Big dreams.

Most young adults, I think, don't get to be too picky about their first apartment. We focus on what we can afford in a location near our job or where employment options seem good. Hopefully the neighborhood isn't too shady and there's a grocery store nearby. From my perception at least, the details don't matter too much.

My apartment was more or less chosen for me. I didn't look at a single place in the city and committed to living here before I even saw it. But we worked with it, and these days it doesn't look too shabby, if I do say so myself. The location is even substantially better than I originally expected. All things considered, I've got a pretty sweet deal worked out.

Still, living independent from my parents in a real adult apartment has taught me many things to be aware of when considering living arrangements in the future that I otherwise may not have considered (run-on sentence? Sorry). A lack of the following items will more or less be deal-breakers when I'm ready to make the next move:
-a very large kitchen sink
-a garbage disposal
-substantial bathroom counter/mirror space (double sinks would be magic)
-storage, storage, storage
-a foyer/mudroom area
-normal sized ceilings so I don't have to pull a ladder out every time I need something on the top shelf

This is sort of a boring list. It's not like "a breakfast nook" or "rooftop access" or "a jacuzzi bathtub". I expect to have plenty of time later on to be picky about those things. For now, I would just die to be able to wash a pot without constantly bumping the faucet.

The Mayan's were lyin', nobody's dyin'.

Thanks for those words of wisdom, Justin Biebs.

I want to write a New Year's post, perhaps to formally acknowledge the season, but I'm not sure what to write. I feel like I had a bunch of good ideas late in December, but I've either forgotten them or realized they weren't so great.

So what am I doing here...

Well, I think I'll just say that I believe this year will be wonderful and exciting. I've already started out with a trip to Miami Beach. Currently I'm on day 3 of a post-holiday cleanse that requires me to eat nothing but fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and plant oils. I probably gorged too much on trail mix yesterday, but technically that's not cheating and I'm proud to have come this far. Other things I look forward to:

• My sister Michelle is having a baby :) another girl according to the sonograms, to be named Abigail. I love babies.
• I will finish grad school! It's an odd thought, being done with school forever, since that's all I've ever done. I'm fairly confident that I'll be able to find a job, but I'm nervous that I won't find one I really love. The biggest plus to all this: income. (Which of course comes with more bills...meh). 
• I'm determined to become a better runner. I've been stuck at 3 miles for over a year, but I'm hoping to do the Soldier Field 10-mile in May. Injuries and laziness beware, I will overcome you.
• I really really really hope to have some time off after graduation to visit my dearest friend Linda in Boston! This year will be a year for traveling.
• Thomas has some big work ideas. Before the holidays he had his first appointment as an official stylist! Let me know if you need one...
• My other sister Anna plans to get her own apartment (fingers crossed...you can do it Anna!)
• My mama will get a part-time job after leaving her career last year. Hopefully one she loves!
• Drew and Maria are getting married! I love weddings about as much as I love babies.

I just have a good feeling about 2012. I love to see things working out for everyone. Keep on the up-and-up, folks.