Year in Review—2012

It’s that time again folks: New Year’s. Time for the fifth annual Lord of the Rings marathon. And time to look back over the year that was. Time for the 2012 Year in Review post!

I’ve been doing this same survey meme thing for the past few years (2010, 2011) and I’ll be honest—it’s starting to feel a little high school. People don’t really do these types of memes anymore do they? It’s all about the ERMAGERD girl or condescending Willy Wonka. But this still a good way to look back over the year, and I like seeing how my answers have changed or stayed the same from the year before so I am going to stick with it even if it’s not what all the cool kids are doing.

As I went back over 2011’s Year in Review post I was surprised at how many of my answers have stayed the same. I’m hoping and praying that 2013 is a year where a lot of these answers will change (especially the travel ones!). For the first time I’m staring down the barrel of a new year, not knowing what it will hold or where it will take me and instead of feeling anxious or scared, I feel excited. Here’s to you 2013.

What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?

• I read the entire bible.
• I was a bridesmaid.
• I lead a Community Group
• I wrote music for a dance show
• I knit a scarf (well it’s a work in progress but I at least learned how to knit, ok?)

Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

My only resolution last year was to read through the whole bible. And I did it! When I made that my goal for this year I didn’t realize how intense it would be. The bible is long, you guys. And parts of it are really hard to understand. There were days when I was more excited about ticking off the boxes on my reading plan than I was about spending time with God. But there were also days when God spoke to me through his word, days when I found comfort or peace in the scriptures that I couldn’t find anywhere else.

For next year, my hope/goal is to really grow in my prayer life. To intentionally spend more time in God’s presence and to take my hopes and dreams and worries and anxieties and problems and joys to Him first.

Oh and also I would like to eat healthier and take my lunch to work more often, obviously.

Did anyone close to you give birth?

No one close to me, but it seems like there was a baby announcement every single week at Westside.

Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully.

What countries did you visit?
Just Americuh, but frequently.

What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
This year was not easy. It definitely came with its share of hardships. But overall I feel incredibly blessed, and I wouldn’t say that I lacked anything. There are always things to hope and dream about though—paying off debt, working in an actual communications job, a relationship, becoming a world traveller.

What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

• April 21st—Ariana & Jared’s wedding
• May 31st— Delve worship night at the Revue theatre.
• July 10th—Started my new job
• November 3rd—PantherWagon!

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I wrote five songs that I consider finished and would feel ok playing in front of other people. Five doesn’t seem like a lot but it’s five more than I had last year. Overall though I think that I’m coming into 2013 feeling a little bit more sure of myself, and confident in who God made me to be. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m getting older (sob!) or if I have walked through enough life now to know that no matter what happens God stays the same. And I can rest in knowing that he loved me and gave himself up for me.

What was your biggest failure?
Committing to too many things. And putting too much pressure on myself to do everything right all the time.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major, but the tendinitis in my arms has been back with a vengeance in the past three months. Update: I went tobogganing yesterday and totally smashed up my nose. It looks pretty bad ass.

What was the best thing you bought?
My couch, my West Elm duvet cover and my ticket to Paul McCartney.

Whose behaviour merited celebration?
There are a lot of people that I could list here, but I’m going to pick my roomie. Not only is she really wonderful to live with— we get along like peas and carrots, she’s so clean, and she bakes— in the brief time that I’ve lived with her I have seen her face so many things with grace and bravery. She is one of the strongest women I know and I feel so blessed to get to live with her and be her friend.

Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Gary Bettman, Donald Fehr and anyone involved with this whole lockout business.

Where did most of your money go?
Rent, paying off debt and car payments. Borrrrring.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Ariana’s wedding! Paul McCartney! Having a Real Christmas Tree for the first time!

What songs will always remind you of 2012?

