LIke I have the past few years, I will spend New Years Eve at home reflecting on life, which means I will most likely watch movies, drink wine, and be merry. I like and enjoy spending my NYE this way, away from the chaos of the evening. 

I had no idea what 2012 had in store when the year began, and looking back it’s been  amazing and overwhelming. 

• With the help and encouragement of many people I love, especially my friend Angela who was by side at the finish line, I completed my first 1/2 marathon, an amazing feeling.  Sadly something about finishing it sent me into a really dark period that I am only now getting out of. 
• Met, and was able to thank, a favorite musician of mine. 
• Was with my friend, Crystal, as she experienced the beauty that is the Gorge for the first time. 
• I went back to the only place that felt like home, Seattle, for the first time since 2007, and returned again a few months later. 
• I saw numerous concerts, as usual.  DMB, Mumford and Sons, Ray Lamontagne, each better then the other. 
• Spent many nights away from home, working in California. 
• Drove the pacific coast highway from San Fran to LA and back. 
• I watched as two friends lost their battles with cancer.  Like many people I knew,  they were taken too soon. 

So many moments most I can barely recall, nevertheless I am ready for joys and sorrows of 2013

Way back in 2002 I was a member of the now defunct Nancies.org, which at the time a Dave Matthews Band message board, go on, it’s okay to laugh.  It was on this board that I came across like minded people, and as a result we all decided to meet up at the Gorge for DMB’s Labor Day Weekend shows that year. 

To this day, it is one of my favorite memories and those people I met that weekend are some of my dearest friends.  From births of children to the death of a dear friend, I am seen it all with them.  

Between 2002 and 2012 I have been back a handful of times for DMB and other shows, Pearl Jam in 2006 was an equally amazing experience  this year marked the tenth anniversary of that weekend.  While very few people were able to make it back, I arranged things at work and life so that I could. 

I have seen DMB 100 times, and as I often tell me at this point its less about the music and more about the people and memories that are conjured when I hear an opening note of a favorite song. 

Anyways, even if you hate DMB you must see a show at the Gorge it’s an entirely different experience then any other venue, though Red Rocks is an experience in itself as well.  Over Labor Day Weekend by friend, Crystal,  and I drove out from Seattle for the DMB weekend. 

Crystal and Me

view from theWild Horses Monument on the drive to the Gorge

View from the top of the lawn.

Closer view

Most people who has spent more than five seconds with me know how in love I am with the city of Seattle.  I lived there for two years a few years ago, wish I had never left,  and yearn to return one day soon, but all the cards need to line up accordingly.  Mainly someone needs to buy or rent my house, but first I need to emotionally detach myself from it.

That is neither here or there in regards to this post, really I just want to share some photos from my last trip to Seattle, where I spent a week dragging my poor friend around the city to all my favorite spots.

This is the view of the Puget Sound from my favorite park:

Rose Garden View:

City Target in downtown Seattle! Super cute store, but I am hating on Target at the moment for their Thanksgiving day opening. 

Kurt Cobain memorial bench:

4th and Wall intersection where the old apartment is:

Enough reminiscing, up next the Gorge recap!! It will be exciting so watch for it!

Earlier today a friend commented on a facebook* post of mine that I am example of someone who has their shit together.  Here is where I debunk that myth:

This is a photo the light fixture in my master bedroom, if you can’t tell it’s broken. In fact it has been broken since February 26, 2009 the day I closed on my house.  I broke it when I was swinging a broom wildly about, really don’t ask it was new home owner excitement. Then I just kept forgetting to fix it and then forgetting to fix it some more. 

For those keeping track, that is 3 years and 7 months that I have lived with a broken light fixture. Not because I couldn’t afford it’s replacement or didn’t have access to a light fixture store.  I just kept forgetting about it or was unable to pick a new one because I am surprisingly indecisive.  

Tonight I went to Lowes for a small can of white paint to paint my back door, but ended up coming home with three new light fixtures for my house, but no paint.  Yep, back to Lowes I go tomorrow or in a year from now, whatever. 

I selected this bad boy for my bedroom because it’s pretty and sparkly when the light is on and it holds two bulbs instead of one!  Yay for more light! 

A quick call to my dad resulted in three new lights getting installed tonight, he did the heavy lifting I just held the screws.  Here it is in all its shiny light glory:

Since the house is on the market it makes complete sense to update a few light fixtures, and if it doesn’t sell and I stay here longer then I am planning at least I will have updated fixtures. 

For those of you( hi Renee) who followed my old blog, Be Notorious, this is a new and updated blog as I closed the other one down.  I just wasn’t feeling it anymore. I chose In The Quiet, In The Crowd because it’s a song lyric that really resonated with me and instantly snapped it up!