A look back at 2011

OK, so 2011 wasn't my best year. Parts of it really sucked, but parts of of were absolutely amazing. Basically it was a huge roller coaster of emotions, life-changing events and self discovery. Here's how it panned out:

January

• One of my best friends got married. It was the first wedding I had ever been a part of and the best wedding I can imagine for two people who worked so hard to get there. 
• Work at the Savannah Morning News took a turn for the worse with two copy deskers in the hospital and two more open positions that took forever to fill. I worked a lot of overtime at both the paper and my second job, which was a completely different entity.
• On the plus side at work, Newseum picked up my first front page for its "Top 10" feature.

February

• As the snowpocalypse was hitting the Midwest, I was designing another awesome front page that got chosen by Newseum.
• I turned 23 and celebrated with a few willing coworkers.
• I got preventative skin cancer surgery. It takes forever to heal. Read: still not 100%. 
• Over the course of this month and the next, I became great friends with a girl who lived near me. We became each other's only true friends in Savannah, and I psuedo-got a puppy out of the deal.

March

• The newspaper launched Morris' new content management system, Content Watch. It was horrible and at least six months from go-live ready. The desk worked very hard to work out the kinks, and succeeded on most accounts over the course of a few months.
• Two of my best friends came to visit me in Savannah for their spring break. Things we did include but are not limited to: a haunted pub crawl, getting hailed on, Savannah things and a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It was a fantastic time.
• I survived my first round of layoffs at the Savannah Morning News. It shook me, but the copydesk didn't lose anyone, just two empty positions. Work got harder, and it became more difficult to stay positive. I tried my hardest.

April

• I visited an old high school friend and her daughter in Memphis during the Memphis in May concert series. I saw Jason Mraz live in concert, and my life was completed.

May

• My college "Quartet" got together in Kansas City for a weekend. We had a lot of fun, and I ended up cutting off all of my hair into a style that not only makes me look grown up, but also one that I will be keeping for a while.
• Work calmed down a bit, and I decided to stick it out for a while longer. 
• I bought a new laptop for freelancing/entertainment purposes. 
• I won a Georgia Press Association award for my work on the photo illustration cover of the 2010 election guide.

June

• I moved from my apartment complex in west Savannah to a refurbished house/apartment in downtown Savannah.
• I went to Ireland to visit a friend who was studying abroad. We did a driving tour of the island, and it was one of the best vacations I'd been on. 

July

• I drove to North Carolina to see some more high school friends and hang out on the beach.
• The last Harry Potter movie premired, and a huge part of my childhood ended.

August

• My cat, Maia, got sick again. She is on drugs on an off for the next month an a half.
• I survived my second round of layoffs at the paper, but a lot of other people didn't, including my immediate manager. I started looking for another job. 

September

• Three rooms of my basement apartment flooded with sewer water. 
• I said goodbye to Maia, as her health greatly deteriorated. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.
• I redesigned my website for the Society of News Design conference in St. Louis. I was a networking queen.

October

• I saw another good friend get married in Columbia, Mo.
• I went back to Mizzou for the school's 100th Homecoming celebration. 
• I interviewed for several jobs, and I took one at the Gannett Design Studio in Des Moines. I turned in my resignation to the editor in Savannah (and my freelance job), as did three others in the matter of a week. 
• My apartment flooded two more times. I used the fact that the management didn't fix it after the first time to get out of my lease.
• Another good friend visited me in Savannah before I had to say goodbye to the beautiful city.
• The St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series, and I cheered them on every step of the way.
• My best friend in Savannah has a baby shower, which makes it harder for me to leave her in Savannah.

November

• I left my first job to start my second one (with a minor stint in Springfield, Mo., in between). I moved my stuff to Des Moines in an epic roadtrip of epicness, and I moved myself to Springfield. 
• I took part in the age-old tradition of banging Big Mo at the Missouri vs. Texas football game.
• I found a roommate in Springfield, who is also moving to Des Moines.

December

• My new roommate and I find an amazing house to rent in Des Moines. 
• My non-healing surgery doesn't heal even more. I go on antibiotics only to be allergic to them and end up in the emergency room with hives, etc.
• I rang in the new year in Kansas City, which is much closer to me now, with my college friends.

So, 2012, let's make a deal. I will go on less trips and pay off some of my bills if you don't be as much of a bitch as 2011 was. Deal?

This Postsecret postcard ran today. I can't help but agree.