Long time no post!

So, I thought about resurrecting this thing again. I love posting about food and life, and for some reason, I really love this blog, so I figure I'll give it another go around. It's been 6 months since my last post, and I'm cooking new and different things, so it'll be fun to get back in it. Especially since I'm now eating a whole new diet, so having a record of recipes I love will help. Plus, my phone now takes and sends pictures! Not great pictures, but pictures nonetheless.

I guess the real reason why I brought this blog up was I was looking through old facebook stuff and saw a picture I took, and the caption was "first day being 26." And I remember taking the picture so vividly. I had walked out of Latin class (uuugh Latin, you were the bain of my existence!) and had about an hour to kill before I was meeting up with my mom in Alexandria. We were going to see Julie and Julia and have dinner beforehand. The night before Jill came over and we watched Kenny vs Spenny episodes and Andrew bought me a beautiful pair of diamond stud earrings (that to this day I've never taken out, I love them so much). It was a fantastic birthday, and not because of what I received, but I was with people that I love.

This birthday, one year later, is quite different. This past year has been a whirlwind and I can say that when I took that picture a year ago, I never thought I'd be where I am now. I graduated from Maryland in January. I thought I would have no problems finding a job, and was even off to a good start with some promising interviews, but interview after interview turned up nothing. I seemed to always be in second place. From about March onward, I feel back into probably the worst depression I'd had in a while. I knew I was depressed then, but now looking at myself then, I don't think I could have realized how bad it was. I neglected my health, put on too much weight, was irrational/emotion and strained relationships.

I finally did get a job in May but it was a crazy one. A good friend of mine asked me to work with her until I figured things out doing customer service for an electronic cigarette company in Baltimore. It was by far the most trying job I've had. The people I worked with though, were amazing. It's the only job I've had where my coworkers yelled at me all day, then at the end hugged me and asked me to have dinner with them. Different cultures =) I'm back in DC now though, working my same on and off again job, but it's something to tie me over until I either go permanent, go back to school or find a different job.

This birthday is also different than the past several, because someone that I've spent the last few birthdays with someone who will not be present in this one. In May, my world at that time came to a sudden stop as the person that was my best friend and my life broke up with me. Different reasons were given (and sometimes changed) for the cause of the break up, but in the end, and at least today, it seems like it really was for the best. I hope anyway. I can see now that we lost our own identity, and no couple survives unless they can be themselves. It's still hard to accept sometimes that it's really done and over. The recovery has been bumpy but the old saying of "time heals all wounds" really is true as each day gets better. I still care deeply for him and it's taken me a while to reach this point, but I sincerely hope he's doing exactly what is good for him and he's happy. I did realize through this process is that I really do have amazing friends. Friends that listen to me cry about the same things over and over, friends that hang out with me at the drop of a hat and friends that would literally do anything for me. I can confidently say that I'm not only lucky to have the people in my life that are there, but I really am lucky because these people do love me.

My 26 was an intense year to say the least. But its end brings a promising and hopeful start for 27. I do live at home with my parents, and although they agree that this is not a living situation that either of us want to last forever, they are very kind for allowing me to live there until I get back on my feet. I'm now vegan and have been for 3 weeks now, and have never felt better. I'm not even trying and I'm losing weight. And for the first time in weeks, I'm.....happy. Like, not just in a good mood, but people have commented that they can see that I'm happy. I feel hopeful. I'm painting more and focusing on myself and having fun. I can see how much I've grown up in my face from my last picture but it's okay. I've come a long way. So even though I've already cried today (I'M SO CLOSE TO 30 NOW!), I can honestly say that I look forward to what 27 brings. I think it's going to be a great year of new experiences, new friends and a new me. So, happy birthday to me!