much and want it to stay exact as it is.  Both Ashley and Sheriann/Peter came back around to LA for short stints, so I had plenty of dinner dates and summer love.  

Happy Birthday Molly!

September: Coco finally moved to LA this month, and I was over the moon.  We were loving on the ideal weather this month, and entertaining new and old friends alike.  I was still doing standup per usual, and more regularly this month than ever before.  Coco's and my friend, Jae, flew down from Spokane for a short weekend to see the incomparable Peter Gabriel at the Hollywood Bowl.  It was a crazy great show, and my first at the Bowl.  Renewed my want to perform on a huge stage; so I bought a guitar and started YouTube lessons.  I can now play 3 songs.  Badly.  You just let me know if you want to hear Bieber's "Baby" over and over again, k?  This month I rediscovered karaoke in K-town and finally ended the runaround with another Barnacle on the boat to progress (read: I stopped talking to a superrat.  Still working on the maturity thing, see.)

Hiking in Lieper's Fork, TN

October: Fun month! This is the best month to be in LA, in my opinion.  My bestie Kim from Vancouver came to play with Coco and me, and we spent a week eating disco fries at Canters and watching skateboarders in Venice.  So much standup and LA fun dinners this month, the sun makes all things festive.  I somehow found it intoxicating and scooted over to the Beast Coast to see Ashbo in Nashville, where she moved to after leaving LA.  Had never been, got to do lots of autumn leaf hikes, meet crazy cowboys, and dress up for Halloween.  I got to dress up three times this year; and ended my run with an epic dance battle that I unofficially won.  The other party was a little low energy, but he does star in a sitcom so I guess whatever.  I was also peeled to Twitter, frantically searching for Hurricane Sandy human interest stories and retelling of stranded meet-cutes between strangers.

Birthday dance party favors

November:  My eccentric and safety-obsessed neighbor moved out of the big house in front of my guesthouse, and I got a new set of neighbors, whom I love.  This month I hit three parked cars in the span of 18 hours; please insert Asian driving joke of your choice.  Thankfully the only damage was to my reputation, which I don't take too seriously.  My Aunt and Uncle came through LA briefly, and I got to feel Asian and use Chinese for a second; which rarely happens for this lil Twinkie.  Well, I guess the biggest news is that I saw movies and found a great spot for Shabu Shabu in Little Tokyo.  Just kiddin', I went to Africa.  No seriously guys, I went to Africa.  Spent a month traipsing through South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho.  There are so many posts pending about this trip, I wont do it a disservice by merely adding a little blurb here.

Trying to never leave, Tsitsikamma National
Park, South Africa

December: I was in Africa.  Then I came back and was bummed out the rest of the year.  Serious couch time, staring angrily at my ringing phone and wishing that no one knew my number.  It was really precious.

So 2013.  Whatcha got?