Whoa, did that happen? That was freaking amazing! Seriously, who gets to have a month like that, not to mention a whole YEAR? I didn’t earn a lot of money, but wow, I am dizzy with the wonder of what I did do.
January: We did our annual winter skitter up to Vancouver. It seems the husband and I do this every winter and we always enjoy it. Also, I got my first totally vitriolic hater comments for this post in which I asked some questions about digital rights. Some people really hate it when you ask questions.
February: Antarctica! ’nuff said.
March: I stopped over in Santiago, Chile with Eileen Smith. We spent hours and hours talking about writing, rode bikes, and I ate a lot of avocados.
April: Portlandia. We spent a nice weekend there. We often just pass through on the way to/from Eugene, but this time we stayed in town. What a great city. We hate you for that, Portland. Shut up.
May: I stayed home. I worked. I wrote, a lot. You know what else happened in May? The US military assassinated Osama bin Laden. It seems like that was a long time ago, doesn’t it? Not so much so. It still feels like so little has changed. In less maudlin news, I joined the crew at Gadling, a AOL travel website. I review gear and write the occasional essay; it’s fun and I share the masthead with a lot of talented, smart, funny people like Mike Barish and David Farley and… oh, the list is too long.
June: I spoke at TBEX, the Travelblog Exchange. Okay, it was more than that, I shared the front of the room with stars, absolute stars, Don George and Andrew Evans. The guy who wrote the freaking book on travel writing and the guy who’s National Geographic’s Digital Nomad. Why are you reading me when you should be reading them? Getting to have breakfast with Andrew and Don that morning before we started our workshop? Talk about your dream date.
July: We were in Austria where I developed an irrational affection for… cows. But also, we had guests. I got to hang out with my friend Ciaran Buckley from Ireland for a few days — it had been years. I also got to meet one of my favorite bloggers in person, Mike Sowden. He jetted down to Austria from England with a bag of lemons. As one does.
August: So I mentioned Don George already, right? Well, he invited me to co-teach a course with the most exacting and, as a result, excellent, editor I’ve ever had the masochistic pleasure of writing for, Jim Benning. I headed to California where I was utterly overwhelmed with the joy of spending four days with people who love good travel writing. I met so many fine people, students, writers, editors, photographers, and I felt like I’d come home. Also, there was some ukulele on the patio at night. That was a sweet, sweet thing. I sure hope they invite me back.
September: Zanzibar! That’s right, I went from A (Antarctica) to Z (Zanzibar) in the same year. Un-freaking-believable. Super cool unexpected bonus? I genuinely enjoyed the people I traveled with. Sometimes, I’m driving around in my car and I think, “I wonder how Simon and Kelly are doing? And Tanja and Aude and… ” They were aces. Just aces. Oh, yeah, I was on safari in Tanzania, too.
October: My friends Rick and Lori got married. You know when that favorite person from college gets married and you’re all, “I’m happy for him but I just kinda wish he’d found somebody who’s more… I dunno…” Well, that did not happen. I adore Rick’s bride, she’s awesome. I was jetlagged and a little sick and still, I would not have missed this wedding for the world.
November: I went to music camp. Not just any music camp, I went to Keoki Kahumoku’s Hawaiian Lifestyle and Music Camp. I’m still sifting through the experience I had there, it was fun and educational and also, punctuated with some intensely heartbreaking moments. I got to share a cottage with the Bordessa crew, Kris and Brad and Evan, and I feel like I totally expanded my island ohana. Yes, I said “ohana.” Oh, yeah, no big deal, I also picked up a gig with Conde Nast Traveler.
December: Oh, December has been kind of hard. I went to Houston to see my old Dad and learned that he was fading, and I lost my uncle to leukemia. In happier news, I helped run the fourth successful year of Passports with Purpose — we raised nearly $90k for Room to Read, an international literacy program. I landed a story in Afar, the finest new magazine about travel since who knows when, that’s a byline I’m proud of.
And here’s the kicker… this isn’t even all of it. In spite of the sadness at the end of the year, and a personal economic slump that’s grad school-esque in its meagerness, I have been awash in good fortune. I could not peel a page off the calendar without fairy dust falling all over the place, sticking in my eyelashes and ending up in my pockets. I have been a truly honored guest around the globe this year. It has been epic. That’s a lot of hyperbole, I know, and as a person who calls themselves a writer, I should know better than to throw exaggerations around. The thing is, I think that in this case, it’s totally appropriate.
Congrats on a FANTASTIC year!
Congratulations on an extraordinary year. I look forward to your 2012 adventures.
What at first glance could be construed as a throw-away year end wrap up is not. Your gratitude for your life is evident in every word.
Here’s to an even more amazing 2012 for you!
Glad to have been part of your 2011, and glad in parts it’s been so good to you. You have grabbed some animal by the horns this year. Take your pick. I suggest you choose a small one because you know, they’re more managable, and also cuter. It was great to see you twice in a year. Reminds me of 2009, was it? Will have to try again this year, though I know you have to spread the love.
Two comments about July:
1) Why is your affection for cows irrational?
and
2) Welcome to my world.
And the year we were as close as 150 miles to each other;-)
What a great post! And perfect way to end the year and start a new blog.
Seems to me, though your attitude is a lot to do with why you feel so lucky for this year. When you look at the world with appreciation, the good things most definitely stand out. Thanks for that reminder.