Dragonisms

Happy Year of the Dragon, friends.

In 2009, after a particularly tumultuous beginning, I decided to start celebrating the new year along with China. It allows a nice grace period for recovery of the holidays and a little more time for planning and organization. This year the Chinese New Year started on Monday, January 23, and that is the day when I consciously began what promises to be a great 2012.

Since the beginning of the western version of 2012:

- I went to my first birthday party for one of Ryan's relatives. His niece had her 12th birthday party directly after his younger nephew's basketball jamboree, so we drove north and spent the afternoon with his family. I appreciate that Ryan is into hanging out with his family, and also that his family is awesome. It was cool to meet some in-laws and get some chill time with his brother, sister-in-law, and niece and nephew.

- I had my first soft & oil pastel painting class with Dorisjean Colvin, who apparently is kind of a big deal. It is a 10 week class one night a week and I am so excited to learn a new medium and add something fun into my weekly routine. Stay tuned for progress of sorts!

- I celebrated my first 29th birthday! I made a new friend this year (technically Ryan made the friend at work, but he is kind enough to share him with me) who was also born on the same day as the late great Reverend MLKJ, and we joined him and his friends for reverie at a posh cocktail bar a few blocks from home. As the clock was striking midnight on D's and my birthday eve, Ryan and I stepped out into the fresh snowglobe that was downtown and D & A (another work friend of Ryan's whom I have adopted as my own) accompanied us back to our flat. We spent the early morning listening to hip hop, toasting mimosas and discussing the tarots. It was a fabulous birthday weekend. In addition to the Saturday night shenanigans, there was a Friday happy hour, a Saturday brunch, Sunday lunch, visits from family, wonderful gifts and lots of love.

- I have made a few art pieces like a larger-than-life troll drawing, a pointillist drawing of my little sister, and a little line of cheeky Valentine's Day cards, which I listed on Etsy and hope to sell.

- Monday marked the first day of the Whole Foods Only plan I want to implement. I'm finding it easy in some ways and nearly impossible in others, but so far I am very happy I've decided to adopt it and I am feeling ambitious about my culinary future. I've found this website to be pretty helpful with little details, and I've started following some blogs to help wrap my head around buying, eating and cooking mostly whole and organic foods.

Overall I am feeling wonderfully vibrant and optimistic about this year. It is off to a good start!