2013 Reflection Post

(click) Alook back at 2012!

I’m not even going to start this post with “zomg, this was an amazing/awesome year” cause it wasn’t, I mean, not to sound negative or pessimistic, but I’m a little done with calling every year amazing cause it always tends to fall that way and it’s a little vague. But I mean, it was kind of amazing, haha. If I had to sum up this year in one word, I’d say 2013 was challenging. This year called for many big changes in my life, from relationships, career & overall perspective in life. I can’t sit here and tell future self that it didn’t start of rocky, because it did and it got kind of worse towards the middle but ended exactly where it needed to be 4^th quarter. (Talking as if my life was a basketball game LOL) Nonetheless, everything that happened this year was a blessing and taught me something new about myself and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

1. A few things you will never forget in 2013 – Okay fine, not a few, a lot. (Chronological order)

January

• Quickly learning that a title does not define a leader and if taking lead is necessary, then so be it. “All hands on deck.” 
• Dental. Cavities. Wisdom Teeth. Root Canal. Period. 
• Opening my big ass mouth and striking a match on something I will soon find out to be incredibly beautiful 

 February 

• Curtains closing on a relationship and moving on for the better 
• Regaining power in the Wolf Den! 
• Asthma attack – ahem 
• Snowboarding! So much fun!! 

 March

• Puffy cheeks and burger bowls
• Maggies first dance show
• Dorritos Locos Tacos COOL RANCH – yep, I put it here
• Lots of talks & Starbucks runs 

 April 

• Went back to brunette – bye bye ombre 
• Dodger game! First baseball game, ever! 
• Adventures upon adventures 
• Laker game!
• Started my gym membership (Thank you, Jordan!)

May

• I finally got a table at Ikea 
• Color runnnn!! 
• Outdoor rock climbing and boogie boarding in the middle of the ocean (Scary!) 
• I got fired (more on this later) 

June 

• Unemployment 
• Put my shit into gear! 
• Portfolio? Check. Website? Check. Resume? Check. Freelance? Check. 
• Embracing the flowers and loving myself more 
• Getting a freakin ticket for my tints in Glendale 
• First job interview since Hypothesis 
• Santa Monica date 
• Jourel steps into the real world! C/O 2013! CSUSB 

July 

• Family adventures 
• Freelance upon freelance upon freelance 
• Hiking up at Mt. Baldy (so much fun!) 
• Dad turns 52!! Party at our house! 
• SD trip with Jourel #causewhynot #atleastitsnotihop 
• Got the job at JustFab as a Junior Graphic Designer! 

August 

• Published in The Academy Magazine – wooo! 
• First day at JustFab! 
• Break time 

September 

• Collab with Michelle begins! 
• Salvage – HAHAHA 
• On-site production with Michelle and Co. 
• BYE ALEXA - BC Army Big Bear Trip! 
• Creation Station Parties 
• Naked and Famous at The Wiltern 
• Family Adventures – Regan Library! 

October 

• I TURNED 22!!!! 
• My parents meet Jay 
• Cody and Blake get married!! SB trip x Dynamic Duo! 
• Halloween was awesome | Ninja costume by Michelle! 
• Maggie turns 16! 
• Wookie in the housee! 
• Coffee dates (: 

November 

• Comikaze with Jay!! 
• First time meeting with Ford 
• More coffee dates 
• Hike and outdoor goodness
• Collab with Michelle, again!
• Mommy turns 50 and we celebrated on a $300 dinner – woo! 
• Scratch scratch 
• Walks on Spring St. 

 December 

• JF Holiday party 
• Jays Birthday !
• Christmas
• Yellow roses into red roses 
• I cut my hair. REAL SHORT.

2. Relationships

No matter how big or how small, it was always an adventure when I was with him.

This year I was fortunate enough to be with someone who taught me how to be patient, how much I want to be a better 'me' and not for him, but for myself. He kept me grounded and focused, but was also a sweet escape when I pushed myself too hard. He taught me how to care and nurture while keeping our passion and dream within reach. He never tried to stop me from what I wanted to do and vice versa. We're there for each other, because we get it.

