For me, 2011 was two main things,

1. The year of the Penpal

2. The year we went to Asia for the first (and second) time

I’ve seen a lot of people on social media sites, saying that they are thrilled 2011 is over, they had a terrible year and they can’t wait to start in to 2012.  For me, I’m a little sad to see the curtain fall on 2011, as it treated me very well indeed.

I’ve been very fortunate this year and indulged in a lot of fun things, seen some amazing places and ate a lot of great food!

2011 both started and finished with a trip to see a Stand-up comedian and meet a penpal (or three!).

For Col’s birthday at the end of January, we went to Seattle, where luck would have it, two of my penpals live, and a third was in town visiting.  We got together for dinner and ice cream.

Gen is one of the first people I ever started writing to when I joined a Live-Journal (LJ) pen-palling community (Linked by Letters aka. LBL) in 2004.  Izzy and Nicole are also members of LBL and I’ve been writing to each of them for a number of years too.

In June, I met yet another LBL penpal, this time she came to visit me (with her lovely boyfriend Mike).

Vanessa, like Gen (mentioned above) is one of my uber long-term penpals, she visited Houston for a few days and we got up to all kinds of mischief!

The next of my penpals that I met this year, another LJ penpal, (but not another LBL one), was Serene (AKA Skiddy).  She and I have been friends, again, since almost the beginning of my LJ back in 2004.

When Col and I went to Singapore late last year to visit the Stevenson’s in their new country, we carved out some time to get together with Serene for a quick Starbucks.  She arrived with a MAHOOSIVE bag of candies and treats for me and bought me a cup of hot chocolate as big as my head! I owe her!

Last penpal for me to meet this year, (but by no means least), was Twana, in San Francisco.  Yes, yet another LJ found penpal, who’s been around on my LJ almost since the very beginning as well.

We got together with her and her lovely other half Devon for delicious margaritas and dinner – again, we didn’t get to spend enough time with them.  But a quick encounter is better than none, eh?

My year in lists!

Like I said, 2012 has been a big year of travel for us, if you’re curious about our travels, click on the place names below to link you to the ‘day 1’/ first blog of that trip.

Places I’ve visited:
1. Seattle – January 2011
2. Malaysia – April 2011
3. Iowa – May 2011
4. Chicago – June 2011
5. Iowa – July 2011
6. Singapore – September 2011
7. California – December 2011

Live Gigs I’ve seen:
1. Brian Regan – Comedian (Seattle Jan, 2011)
2. Janet Jackson – Rodeo (Houston, March 2011)
3. Rascal Flatts – Rodeo (Houston, March 2011
4. Lady Antebellum – Rodeo (Houston, March 2011)
5. Kiss – Rodeo (Houston, March 2011)
6. Malaysian Grand Prix – April 2011
7. Matt Nathanson – Iowa, July 2011
8. Singapore Grand Prix – (September 2011)
9. Rain – Beatles Tribute Act (November 2011)
10. Greg Proops – California (December 2011)

Books I’ve read:

Yes, I’ll admit there is a definite ‘theme’ in this list of books.  I finally started at the start and worked my way down through a list of Kathy Reichs books.  I’m so glad I did!

1. Deja Dead – Kathy Reichs
2 Death Du Jour – Kathy Reichs
3. Deadly Decisions – Kathy Reichs (loved!)
4. Fatal Voyage – Kathy Reichs
5. Grave Secrets – Kathy Reichs
6. Bare Bones – Kathy Reichs
7. Monday Mourning – Kathy Reichs (loved!)
8. Cross Bones – Kathy Reichs
9. Break No Bones – Kathy Reichs
10. Bones to Ashes – Kathy Reichs
11. Devil Bones – Kathy Reichs
12. 206 Bones – Kathy Reichs
13. Spider Bones – Kathy Reichs
14. Virals – Kathy Reichs

Movies I’ve seen:

We tend to average one movie per month, most of the time we either miss movies we wanna see, there’s never anything on that we want to see, or, since we got rid of our cable, we never really know what’s on!

1. The King’s Speech – Jan (loved!)
2. Fast Five – May
3. Bridesmaids – May (liked!)
4. The Hangover II – May
5. Super 8 – June
6. The Fast and the Furious
7. Harry Potter – July (liked!)
8. The Help – August (loved!)
9. Senna – September (loved!)
10. Tower Heist – November (liked!)
11. Ides of March – November (liked!)
12. In Time – November (liked!)
13. Sherlock Holmes – December (loved!)
14. Mission Impossible 4 – December (liked!)
15. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – December (loved!)

It was also the year for my friends to have babies (mostly little girls!)

Laura had Poppy

Magz had Eve

Heather had Evy

I can only hope that 2012 is as fantastic as 2011 was!