2011

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
I moved out to an apartment with my best friend and boyfriend -- and paid for all of it myself. I was a bridesmaid in Julie Morgan's wedding and might have found a good Disney Career path therein. Stephen and I attended a fabulous gay wedding in Big Sur. I helped open Chapter One: the modern local (a concept restaurant in downtown Santa Ana) and helped it flourish into OC Weekly's Best New Restaurant of 2011. Got a Brazilian, heeey TMI. I started feeling old -- aches and back issues and sore, tired muscles... It could certainly be the twelve hour work days or Napa Rose's slate flooring, but ugggh. I made more than one trip to a chiropractor this year. I made cranberry-lime vodka infusions as Christmas gifts and plan to continue making infusions as a new Christmas tradition. I drove stick shift -- 35 feet, but hey. Had an unexpected health scare and am still waiting to hear the results...

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
These were the resolutions I made last year, needless to say I kept none of them:

• Take a self-portrait every day for 365 days.
• Document my life a bit better.
• Read at least two books a month.
• Make more art.
• Get back into the exercise routine I had going.

I did, however, move out to the Avalon Anaheim Stadium apartments with Megan. Stephen joined us a month in, though he did all the heavy lifting as I moved in and was practically there from the beginning. Together we attempted to make a budget though it only ever lasted a week or two. It's hard to try and start a budget when you're already so far in the hole. One of my primary goals for this year is to get my finances back on track, however many Ramen dinners it takes.

Other goals include:

• Lose 50lbs -- get my BMI to an ideal range (18.5-24.9)
• Get out of Napa Rose by February (latest) -- waiting to see if that $3,000 pops up anywhere
• Do a weekly "Things that are Good" list -- works for better life documentation and keeping myself humbled and grateful
• Start The Artist's Way
• Read a book/month
• Actually work at maintaining friendships (Chelsea Hansen, Jeff Warta, Brittany Donlon, etc.)

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Anthony & Dani Ippolito- Aubriana (Bri)

4. Did anyone close to you die?
An acquaintance from middle school, Alex Proctor.

5. What countries did you visit?
No new countries, but I took Stephen on a craft-brewery-filled birthday trip to Portland, Oregon for his birthday.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
A gym schedule, home cooked meals. I'd like more projects to work on, actually. Genuine weekends. Level I Cicerone certification.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Nothing is standing out at the moment, need to document better.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Not having a show-down and not giving up on anyone. Really good conversations with my parents, Ethan and Stephen. "Making Magic" at Julie's wedding. Getting back in the good graces of Napa management.

9. What was your biggest failure?
That it came close.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had a root canal which wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected. Tenderness for a week or so, but not miserable. Lots of weird headaches this year and a sore, sore back.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Railroad Revival concert tickets, a weekend at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. French manicures.The first cocktail for the married Morgans!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Linda Rodriguez, Stephen Langton, Eric Quezada.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Megan Rabone

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Sia - Soon We'll Be Found
Wax Tailor - Que Sera
Amy Winehouse - Valerie

LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem
Adele - Rolling in the Deep
Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks

WUBWUBWUBreeeeeeeeeeeee (Skrillex)
Chapter One's Euro-Trance Pandora Station

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Hard to say, but very happy. Aiming for consistency. 
b) thinner or fatter? Yikes, fatter. I have to get this under control. Being healthy is not hard.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, but working on that.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Exercising, eating well, reading, making art. Shopping for food at Farmer's Markets.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Drinking soda. Letting people intimidate me. Speaking before thinking something all the way through: slow your roll.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
At Grandma's house in Ohio, then on a cross-country plane ride. Got home and opened gifts with the family, cleaned up and went to the Boviches for dinner. Ended up at Stephen's parents' and collapsed into bed back at the apartment!

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
Absolutely.

22. How many one-night stands?
None.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
No cable this year, but still kept up with Gossip Girl, Glee and SNL. I wish they weren't pulling Community off the air.

24. What was the best book you read?
The Four Hour Body, Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Obsessed with The Avett Brothers this year.

26. What did you want and get?
A spark of direction. Some good Disney opportunities.

27. What did you want and not get?
Out of Napa, a real job. I would love to go to Vegas with Stephen.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Bridesmaids. Crazy Stupid Love.

29. What did you do on your birthday?
Got my nails done with Mom, grabbed some Pedro's and drove around south-side San Clemente in the convertible (Mom got a white Audi convertible, her dream car, for my parents' anniversary last year), met Sean, Matt, Zack, Brett, Ethan, Mom, Dad, Harrison, Beck, Pit Boy, Jeff and Cassie at Pizza Port and had everyone over for cake and beer. Brett and Chris came to the house. Ethan made me a flaming birthday cake complete with unicorns and waterfalls. He wants his to have Ewoks, dinosaurs and Decepticons.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less anxiety about the future.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Jeans. Sweatshirts. Work clothes.

33. What kept you sane?
Stephen, baking, Tumblr. Moleskine notebooks.

37. What political issue stirred you the most?
Occupy Wall Street, censoring the internet.

36. Who did you miss?
Ethan, Chelsea Hansen. Brittany Donlon.The News Team.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Linda Rodriquez, Alicia Jeva, Ryan Matas, Linsey Onken, Jeff Hall, Tim O'Connor, Jesse Ledin & Dustin Robinson, Bonnie.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011?
Hash out details upfront and have everyone affected sign off on the arrangement. I never eat the whole container of spinach before it goes bad, buy the small bag already.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
 "For I am an engine and I'm rolling on
through endless revisions to state what I mean..." - Engine, NMH

2010

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

Worked in a fine dining restaurant, still, surrounded by idiots. Calmed down a manager of said restaurant with the City Hall coping mechanisms so deeply ingrained in me. I've probably been more dishonest this year, with myself and others, than at any other point in my life. I worked retail, I opened Pandora's box of wine, beer and spirits. Been afraid to go home.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

These were the resolutions I made last year, needless to say I kept none of them:

• Take a self-portrait every day for 365 days.
• Document my life a bit better.
• Read at least two books a month.
• Make more art.
• Get back into the exercise routine I had going.