• We Found Love, Rihanna
• Forever Reign , Hillsong United
• Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jepsen
• Hey Ho, The Lumineers
• In Tenderness, Citizens

Compared to this time last year, are you:

• Happier or Sadder?
  Happier for sure, more content.
• Thinner or Fatter?
  Fatter. Sigh.
• Richer or Poorer?
  About the same, I think.

What do you wish you’d done more of?
Praying, writing music, travelling.

What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying and eating out.

How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas in Edmonton with my family. We had a very quiet and low key Christmas this year. We didn’t even do a Christmas dinner. I watched Band of Brothers with my Dad and bros, which is a Miller Family Christmas Tradition. And I learned how to knit with my Mom. It was wonderful.

Did you fall in love in 2012?
No, sadly. One Day! Maybe. Hopefully.

What was your favourite TV program?
Sons of Anarchy, Modern Family, Dexter, New Girl and Hart of Dixie.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I have a very strict life policy to not hate anyone. That being said, I would like to have a strong word with whomever decided to replace the tables and chairs outside at Robson Square with giant germ fest bean bag chairs.

What was the best book you read?
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and You Can Change by Tim Chester.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
That worship music doesn’t necessarily have to be formulaic and boring. See: Citizens, TheRoyalRoyal, Gungor and the Modern Post.

Personal music discovery: when you sing with confidence, you sound better. I know, major “Duh!” But something switched in me this year and I stopped caring so much about what people thought and started singing with more confidence instead of soft and mousy. You wouldn’t believe the difference it has made for my pitch and tone. Try it. Sing like no one is listening. Pretty sure you can find that advice on Pinterest somewhere.

What did you want and get?
A job. A pretty dress from Anthropologie. More music in my life.

What did you want and not get?
A Communications/Writing job. A relationship. A vacation. A pony.

What was your favourite film of this year?
Les Miserables and Midnight in Paris…which technically came out last year but I saw it this year so….

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Kelsey hosted a backyard fire pit birthday for me. It was really low key and really fun. We made smacos (smore/tacos). I am t w e n t y e i g h t. You guys I’m in my late twenties. What am I doing with my life!?

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A full time permanent job. Maybe a vacation. Worrying less.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Hipster adjacent.

What kept you sane?
Jesus and music and a few good friends.

Which celebrity or public figure did you fancy the most?
Dan Mangan and Jordan Eberle

What political issue stirred you the most?
Like any good Canadian I am terribly apathetic towards politics. But I’m going to say I probably complained about MSP the most. Especially how they expect you to keep paying for it even when you’re on EI. Ahem.

Who did you miss?
My family, Douze and Ariana after she moved to the ‘burbs.

Who was the best new person you met?

The answer to this question are always so interesting to me. There are usually a few people who are constants in your life, who are important to you year in and year out. But for the past few years my answer to this question has been someone who is not necessarily new to my life, but newly important. It just shows that you never know, when you first meet someone, what kind of role they are going to play in your life.

This year my “best new person” is Tiffany. We didn’t meet in 2012, but over the later half of the year she has become one of my besties. We are so different and also so much the same. I’ve never had another girl friend who shares my heart for worship. I love that we can sing and write music together and love so many of the same things. But she is also way more practical and rational than me and has helped me to get over a lot of those creative person anxieties. Plus she has the best, most creative imagination of anyone I’ve ever met.

Honorable mentions in this category go to Emily Cole and Zach

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012

Identity. My strengths and weaknesses, my talents and giftings, where I work or what I look like do not define me. I am a daughter of the King of kings, loved and chosen. My identity is in Christ and the rest are details—who he created me to be. This is one of those major lessons in the life of a Christian, and I’m sure I will have to learn it over and over. But there is freedom in putting your hope and confidence in Jesus who never changes. It helps you to roll with those things that do change like your job or your abilities or what you look like.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year

You are my confidence
You are the only hope I have
You are the rock on which I stand
Let my every breath
Tell of your love and righteousness
Let my life proclaim your mighty acts