pearls on the path: 2012 was pretty good ^

As I've made it my personal tradition every January to make an inventory of the previous year, here goes my recollection of 2012. All photos in this entry mine.

General climate of 2012
Hmmm. Steady. Not exactly ecstatic this year, but peaceful and content.
Quite a productive year; possibly the most productive I've been in a while. The latter half was also rather restful.

The best decision I made
Getting out of a stress-inducing situation.

The greatest joy
Taking a trip to the U.S. to see family and take a break from the madness that is Manila.

The greatest challenge
Same as last year - Not having as much money as I want / need.. ^_^ I suppose that's a constant for everyone.

Biggest success
The fact that I gained the most income I've had in a while.

Biggest fiasco
Oh. The one in my opinion was precipitated by an external epalistic otherwise moral organic molecular unit that veritably contained non-foster information and supposedly good but otherwise careless intentions that were detrimental to for his own welfare as well as that of others.

Biggest blessing
Spending time alone and unattached.

The year's vice
Used books. Just couldn't get enough.

Best discovery
The joy of string cheese. ^_^
And the alarming rate at which a diet that consists heavily of fastfood accumulates unwanted pounds. 0_o After all my supersizing caused me to become supersized myself, I vowed never to subsist on such evils again.

Best finds

Neutrogena products unavailable in Manila.
The used books store in SM.
Thrift stores in Vegas, where I was able to buy a ton of used books. Paperbacks in great condition at 99 cents each (around PhP 40), hardbound editions at $1.99 (around PhP 80).
1-cent used books on Amazon.com. Wow.

Nicest place visited
the white beaches on Panglao Island, Bohol.

Worst loss
Another church. :/

Best loss
Six unwanted pounds. :D Hooray!

Biggest disappointment
The falling away of friends and the failure (so far) to assimilate new ones.
And finding how someone who posed as a friend turned out not to be one after he decided he didn't need us after all

Ministry
Cut short and henceforth nonexistent. Which isn't so bad, since it freed me up to take a long trip.

Spiritual principle for the year
God loves misfits and outcasts.

Most fun projects
The various cupcake experiments done with my sisters.
And the multitude of snowflakes for Mama's glass doors.

Greatest frustration
Being the young visionary who saw how giants could be slain, but being told by the older "experts" it can't be done, it shouldn't be done, and that I should know my place. Puh-leez.

Greatest encouragement
Evidence of how much God has grown me in the past decade, and how I've been able to deal with personal issues. Oh yes. ^_^ It's a Praise the Lord moment.

Best reads
Nonfiction:
Wide Awake. Erwin McManus.
The Case for Christ. Lee Strobel.

Fiction:
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Steig Larsson.

Best movies
2012 was a good year for movies, me thinks; but my faves for the year are
Les Miserables,
The Hobbit, and
Life of Pi.
(I'm so glad I wasn't in Manila when Les Miz came out. Due to the yearly film fest, screening in the Phils was pushed to January, forcing avid moviegoers to wait three weeks. Since I've been in Nevada, I was able to see it day after Christmas. Woot, woot! )
(Coming to think of it, I watched all of my 2012 faves in Nevada.)

Fave TV series
Still Doctor Who. Quite sad about the Ponds but very pleased with the new companion.
And I am Sherlocked. Frustrated that series 3 will be postponed.
I also discovered 2010's Outsourced and found it enjoyable.

Fave snack
Celery sticks and tomato juice. Glad to go healthy. ^_^
Last year it was red velvet cupcakes. I've gotten sick of it since; maybe because I've been eating too much of it.

Fave gift received
A $50 gift card for clothes and accessories. (Thanks Ate S. and Mr. W! You guys are big blessings!)

Fave people met
There wasn't much of a relationship formed due to the limited time, but the community group my sister and I joined (in LV) made quite an impression. Nice, smart people. The couple that owned the house was a perky blonde and a half-Filipino dude. There were also: a young lady who works with orphans, the Canadian girl who taught us how to make peppermint bark, a smart geek type, a sweet guy from Wisconsin, and the smiley guy with the biceps. I liked them all so much I wished I could pack them in my bags.

Best new skill
Learning to cook kare-kare (Thanks, Tita Haidee! We love you so much).

Prettiest thing I made
If it isn't this Christmas tree, it must be this Amethyst necklace that I'm pretty proud of:

Most worthwhile thing I've made

A non-churchy discipleship manual, the kind stripped of Christianese platitudes to help make Bible-truths more meaningful, but still heavily Biblical.

Fave photos taken