There is something incredible about a friendship blooming into something more than just a friendship. And with the current pressure of traditional manners and titles, I easily find myself stressed out about his thoughts, other peoples opinion, our future (if one…) completely engulfing myself in terrible self-pitty, but then when I see you sitting in front of me at a coffee shop completely in your zone and living the moment I remember to also live in the moment - you bring me back to my center. 

Museum trips, coffee dates, walks on Spring St., Sunday Mass, racing on the beach, Big Bear, Santa Barbara, conventions where we spend so much money, the list can go on forever... And I surely hope it does :)

Not entirely sure what is to become of us in 2014, but if it's anything like that the last couple months, well then uh, I need to hit the gym! Jokes! I am incredibly (but cautiously) excited to see where we're headed, for him, for me & for us.

As far as I'm concerned, we're exactly where we need to be.

(Switched up 3 & 4 up this year cause it would make most sense!)

3. The Worst Day – May 30, 2013

I wasn’t 100% honest with the world on this day, but I figured most people would put two and two together. And I wouldn’t necessarily say this was the worst day either, it just felt like it that day and that very moment. Otherwise, the triumph that came was more than I could of ever asked for - A blessing in disguise, as it were. When I was first informed about being let go at my first job the first thing that ran through my mind was my studio and living here in DTLA. That in a matter of two months all my hard work of getting out here would be stripped away from me. It was one of the worst feelings of my life. I was hurt, but I knew right away that business will be business no matter where I go and that I know that fate and the powers that be have other plans for me, it was of course just in the matter of time and patience.

4. The Best Day – July 13, 2013

In a matter of 48 hours after being let go I put my shit into gear and worked around the clock and managed to get a website up and a good start on my portfolio. And after 2 full weeks, I rebranded myself and was ready to start applying for new jobs - resume and digital portfolio at hand! 2 months into unemployment I found myself to be in the best shape of my career in a long time. I know that sounds a little crazy considered I was unemployed, but it’s true, I learned a lot about myself in those 2 months as a designer and more importantly, a person. I managed to keep myself afloat with freelance and some help from my loving parents. While freelancing I gained wonderful relationships with new clients, one in particular marked one of the peaks of my freelance/unemployment.  In July I was fortunate enough to work for AMPAS and the projects that followed were endless. I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunities. See this post! Overall, while my unemployment did start of a little rocky and I may never truly understand why I was let go, I take it as a blessing as none of these new developments would have presented themselves. And on top of all that excitement, I ended my unemployment just after 10 weeks because I found myself as the new Junior Designer at JustFab. And since the beginning of my employment there I have been challenged and pushed to my threshold to mold me into a better designer, and honestly, it’s one of the best things to happen to me thus far in my career.

5. The Most Memorable Day

Hmm, I’m not going to put the actual date because of certain circumstances, but if there’s a day in 2013 that I will never forget, it’s this one. And while I’m not going to go into detail because as I said, I’m never going to forget (and it’s documented somewhere else, LOL) just know that this day was…different.

6. You Best Friend(s)

My little Maggie ain’t so little anymore. This year she started driving and is ending her Junior year shortly. UGH. She’s growing up so damn fast, in a bout a year she’ll be in college and I’m not entirely ready for her to do so. But I’m happy to see her growing up to be the young little lady she is. I mean, she does have the teenage attitude we all come with, but eh, she’ll get over it. This year I actually felt like we were a little distant and that had to do with the fact that we were both incredibly busy, but it never stopped us from texting/calling each other and having fun whenever we were around each other. She knows that I’m just a phone call away and that I’ll always be there for her. And vice versa (: I’m excited to see where my baby sister is headed to, I’m just not excited to get older, ha!

