Year in Review: 2012

As we come upon the transition into a new and exciting year, the year 2013, I feel it's fitting for a 'Year in Review' of 2012. I had a wonderful 2012, complete with new experiences, loss, joy, fun, and lots of learning. 2012 has also been a big year for news, pop culture, and politics. 

January 2012

• Fifty Shades of Grey madness hit millions of bookshelves and female readers. Interestingly enough, here I was initially thinking it was a comment on Existentialism. 

February 2012

• I learned how to Flamenco dance. (The basics, anyway. I'm not ready for any Flamenco battles in the street)
• RIP Whitney Houston

March 2012

• I healed from a rough breakup and learned why I was better off all along.
• I contributed my voice for ADR (Automated Dialog Replacement) for the film, Secrets in the Snow, where I was a featured extra. 
• The release of The Hunger Games film sent hundreds of thousands of fans of the novel series piling into theaters, helping the film gross about 690 million at the box office. The film received a positive reception, but met with controversy over racist comments about casting and sexist comments over female characters' body image. I loved the movie and casting, and I look forward to reading the novels. 

April 2012

• I was Baptized on Easter Sunday morning!
• I attended the Red Carpet Premiere for Secrets in the Snow.
• I modeled in Caché fashion shows
• I turned a Quarter of a Century

May 2012

• A drug called "bath salts" caused a Zombie Apocalypse scare as it made zombies men eat other men's faces off. *shivers*

Summer 2012 

• I realized that dating isn't as glamorous as they make it look on TV and the movies unless you count Sex and the City. Post-It break-ups, men with issues, sassy heels and girlfriends you can always count on to have your back are all part of the crazy world of being single in the city.

June 2012 

• I was on an episode of "Lizard Lick Towing"!
• Magic Mike (Mmmm. Because that deserves an entry all its own...) I see you, Channing! Grrrr.

July 2012

• I once again performed under the choreography of Mark Dendy at the American Dance Festival
• "Gangnam Style" by PSY. Enough said.

Fall 2012

• Some of the ugliest and racist attitudes, comments, and actions came from people of all political parties during this intense election season. 

September 2012 

• I became a member of In Symmetry Dance Ensemble

October 2012 

• I was a bridesmaid for the first time in one of my best friend's weddings. 

 November 2012

• President Obama was re-elected for a second term! 

December 2012

• The Twilight movie franchise came to an end and millions of Twi-hard fans' hearts broke around the world. This is in addition to the "Trampire" meme, Kristen Stewart acquired after cheating on beau, Robert Pattinson. The separation of fiction and reality became very blurred.

 

"Red Flag on the Play!"

Why is it that in relationships we put blinders on to the red flags of partners or potential partners' actions, but in a game of football red flags are almost sought after like a golden chalice? NFL teams will almost go to war over red flags because it is a direct challenge to the official of the situation (game). Red flags are thrown by coaches during critical times in a game. Red flags in relationships are to alert someone that the character and or intentions of a partner may not be trustworthy or in line with what s/he needs. As humans, we often overlook red flags because we hope the action or flaw was just a momentary setback, or we know that the problem is larger and may result in confrontation. Leaving a red flag type of relationship is most likely in our best interest, but will also result in us being alone and having to go 'back to the drawing board'--dating; and if you're like me, dating isn't as whimsical as it appears on a show like Sex and the City (and your shoes aren't half as stellar). However, the beauty of acknowledging red flags early on in relationships is that you live, you learn and you protect your heart. 

Looking for Love

"I am someone who is looking for LOVE. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't live without each other love" :)

~Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City

The Break-Up Call

As I sit here watching Twilight: New Moon I realize that breaking up has the unfortunate tendency of leading to a break down. Well, at least for the awkward duo of Kirsten Stewart and Robert Pattinson. My top five TV and movie break-ups definitely vary in their delivery but all have a downfall.


Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Season 2) - Buffy and Angel make love. Buffy loses her virginity and Angel loses his soul which turns him into an evil killing machine killing some of Buffy's closes friends. Buffy then has to sacrifice a newly healed Angel a bit later in order to save the world. Sheesh. Could it get any rougher?

 
Twilight: New Moon - After pushing Bella across the room to "save" her from being an appetizer for Jasper because of a papercut, Edward breaks up with her and leaves her standing heartbroken and shocked in the woods. Really? Couldn't even give her a supernatural lift back home? (What's worse, Bella didn't even get flowers or candy during the reconciliation phase.) But no worries, Jacob Black is always there to take off his shirt and dry your tears with it.



Sex and the City - Carrie gets dumped by Berger via Post-It. "I'm sorry. I can't. Don't hate me." I think that says it all. And Berger, trust me, we all hated you after that one, dude.

500 Days of Summer - “You’re still my best friend.” Now Summer was a woman who dragged Tom all over the coals in her selfish attempt to have attention in the form of a man around, but without the commitment and exclusivity of having a "boyfriend". What dug the knife into Tom's back even deeper was her quick marriage turn-around to the man she left him for in a matter of months. But hey Tom, you're still her best friend!

The Wedding Singer - Robbie Hart gets dumped by his longtime fiancee Linda when she doesn't show up at the altar. She shows up at his doorstep later breaking up with him face to face. Hart continues on with some unfortunate wedding performances and a song entitled "Somebody Kill Me" which screams super creepy and gloomy.

Let's be honest, after a break-up sometimes it feels like love really does stink. Especially when you're forced to sing at a wedding.