WeVerb Day 7 - Travel

Okay, it seems that the travel day was supposed to be today. Whatever I said yesterday for the WeVerb 11 prompt about travel gets a big ditto. :) I will say that my travel (and food) blog has been such a great part of my life this year. While I don't have this humungous following, I have enjoyed sharing my curiosity about the world and my experiences with others. My blog has given me a lot of joy. I'm not crafty or visually creative (I love to dance, which I guess you could share on a blog...sorta), so the blog is my outlet in that respect. It's also been my happy space where I can share the fun aspect of my life. I'm grateful that there are people out there who even want to read my stuff. I've also "met" some people (virtually and in person) who are really nice individuals and who I would I've enjoyed getting to know through their writing and blogging.

In yesterday's post, I didn't say where I'd like to go next. I am still gunning for India and a trip through Southeast Asia, but I don't know if and how that will happen. Jim, my husband (not his real name), and I will be hopefully going on a new adventure next spring. I'd also like to go a girls' trip with my BFF, who has been a travel partner in the past. I'd also like to visit my family in Toronto. I was supposed to visit them as part of my Buffalo trip. Who knows what the new year will bring?

Feel free to take a look at my travel adventures past and present on my blog, Try Anything Once.

WeVerb Day 6 - Favor/Travel

Hmmm...Well, there seem to be two WeVerb 11 prompts floating around right now.

WeVerb 11 Day 6 - Favor

What was your favorite month of 2011? Why did it beat out all of the other months?

WeVerb Day 6 - Travel

Where did you travel this year? What was your favorite part? If you didn't get to travel, where would do you want to go next year?

I actually think I can blend these two!! I think March definitely gets a nod because of our trip to Turkey. We're still talking about it in December, and we had a wonderful time. You can read about it rather extensively on my other blog, Try Anything Once. In addition to Turkey, I went to Los Angeles, California; Buffalo, New York, and Antigua. Traveling really makes me feel alive and refreshes me, and I think I needed that at various times this year.

WeVerb Day 5 - Befriend

We Verb Day 5 - Befriend

Did you meet any new friends this year? How did they impact your 2011? I have met one or two new people lately, and in some instances we are still in the "early friendship" stage. One in particular new friend has been fun to meet and get to know. I would have never thought that she and I would enjoy each other's company as much as we do. I've also introduced her to another friend, and she has hit it off that person, too. It's nice to be able to help expand other people's networks. Overall, I will say that I have gotten closer to people that I met last year. I also see my friendships changing due to friends having children, which is a good thing. In many instances, I am enjoying their children as well. That's nice. We had a holiday party this past weekend, and it was great to see people that I haven't seen in awhile, and I am hoping to establish deeper connections with many people into 2012.

WeVerb Day 4 - Haiku

WeVerb Day 4

Write a haiku.

Sum up your year, via haiku.

travel near and far

grateful hearts and minds in love

looking forward now

WeVerb Day 3 - Learn

WeVerb Day 3 - Learn

What lesson did you learn in 2011 from “The School of Life” rather than a classroom?

There are definitely a few things I've learned, and I think I've realized one in the past few weeks.

I need to stop explaining myself to other people. I learned that I have to find a way to tell others that my life is my life. I'm living it for me and under my terms, and I don't need to explain it to you. I feel like there were way too many instances where I was put in a position of people expecting me to explain my decisions or lack of decisions on a variety of issues. I can't keep doing that if I want to keep my sanity.

WeVerb Day 2 - Listen

Here's the link to WeVerb and what it's about in case I didn't include it in my last post.

Day 2 - Listen

What song did you listen to in 2011 to completely change your mood? Think about ways you can you add more music to your life in 2012. I didn't listen to as much music as I should or could have this year. I'm not really into most popular music right now. I guess I'll write about two VERY different songs. "Trust Me" by Richard Smallwood & Vision He's a fairly well-known gospel artist. It's not a very complicated song, but the words are essentially God/The Universe/Allah/Vishnu telling us to trust that He/She/It has got our backs. It's a simple message that I've needed this year many times. While I'm not a huge fan, I really do like Katy Perry's Firework. I kinda felt like she was speaking to me in this one. :)

I know, I know. This is super commercial and pop at that. I also LOVE Beyonce's "Run the World," which is one of the highlights on my running mix.

May I just say that I liked Adele before everyone got on the bandwagon? For gems from her first album, which is on heavy rotation on my Iphone, check out "Hometown Glory" and "Make You Feel My Love."

I want to add more LIVE music to my life in 2012. I live in a great music city. I shouldn't waste it.

Have any songs inspired you this year?

WeVerb Day 1 - Word

Hey there!!! I'm out there! I haven't abandoned this blog. I think I am going to try to write more next year. I keep saying that, don't I? I'll be honest about why I don't write here more. It's hard. It's hard to be struggling and write about it especially when my life is soo good. Great marriage (at least I think so), surrounded by wonderful creature comforts, solid family and only minor health issues. What more could I need?

Anyway, I decided to participate in WeVerb 11. It's a collective blogger initiative where I will be reflecting on my year each day. Let's hope I can keep up with this AND my close out my main blog with a bang.

Here's Day 1's prompt:

Choose one word. Encapsulate the year 2011 in one word. Explain why. Imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2012 for you? My word would be: STASIS - a state of stability, in which all forces are equal, therefore they cancel each other out. This really is my year in one word. I think this has to be. Read what I just read above. I am so grateful for my life right now. Financially we're doing well as a family. Jim's, my husband (not his real name) career is doing really well. I see my friends excelling and moving forward with their lives personally and professionally. There have been marriages, births, new jobs, big breakthroughs and promotions for the people around me. Yet, here I am in many respects having only inched forward this year. I have made very little, if any, movement towards building my new professional self. I've worked on quite a few things including consulting, my secret project and exploring entrepreneurship. I feel like despite all of the awful things happening in the world at large, I've got it pretty good even if my life isn't what I'd like it to be. So, I guess everything just cancels itself out. The good isn't outweighing the bad and vice versa. I'm just here. :) "Here" ain't so bad.

For 2012, I'd like my word to be: propulsion

I hope 2012 is about moving forward. Period.