happy anniversary!

Hey guys!

Can you believe that it was two years ago today that I started this blog? Two years: that’s a lot of stories. Who would’ve thought that I would’ve had two years’ worth of things to tell you? Ok, maybe not all of my stories have been worth telling, but I told them just the same. And I still have plenty of stories to go. I know you were worried.

Yes, it was two years ago today that I was enjoying my first ever paid holiday. I had started my job in state government just a few weeks beforehand, and in doing so, I had traded my beloved Minneapolis for Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I had moved into my new apartment just a few days beforehand, but there was no internet service there – that meant I spent part of said holiday at a Caribou, slurping a latte and catching up on my internet-ing. That was the day I impulsively started a blog.

My very first blog post was about how I had just moved from Minneapolis to a town that I equated with home. I was nervous about what life back in South Dakota would be like; had I made a huge mistake?

Thankfully, my introspective first blog post didn’t set the tone for the rest of them. The last thing I wanted was a whiny blog about how it’s tough trying to find your way in the world and woe is me. I also didn’t want it to be an account of my day-to-day life: today was a good day at work. I went grocery shopping, and then I made pancakes for dinner. My day-to-day life is not terribly interesting… I know I wouldn’t want to read about what I did that day, so why would anyone else?

Though my everyday life is pretty normal, I have managed to accrue some pretty weird experiences over the years (especially after my three-month stay in New Orleans). After telling these stories, I’ve had more than one person tell me that I really need to write a book about all this strange stuff that I’ve done. Well, a blog might be the next best thing.

So here’s how we ended up with my blog as it is today. We’ve got a whole lot of stories from my 26 ½ years of life, and I’m sure I won’t stop collecting crazy stories any time soon. And the Top Ten Tuesdays? You can blame those on my love of list-making.

One year ago today, I wrote about all the great things that had happened from October 2011 to October 2012, including three very important things that likely would not have happened if I had remained in Minneapolis: a new car, a job at the library, and a proposal from James.

So why couldn’t any of this happen in Minneapolis? The new car came about because I was making more and spending less in Sioux Falls: no income tax, cheaper rent. Therefore, I could afford a car. I suppose I could’ve bought a less awesome car in Minneapolis, but it was a Ford Fusion for me! The library job couldn’t have happened in Minneapolis for an obvious reason: it was a job at the Sioux Falls library. Could I have gotten a job at the Minneapolis library? Maybe. But in all the time I lived there, there was never an opening, so I never got the chance to find out. Finally, why wouldn’t James have proposed to me if I still lived in Minneapolis? I bet he eventually would’ve, but it would’ve taken a little longer. The whole long-distance relationship thing really sucks, and by me moving closer to him (he teaches in Ellsworth, MN, which is an hour-ish away from Sioux Falls), it was a whole lot easier to envision a solid future together.

And here we are: another year has gone by. October 2012 – October 2013 has been monumentally eventful, most notably: James and I got married and bought a house.
 

Whoo hoo!

Plus, I got a promotion at work… and did I mention that all that happened in the span of about a week? BEST WEEK EVER.

And we totally got a cat!

So life is good, and it’s made even better because you guys want to read my stories. I hope you know how glad I am that you’re out there and how fun it is to be able to share my bizarre experiences/thoughts with you. Here’s to another year of goofy stories and ponderings – I hope you’re looking forward to it as much as I am!