“It is very strange that the years teach us patience – that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting.”

– Elizabeth Taylor

Moments of 2013, as they flashed by like the wise said they would.

NYE in Austin and Dallas, TX with Morgan. Boston good-bye to Erin and Yongho before moving to Washington D.C. Wine in Carmel with Brittani and Marissa. Color run with Pat and Crystal. Celebrated 24, simply yet fabulously. Carne asada fries with Julia in San Diego, CA. Bay Bridge light show. Easter with family in Los Altos. Babysitting Harlow, lovebug. 10k across the Golden Gate Bridge with Michelle. Stagecoach with Courtney. Wines of Portugal with Linda. Vegas for Kilee’s 25th. Cancun with mom, Bayli, and Abbie. Exploratorium at night. Napa with CMR family. Ilan in San Francisco. Grouper. Ziegler Family Reunion in Outlook, WA. Randee’s wedding on the Rogue River, OR. Berryessa hike with Michelle. James and Phil’s wedding in Seattle, WA. Food in Philadelphia. Kenny Chesney. Promotion and raise. Thousand Oaks and Ronald Reagan Presidential Library with Jan and Dana. Santa Cruz Boardwalk with Michelle. Teaching position in Thailand. 3 weeks notice. WSU Homecoming in Pullman, WA. Wings and beer. Visa for Thailand. Sad good-byes to amazing co-workers. One last crazy night in San Francisco. Almost missed flight leaving San Francisco (thanks Linda). Seattle with dad and sisters. 10 days at home with family and friends. To Thailand with Sarah. One week in Bangkok. New home in Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand. Became a teacher. Many students. Chiang Mai, I love you. Loi Krathong in Sukothai, Thailand. Thanksgiving with Sarah and Beth. Pan and Ryan’s wedding in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). Christmas sunset on abandoned building roof on Thai-Burma border. Bali with Lewis’s. NYE Beth and Alex’s wedding in Canggu, Bali.

I truly have some of the greatest people in my life. Thank you family and friends for making 2013 a memorable year.

With each passing year I realize my thoughts, and way of thinking, become clearer and more positive. Is this what age brings? A sense of clarity? Or, is it not age at all, but the growth of the mind and the knowledge it holds? For now I will settle on the later, as one may argue that an almost 25 year old doesn’t have enough years in this life to be considered ‘wise with age.’ I think I’d rather be wise with experiences, for now, anyways.

Here are 14 things I’m looking forward to in 2014:

Goals and Resolutions:

Write to at least one friend or family member per week.
Read one book per month. (Recommendations welcomed.)
Consistently exercise, a healthy body creates a healthy mind, and vice versa.
Write more. Anything.
Limit mindless browsing of the Internet and social media.
Drink less alcohol. Save it for the occasions.
Take 100 photos, 1 per day, with family and friends this summer.

To Do:

Be grateful. Everyday.
Run a race with my best friends.
Take the GRE. Score above 740.
Visit Graduate Schools.
Travel Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. (We’ll see how far my money gets me.)
Move to Spain. (Fingers crossed.)
Learn Spanish.

Wishing you all a wonderful year! Make it amazing. It’s your choice.

xoxo, C