11 Discoveries of 2011

As the year winds down everyone likes to reflect on the past year and talk about what they hope for in 2012. I felt like a good way to reflect on my year would be to talk about some of the things I discovered this year, some of which really shaped me this year, and some of which have just been fun or practical. At the moment, I don't have any real resolutions to share. I just want to take life day by day and trust God with each moment. I also want to get my new blog up and running. Anyhow, here's my list of this year's discoveries...

1. The Hunger Games
Is anyone shocked? No, ha ha. But seriously, since the three books in this series were basically the only thing I read for fun this year, it really helped spark some creative inspiration inside me. (It also sparked lots of Googling and led me to several new blogs to read.) I loved the premise of the story, thought it had some great themes, and of course, we all know that I love Peeta (oh, and I like Katniss too, ha). But I am looking forward to the movie in 2012 and the sequels in the years to come, even though I am bound to have read more books and found new loves by the time they're released. Maybe if I'm lucky and work hard, I will be an authoress myself by time the last movie comes out!


2. Pinterest
From a girl who liked to clip things out of magazines growing up, what is not to love about a virtual pinboard where you can keep track of everything you love? It can be something silly like a cute or geeky picture that makes you smile, or something useful like a new recipe that gets added into your regular rotation. Whatever its use, I enjoy it.


3. Chicago Style Pizza
Sauce on top? Thick crust? Yum, yes and yes, please.

4. Needtobreathe's first album, Daylight
Now let me be clear: I first discovered Needtobreathe in 2007 back before everyone else discovered them and decided they were cool. They came to MTSU to perform and I tried to get friends to go, but I was invited to two other functions on the same night and ended up going to those due to peer pressure. I don't regret the decision (though I wish I could have gone to the concert as well), but I would like to point out that now several of these people would probably go to the concert. Anyhow, back then I was listening to their second album, The Heat. Then later I got The Outsiders. And this year The Reckoning released. But before The Reckoning I bought Daylight. It's a different Needtobreathe, much more poppy than their other albums. I love the other three albums and their sound, but Daylight is fun and it's a great album for driving in the summertime. Check it out. And if you feel the need to replay "Hayley" after each listen, I'll understand.


5. I (sorta) have painting skills!
I did two of those painting classes this year where you paint an outline and then follow the teacher's instructions for how to paint the rest. But there was some creativity and independence involved, especially in my first experience with the cupcake painting. And when I stopped obsessing over doing everything perfectly (wow, painting is like real life), and put down the brush and stopped second-guessing myself, it was cool to see what I had created... and that it was good. I just wish this wasn't an expensive outing!


6. I'm an introvert
As discussed here. My feelings make so much more sense now.

7. Nook tablet
I'm still getting things set up on my new Nook tablet, but I am enjoying it a lot and happy to finally enter the tablet world, even if it isn't a flashy iPad. This meets my needs for now with Scrabble, Sudoku, and a way to read my documents and e-books.


8. Ecotools Brushes
While shopping on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago back in May, a girl on the sidewalk asked me, "Would you like a free sample?" I've been to New York City several times, plus had instructions from Garrett's cousins to trust no one in the city (OK, they didn't put it quite like that, but you get the idea), so automatically I was like, "No thanks." Then I did a double take and realized she was handing out makeup brushes (sealed in plastic), and she had said they were free. She looked trusting and so I said, "Oh wait, sure." So glad I did, because I received a free Ecotool brush and a coupon for a discounted one in the future. I thought I was happy with my Bare Minerals brushes, but I was misguided. Ecotools brushes are so much softer! I still haven't bought another with my coupon (it's good until December 2012), but I definitely will, because I love my free one.


9. Pledge Multi-Surface Spray
I just discovered this um... this weekend. It was amazing how easy it was to use. I actually dusted and cleaned for more than five minutes. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.


And two rediscoveries...

10. Alfred Hitchcock Films
This summer I went with my fellow electronic media production colleague Jolene to the recently renovated Historic Franklin Theatre to watch a Hitchcock classic, Rear Window. As much as I sometimes want to pretend to be a film connoisseur, I'm not really, but I do know a little bit about film from school. I had seen two Hitchcock films before - the classic Psycho and the underrated Rebecca, which I watched in high school for an English project - and enjoyed them both. I didn't watch Rebecca for the sake of studying film as I did Psycho, and while I was watching Rear Window for fun, I could see what Hitchcock was doing in order to give us that sense of suspense. Needless to say, I really enjoyed it. I have thus concluded that I need to watch more Hitchcock.


12. My interest in the WWII time period
When I was in junior high and probably in high school too, I was really fascinated by the WWII period in our country, the war itself and our culture of the time. Somewhere along the way, the interest kind of fell to the wayside. But between visiting the U-boat exhibit in Chicago and watching Captain America, I grew enamored all over again. Not that I have studied any more since, but hopefully I'll get back into it one day.

What did you discover in 2011 that shaped your year?

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year's Eve/New Year's Day!