Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Moving forwards: here's to 2013!



It's taken me far too much time to put together the usual year-end post commemorating 2012. Every time I started writing, the post would balloon and explode into epic proportions (like this paper I'm finishing up for work...). Though, it makes sense. 2012 started off as just another ho-hum, inconspicuous year, but then it morphed unexpectedly--as life is wont to do--into this insanely packed time of travels, adventures, friends, disappointments and sadness, life lessons, big decisions, and growth. Finally, I decided to erase everything I'd written. No one post would do the year justice, and instead of holding up the blog waiting for some massive retrospective, I decided that it's much better just to take a quick look back and really a much longer look forwards. Because 2013 is going to be awesome!

So here's a hit list collection of a few of my favorite moments from 2012. Some made it to the blog previously, others are seeing the light of the internet for the first time ever, but that doesn't make them any less important (if anything, they might have been even more personally memorable).



in 2012, I...

fell in love with Portlandia.
spent Chinese New Year in Taiwan for the first time in decades.
celebrated my best friend's birthday in Vegas (a very strange and foreign place to a quiet nature/culture/history traveler like myself, but I did begin to understand and appreciate the appeal of the anonymity you achieve being surrounded by a drove of strangers with thumping music drowning out every distracting thought that could cross your mind, if just for a little bit).
gave a talk on food photography at BlogHer Food in Seattle.
launched sated magazine.
had a BBQ birthday bash during which I realized that I have somehow ended up surrounding myself with the most amazing and inspiring group of friends a girl could ask for.
flitted all over San Francisco during the summer.
made another wedding cake (actually, it was several cakes).
picked many, many, many pounds of plums from my backyard tree--many of which were transformed into jam by Blue Chair Fruit.
got in a car with one of my best friends from grad school and drove her across the country from SF to her new job in Pittsburgh, via Vegas, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Boulder, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Columbus
hiked to the Delicate Arch by myself in the pitch black to see the sun rise over the Utah desert. (I've been planning to do this hike since the fifth grade.)
spent an inordinate amount of time playing D3.
road-tripped to LA... twice (yay for K-town and ice milk!).
attended the San Diego wedding of the college friend who taught me how to bake tarts.
received a national grant and ran a successful workshop because of it! (a favorite moment from the workshop dinner)
took a springboard diving class, a sport I've wanted to try since elementary school. (and I'm fantastically bad at it!)
finally visited Joshua Tree National Park.
realized what I wanted right now in life, and picked myself out of a two-year slump, deciding to go full throttle for something that inspires me to jump out of bed in the morning.
in general, decided to stop apologizing as much for being myself, as long as I am being myself to the fullest.
(It's a good policy.)



for 2013, to live by:

"The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it under its roof." --Barbara Kingsolver

Here's to the new year! 2013, you had me at hello.

17 comments:

  1. Happy 2013! I hope the new year brings you all sorts of joy. Also, I'm touched that the tart tin photo made the cut!

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  2. That's all been amazing..
    Thank you...love what you've been able to share,
    it's all a puzzle... bits and pieces that sit beside each other, and connect in different ways...
    You see stuff depending on your perspective is at the time.
    Keep moving forward, towards what challenges,moves and inspires you, because that's what moves and inspires us.
    Love your work, look forward to what 2013 will bring.
    xx Jo

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  3. Wow! What a year! Congratulations!

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  4. Happy 2013 - you've had an incredible year. Can't wait to see what's ahead for you!

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  5. I love it. What a great roundup. And you have some phenomenal photos here. Thanks for sharing what sounds like an exciting year.

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  6. Loved that last quote! and the photos! wwowow!!Happy New Year!

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  7. What a wonderful post. Such an exciting year to read about. Good luck with 2013! www.rileymadel.blogspot.com

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  8. Loved loved loved this post! Sounds like you had a great year, looking forward to reading more of your exciting adventures in the new year. Happy new year, S! :D

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  9. i have to admit, i am new to your blog. and, being a fan of sweets, t was the title of course that caught my attention.
    It sounds like you had a wonderful 2012- full of wonderful friends and travels. cheers to you in 2013!

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  10. p.s lovely photography as well, just lovely!!

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  11. Hello! your blog is great, I'd love you to join my travel websites, and you put my link on your site, and so we benefit both.

    I await your response to munekitacate@gmail.com

    kisses!

    Emilia

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  12. Looks like a life well lived and examined, Stephanie. Trusting 2013 will be stellar, too =)

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  13. Looks like a year well lived and examined, Stephanie. おめでとうございます。


    Wishing for you many blessings in 2013.

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  14. Sweet, simple, reflective post - sometimes that is all that is needed. Closing quote is very inspiring. Thanks.

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  15. You and your work always inspires me. Congratulations on a wonderful year. I'm so excited for you and to see what 2013 brings for you. Oh, and I'm a Portlander and had never had the Tom Yum soup from Thia Peacock but I changed that this past weekend. Dear god, that is some delicious soup.

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  16. New to your blog and have completely fallen in love with it! That Barbara Kingsolver quote sealed the deal. What a lovely and inspiring post!

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  17. Hello Oh how I love your blog, but Id like to see something special about celebration cakes. My daughter is turning 5 and it will be her first day of school too (in australia kids go to school at 5). I dont want to make her a fancy child's cake that doesnt have any taste or flair. I want a grown-ups cake that I can add some 5 year old sparkles to. It would be great to have a section on your blog for celebration cakes... Sonja x

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I love hearing from you and reading your comments! Thanks so much for stopping by the blog. Happy feasting!