Shall we give those another shot in 2011? A few additions:

• Move out. (!!!)
• Make a budget.
• Apply to move in Napa or within the company... or out of the company. I guess the goal is to stop stagnating.
  
• Study more (and study better) for the sommelier and cicerone exams.
  

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Chris's sister is just about to...

4. Did anyone close to you die?

I don't believe so.

5. What countries did you visit?

Ugh. This is depressing.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

Financial discipline. Concrete goals.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

• April 11 - I transferred out of Guest Relations and started at Napa Rose.
• November 16 - I took and passed the Level I Som exam.
• November 17 - I took and failed that Level II Som certification and met Stephen.
  

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I got a phone interview with Pixar. Level I Som exam.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I didn't get called back. Level II Som exam. Dishonesty. Not giving enough of a shit.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Same cold, different year.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Screen-printing classes at Saddleback, concert tickets, Comic Con tickets.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Steve Olson, the guest service manager at Napa Rose.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

My own.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons

Kentucky Burbon - Murder by Death

Laundry Room - The Avett Brothers

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? Sadder, I guess. I miss everyone so much.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter, perpetually.
c) richer or poorer? Neither, still scraping by.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Exercising, reading, painting,

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Hard liquor.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Gifts at home, dinner at the Boviches, the evening in bed with Chris.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?

That's still to be determined.

22. How many one-night stands?

None.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

Community, SNL.

24. What was the best book you read?

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

The Avett Brothers, Frightened Rabbit, Mumford & Sons, Murder by Death, The Black Keys

26. What did you want and get?

New sheets, new plaid, passed my Level I Sommelier exam. Great screen-prints.

27. What did you want and not get?

An iPhone 4. Level II Sommelier Certification. To go on a big trip with Chris.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

At this point, True Grit. I need to catch up on December releases. How to Train Your Dragon was a very pleasant surprise from Dreamworks, Toy Story 3 was a token finish to the trilogy. Inception was all around fantastic, Tim's take on Alice in Wonderland was a lot of fun -- beautiful costumes courtesy of Colleen Atwood, yet again. HP: Deathly Hallows was very well done, all of the actors have really come into their own, I still hold that the original casting crew should get an Oscar. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was a ton of fun, as was Despicable Me. I'd still like to see The Social Network, Black Swan, Love and Other Drugs, Tangled, Blue Valentine and The King's Speech.

29. What did you do on your birthday?

Went to dinner with Chris and the family at The Vintage in the old San Juan train station, found out Bowie and I are distantly related, drank at the bar 'til they closed and moved over to The Swallows Inn (where there was a serious porn collage in the mens' restroom) and drank until I nearly died. Then Christopher took care of me and made sure I didn't "Hendrix out."

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

To have had some sort of direction.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

"I'll start being healthy next month."

33. What kept you sane?

Christopher and his infallible logic. Tumblr. After work trips to Haven with Adan and Ryland.

37. What political issue stirred you the most?

Healthcare.

36. Who did you miss?

Sean McKesson, Graeme and the News Team. Chelsea, Mego and Jeff.

37. Who was the best new person you met?

Adan Lopez, Ryland Brown, Dani Barber, Stephen Langton

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010?

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

I'm concerned about my Som test, I just wasted today.
I needed the decompression, I guess?

After the test I need to reevaluate where things are, where they're going, where I want to be going...
I dropped all the existential crisis-ing to really focus on the wine, something tells me I'll pick it up again pretty quickly.

I'm not sure what's going on regarding bar tending or even bar backing, and I am not at all eager to remain a hostess for much (any) longer.

If I stay at the Resort, I'd like to get into Special Activites, PR & Marketing, or Cast Communications. I'm still interested in seeing what the Studios may have to offer along those same lines.

If I don't stay at the Resort... where am I going to go?

Diet & Exercise

All month I've continually been awestruck that, in reflection upon my eating habits for the last two or three years, I haven't developed diabetes. (Yet.) What I have developed, on the other hand, is fourty-five more pounds than my body is built to carry.

So that's cute.

Something, a lot of things, need to change; in a once-and-for-all kind of way.

New Month

The beginning of a new month always inspires a streak of new hope. Things I'll do, things I'll stop doing, the setting of goals to achieve in the next micro-section of life... I am a mess.

Today I want to paint houses.

So Many Miles and So Long Since I Met You

Nothing at all in my head to say to you,
Only the beat of the train I'm on;
Nothing I've learned all my life on the way to you...

How do I know I can come and give to you--
--love with no warning can find you alone.

I Love This Blog

And I don't update it nearly enough.

I transferred to the Napa Rose restaurant on April 11th, started sommelier classes in the beginning of May, picked up a second job at BevMo on June 7th, and am well on my way to becoming a professional alcoholic.

Ryland, Saucy, Joy and Matt at Napa Rose are a great help in discovering all sorts of boozy things that I had, until this point, remained completely oblivious to; while Rafael, Geoff and Jon (even though he's an ass about it) are providing some excellent perspective on the BevMo side of it all.

Pinot Noir

There's a lot of great support around me, and I need to really set aside time to delve into my reading -- I picked up a great book, Karen MacNeil's "The Wine Bible," which seems to be just what I needed in terms of helping me better organize all this new information in my head.

Reisling

I'll be taking the Level I Sommelier Exam in the third week of November, and I am already nervous. If I test well enough to receive one of the top thirty scores, I'll be sitting for the Level II Certification the next day...