2012, like any year, had its ups and downs, and its own fair share of new experiences. Here’s my list of my top ten nine favorite new experiences of the year:
1. Becoming a Fairy Godmother
I’ve never been anyone’s godmother before (possibly due to lack of any religious affiliation or even belief?), so I’m very honored that my first official godmother title is for my nephew Riley. Of course, due to the aforementioned lack of religious anything, I prefer to think of is as a Fairy Godmother position, which fortunately suits my sister just fine. 🙂
2. Playing paintball
Not only was it my first paintball experience, but it was paintball with ZOMBIES. I was already predisposed to have a great time, but the threat of death-by-zombie made it unforgettably awesome. Plus I never got hit. And I killed two zombies. One of them, I killed a lot. His referree buddy came over to him to make sure he was ok. Woo!
3. Playing in two pool tournaments
First was the Ladies Team 8-ball Trophy Division in Las Vegas last May, and the second was the Ladies Individual 9-ball Tournie in Bellflower just last month. My playing was not terrible in either tournament, and both were definitely a good time.
4. Learning to paint
All thanks to wineandcanvas.com, I have released my inner painter and turned my kitchen table into my own personal art studio, with easel, canvases, acrylic paints, lots of brushes, and a variety of paint palettes. Hopefully 2013 will be a year of me continuing to practice and get better.
5. Visiting the Mall of America
Largest mall in America! Yep, I’ve been there and it is indeed large. And a mall. And that was pretty much it. Plus I took Minneapolis’s public transportation to get there, which is also unusual for me (utilizing strange city’s public tran, that is).
6. Getting my kissing on
Not just any kissing, mind you. Thanks to Papa Solis’s tequila, I have two new kissing milestones under my belt–I kissed a girl, and I kissed a complete stranger. That was one crazy (and fabulous) wedding!
7. Singing in a Polish karaoke piano bar in Minneapolis
Now that was a blast. It’s not often you get to sing to a crowd of drunk people with piano accompaniment in your own key. That was a good night.
8. Meeting my niece Violet
Super adorable little darling girl, every bit as lovely as a niece could possibly be.
9. Winning a Sportsmanship trophy
Sportsmanship! Me! That was an uber-nice surprise at the pool league’s end of season awards night. Sure, I might’ve had to have my therapist break it down for me (I have trouble processing things that are not quantifiable), but now I see that the awards that are backed by opinions and not numbers are actually the best awards.