My Jaybird, oh my Jaybird. LOL. Oh boy! 2013 was CRAZY for us, in so many ways I wouldn’t have enough time or blog space to type it all out – ha! I will say that we grew a lot this year. We witnessed each other go through turmoil and we never skipped a beat when things got rough. There was a lot of tears and a ton of reassurances being made and the amount of pancakes and waffles consumed during our IHOP trips were bountiful. Jaybird will be on the move towards his career in 2014 and I know it’s going to be incredibly scary for him, but I’m so excited for him (: And in terms of our relationships, well, if we just learn to listen to each other once in awhile maybe, just maybe we’ll save ourselves from pulling our hair out of our scalp. But who are we kidding? We’re us. And as far as I’m concerned, old habits never truly die and we will never listen to each other, and that’s the reason why we’re here for each other. DUH.

Jordan! My sweet roommate who’s become more like a sister to me everyday we spend hours talking on the couch eating some sort of unhealthy snack. She truly helped me get through a lot this year from being let go, to listening to me when I had so much on my mind, to even jumping into a freakin pool with me with clothes on! She’s amazing and I’m so sad because come October 2014 she and I might not even be roommates anymore and how exactly am I supposed to carry on with life?! LOL, jk, but honestly it does make me sad. Our goal this upcoming year is to have more fun and try out best to not go broke. OH, I should also mention that Jordan JUST GOT ENGAGED yesterday, so this upcoming year is definitely going to be e p i c ! I will need to be there for her once wedding planning comes up, haha.

7. Your Birthday

I’m twenty-twooooo!! I don’t think I posted a blog about my 22^nd. Wait, let me check…Oh just kidding, I totally did. Click here. In a nutshell, I didn’t really feel myself turn 22 which kind of scares me, because all I hear is horror stories about not feeling your 20s after you turn 21… SO UH. I am excited to turn 23, there’s something about that number that excites me! Hehe. So enjoy the birthday post and well, cheers to surviving yet another crazy year! 

8. The Funnest Getaway – July 20, 2013

Oh gosh, haha. Okay, I technically had two getaways this year and since I have to choose one I’ll go with the one that I’ve never done before. And for those who are curious, the one I’m not going to talk about is my random trip to SD with Jourel, LOL. I mean, it was awesome, but NOT NEARLY AS EPIC as my hike up Mt. Baldy. I actually have a post about that hike here. But in a nutshell, the hike was epic! I have to admit that I was ill prepared because the only hike I ever really knew was Runyon and Griffith here in LA, and well, let’s be honest. Anyways, details are in the post, but it was SO AWESOME!!! I’ll have to do it again, but this time more prepared.

9. The End of Last School Year/The Beginning of This Year.

Boo, this part of the blog always makes me a tad bit sad because I never have anything to report. It somewhat begs the question as to why I still have it included? It’s because I still have the thought in the back of my mind. There isn’t a month that goes by that I don’t think about wanting to go back to school. How I should just freakin apply and see what happens. The only thing that’s really stopping me is money. I’ve also deiced that if I go back to school, I’m not going to go for graphic design. I’m thinking illustration, but the idea scares the living crap out of me, soo maybe not. Either way, I’m keeping this section because I hope one day I’ll have something to report.

However, even though I’m not in school it doesn’t mean that I’m not continuing my case studies. I’m constantly on the look out for any tutorials/guidance I can get and ask 100,000,000 questions whenever I can. So not all hope is lost. This year I actually managed to get a lot of drawings in, which is incredibly new for me since I have been scared to pick up a pencil for a long time. But I’ve been doodling and handlettering here and there and been pretty damn happy with my progress. I’m looking forward to what I’ll accomplish in 2014 ! Cheers to self discipline and free tutorials on Vimeo and YouTube!

10. New Year Resolution

Here’s what I wrote in my moleskine!

Although it’s only 20 I have so much more in the back of my head that I will apply throughout the year. Overall, 2013 was incredibly challenging and it made me want to become a better person for me. And while the challenge pushed me to certain extremes I also had so much fun with all the adventures I had with my family, friends & that one cool guy. I only hope that 2014 will be more challenging and filled with more adventures! (And hopefully a Disney trip in between).

I also want to mention that none of this would have been possible without my loving and supporting parents. They picked me up and supported me in my time of need and there isn’t any amount of money that could ever repay them and I’m so lucky to have them in my life.

So as the moleskine says thank you 2013, it’s been a fucking pleasure.

Kicking off 2014 right with Lion King on Broadway!