The Year 2011

Really, this blog only tells part of the story of my 2011.  For the last entry of this amazing year, I thought it would be important to tell the other half of the story.  It wasn't until very recently that I had decided that this would be anything worth writing about in this blog.  It all began when I had a talk with my friend Dennis at Starbucks a day after finals ended.  I asked him what the highlights of his semester were, and we started recounting all of these great moments that we each had, some moments that were really difficult and some that were just really unforgettable... none of them having taken place in Europe.  For the last couple of weeks of 2011, I've been thinking back a lot, but not to Europe, but to the part back here in America.  Its sort of funny, but I came to a realization: these two stories, the first half of my year and the second are really not so different.

I've celebrated even more birthdays!

I've had more random dance parties

Konstantin gave us hats and we danced around in them

Singing AND Dancing

I went to yet another Hyde Park...

Hyde Park Neighborhood in Chicago, IL

Riding Bikes in Hyde Park, London

Had some more great pints...

Had yet another Martini Night: 

Martini Night: London

Martini Night: Storrs, CT

I've had some more great dinners

Family Dinner in New Hampshire!

I ran another race (this one was a bit longer than the 5K in Regents Park though)

Saw even more breath-taking sunsets

Sunset in Berlin

Photo out of the front window of Flash in Storrs!

Saw another Buckingham Landmark!

Buckingham Fountain, Chicago,IL

Buckingham Palace

Another Paris Monster Metro Gate....yes, even saw another one of those! 

This picture is from Chicago, they have the same ones in Paris

Somehow I've even managed to wear MORE weird animal hats...

Somehow also managed to wear random scarfs: 

Went to another soccer game (and even played in it!)

Striking Sphinxes made it to the Playoffs this year!

I've had so many great meals cooked for me, even without Konstantin around

Emilio adds latino flair to my diet

Nothing like bacon egg and cheeses in the middle of the night.

 Gone out to the bar with friends...just like in London

I danced....again....in a suit!

I still travel: but this half of the year I can travel in real style

We all love Flash!

 Managed to be dressed up in a bar again:

Made it to the top of three more mountains!

Most importantly, I spent the second half of the year doing the same thing I did in the first, having a great time, with some amazing people.

UConn in London in Storrs

Kenny and Claire!  In Rhode Island (Ironically the same couch I was jumping up and down on during the first seconds of 2011)

First time at a Casino!

Brothers

Just me and my friends in New Hampshire

Me and Dennis after my marathon

My parents!

Still living life on the edge of course

Meeting a dog at a party

Cousins

Gingerbread Houses!

Fleece Club

Its sort of funny thinking about how much time I spent wishing I was in Europe doing the things I was doing there, only to realize now, that all along I've been doing the same things...right here in America.

I like to think that says something about my life from here on out.  I love traveling, having ridiculous things happen, I love turning the bad things around, I love the moments that mean so much, but we never saw coming, those really infinite moments...I really love life, and just because I'm not studying abroad or in some place new will ever stop me from doing all of this and more.  So don't look back, just keep moving, and you might be surprised at how exciting life is if you decide to make it that way.

I'd be lying to you if I said I truly got everything I wanted to out of this year, and I'd be lying if I said everything worked out the way I really wanted it to...but as an old Irish proverb goes: "May you get all your wishes but one, so you always have something to strive for."  I sort of like that.

So, here is to a year that I will never forget...not just part of it, but the whole of it.  From the first moments of the year, when I was running full speed into the Atlantic Ocean, to the moment 2012 begins.

And here is one more cheers...to making 2012 even better than 2011!  Maybe we can start with some champagne and more chocolate!  Chocolate always makes a situation a good situation.       

Happy New Years Everybody.  I hope you enjoyed meeting me, travelling with me, drinking with me, climbing with me, hanging out with me, reading about me or whatever else we may have done together in 2011...we should do some of that stuff again in 2012 and forever past that.

CHEERS!
SP