This has been the hardest, and in many ways, worst years of my life.  However, if I’ve ever had a right-of-passage year or a coming-of-age year, in many many ways, this was it.  So, the previous post was my sentimental year in review.  This is the practical one highlighting some cool things that happened this year, and what media I consumed along the way.

2013 What I did. Where I went.What I listened To. What I saw.

* = my favorites

Memorable Moments:

-Went to the Storyline Conference

– Went to Onsite Workshop in TN*

-Went to my first Japanese Steak House

– Rode on a motorcycle for the first time*

– started running regularly

-Met the “Zesty Guy” (Anderson Davis. Hometown wonder)

-climbed my first 14er*

-Had my first full alcoholic drink at the ripe age of 24

-Moved to Rocklin

-learned how to drive a stick*

-got my first credit card (again, at the ripe age of 24)

-got my first tattoo. by myself. sober. thought about it for years, and finally decided on spur of the moment to do it.*

-Went on my first non-family road trip. (by myself)*

-Got my first bed ever that wasn’t a twin-size.*

-drew my first non-stick-figure non-ending-up-in-the-trash picture*

-built shelving into my closet. Built a bench (almost done).

-cut off my hair for the first time in 10 years*

– had my writing published in a non-student publication for the first time*

-tried sashimi for the first time

-Went to Israel. Saw/learned so many incredible things.**

-Ran 6 miles in one run (by accident)*

Places I went:

Road: Santa Rosa – January

Road: San Diego – February

Air/Road/Boat: Israel* – Israel

Air: Tennessee – May

Road Trip: NV/UT/WY/CO/KS/MO (Stayed in Salt Lake City, Denver, Wichita, Kansas City)* – June

Air: Denver – Nov*

Air: San Diego – Dec*

Books I read this year:

Slaughter House 5 by Kurt Vonnegut

All is Grace by Brennan Manning*

Grace by Max Lucado

Love Does by Bob Goff

Storyline by Donald Miller

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F Scott Fitzgerald

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Drop Dead Healthy by AJ Jacobs*

Where is God When it Hurts by Yancy

Drops like Stars by Rob Bell*

A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis

Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller*

The Elements of Story

Without Feathers by Woody Allen

Dress your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris*

Perks of Being a Wallflower

Gracenomics

The Great Gatsby

Ties that Bind – a Storycorps collection*

Books I started but didn’t quite finish this year (but want/need to)

The Lemon Tree

When you are engulfed in flames by Sedaris

Holidays on Ice by Sedaris

Anna Karenina by Tolstoy

Inferno by Dan Brown

The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling

Disappointment with God by Tim Keller

Albums I bought this year:

Babel – Mumford and Sons*

The 20/20 Experience – Justin Timberlake

The Heist – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis*

The Love Club EP – Lorde

The Earth Falls Asleep – Abandon Kansas*

You + Me + the Radio EP – Abandon Kansas

We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things – Jason Mraz

The world from the side of the moon – Phillip Phillips

The Civil Wars – The Civil Wars*

The Glorious Unfolding – Steven Curtis Chapman

The Marshall Mathers LP2 – Eminem

The Moorings – Andrew Duhon

Bad Blood – Bastille

Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars*

Foreverly – Norah Jones and Billie Joe Armstrong

Movies I remember Seeing (not a complete list)

Les Miserables

The Gangster Squad*

We’re the Millers*

The Great Gatsby

Captain Phillips

12 Years a Slave*

The Hobbit part 2

Catching Fire (hunger games 2)*

The Heat

Anchorman

Anchorman 2

Ender’s Game

The Croods

Olympus Has Fallen

Broken City

Identity Thief

Admission

Perks of Being a Wall Flower

The Place Beyond the Pines

Silver Linings Playbook

The Secret life of Walter Mitty*

50/50

The Guilt Trip

Comedians I listened to/laughed to most*

John Mulaney*

Kevin Hart

Brian Regan

TV Shows I watched Regularly:

Once Upon a Time (not current season though)

SNL*

Revenge

The Office*

(FRIENDS — all year every year)***

What are some of your favorites for these categories?

Joanna O’Hanlon is an adventurer and story-teller. She tries to be honest about the ugly and hard parts of life, and the beautiful parts too. This blog is one of the places she shares her thoughts and stories.  Other places are

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