Calabrisella Mia

I started this meme back in 2008 and had decided to do it every year as a way to summarize each year.  This is coming almost a week into the New Year, but that’s only because I was offline for most of the Christmas holidays.

1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?  I celebrated Easter in Italy and I became an aunt for the first time.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?  I’ve definitely made strides in making Italy feel more like home.  I have built new friendships and met some new people however I do feel at times it’s extremely difficult to nurture the relationships given my hectic schedule.  In 2013, my focus will be to continue to build on the friendships I’ve made last year and try and find a way to balance all aspects of my life.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?  My amazing and wonderful sister gave birth to a beautiful baby girl (and my first niece).  I was so blessed to have the opportunity to spend the first three months with my little niece.  It was extremely difficult to part from her but I look forward to seeing her again very soon!

4. Did anyone close to you die?  Although I wasn’t “close” to this person, she was present in my life through most of my high school years.  My good friend’s mother passed away in December 2012 and it was definitely heartbreaking news.

5. What countries did you visit? I once again headed off to Canada and made the trip to Toronto to meet and spend precious time with my niece.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012? I would really like to have more opportunities to travel and to experience new things.  I would like to find a balance so that I’m able to do many of the things I love doing but I’ve neglected.

7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? When my sister had her baby girl on June 27, 2012.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I guess one of my biggest achievements was finally paying off my student loan.  I know that may seem strange, but having that closure allows me to focus my savings on other things.

9. What was your biggest failure? I promised myself I would travel more.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?  Thankfully, I had a healthy year with no illnesses or injuries.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Lots of adorable girly girl baby clothes for my niece.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My sister!  I would be lost without her.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Thankfully, no one comes to mind.

14. Where did most of your money go? Sadly, most of it went to debts.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Meeting my niece!

16. What song will always remind you of 2011? We Are Young by FUN because it was always on the radio when me and my sister were out doing things.  It became a sort of summer anthem.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?  I’m healthier and happier but I want to do more to be a better person this year.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?  I wish I had gone out more and travelled more.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?  Stress about things that I don’t need to stress about.

20. How did you spend Christmas?  This year, I spent Christmas with my family in Carpanzano.  I was able to see my cousins who I haven’t seen in a year.  We played lots of tombola and ate lots.  It wasn’t like Toronto, but it was still precious time with family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2012? I’m still that sucker who believes Prince Charming is out there somewhere but he hasn’t arrived just yet.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Once Upon a Time

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No.

24. What was the best book you read?  I read lots of books this year, but the one that stood out for me was The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? I added a couple artists to my favourites last year like James Vincent McMorrow and M83.  I also re-fell in love with The Script.

26. What did you want and get? To spend quality time with my sister and my niece.

27. What did you want and not get? To visit my friends in London and Rome.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?  I really loved The Lucky One.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Pizza with friends at my apartment followed by sweets and good conversation.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? If I was able to find the balance between my various lives:  work, home, social life.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012? I don’t have a personal fashion concept.  If I like something, I wear it.

32. What kept you sane? My incredible family and amazing friends.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? There wasn’t anyone that I really fancied this year. 

34. What political issue stirred you the most? Berlusconi playing games and saying he will run again, then saying he won’t and then saying he will again.

35. Who did you miss? I really missed my dad this year.  This year was his 5 year anniversary of his passing and it hasn’t gotten easier.  There are moments when my heart hurts so much for him that it consumes me.  I don’t think that feeling will ever go away.

36. Who was the best new person you met? I met a wonderful girl on the bus to the airport.  We ended up hanging out at the airport together as we waited for our planes (mine to Toronto and hers to Milan).  We’ve kept in touch but we haven’t had a chance to meet up since I’ve been back.  I hope we can meet up in the early New Year.  We had a blast killing time at the airport.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.  There is no perfect world.  Wherever you are you will always miss or want what you left behind.  You can’t have it all, but we have to learn to appreciate everything for what it is; another piece to our puzzle of life.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

“We put one foot in front of the other
We move like we ain’t got no other
We go where we go
We’re marchin on
Marchin on”
– One Republic

HAPPY NEW YEAR, BUON ANNO 2013!!  I hope all of you have a wonderful 2013, with new experiences and happy memories! 🙂