2013

Even though the date of the new year isn't really grounded in anything, it serves as a time for reflection on the upcoming 365 and past 365, kinda like a collective birthday for everyone. In my opinion it should be on the winter solstice because that's a G day.

Anyway, 2013 was a new experience. It started out with me officiating meets instead of competing in them. That was a much different excitement, I am very much looking forward to it this year. It was also very upsetting to not be competing later on in the year during the spring as my left ankle never was ready for the pounding of triple jump. It was pretty embarrassing to go all the way to Russia and not qualify for finals, especially because I needed to jump 15.40m! to qualify. Especially because I was 13th, and they took the top 12. Especially because on my last jump I secretly gave up on myself midway through a jump that would have definitely got me 12th or higher. Especially because I had to endure another 16 days there feeling like a failure and a waste of space. But Russia was certainly not all doom and gloom. Eventually I got out of my funk and started participating in the athletes village, meeting some people from many different lands. Then there was Regina, who gave me hope that 'she' is out there.

As far as school, I worked my butt off and was very surprised to be recognized by the school of architecture with an award in 'healthcare design'.After all the track and field glory, I finally was able to somewhat validate myself inside the architecture community. It honestly was just as good of a feeling as winning ACC's in triple jump. It is absolutely the most 'present' moment of my 2013.

But after that, I was faced with the reality that I would be taking a year off of school to get a dose of real world experience. I worked in the fields during the summer for the horticulture department. The quiet out there was so good. Being in the nature, even if I was loading up plants with steroids, lol. then at the end of the summer, the whole Blacksburg architecture job fiasco happened, was pretty much promised a job in July to start when I got back from Russia, but that never materialized after waiting a month to hear back from the big boss.

So, completely distressed I found a Construction Materials Testing job online in the area. On a whim I applied for it. It seemed so perfect for what I wanted out of my year off. I applied on a Sunday, and I had a good feeling I got the position, as that same day a representative from the company replied, on a Sunday! So I have been working outdoors since September and I love it, (when I get enough hours). I wish I could have wrote about all the people I have met in the construction business, they are so varied in hopes and dreams. But they are the heroes responsible for creating the reality we live in. and to understand them helps the design process infinitely. Now more than ever I can really be confident that I personally know how a building comes together. Me and Vitalee (my truck) have it good with this job right now.

Speaking of my truck, what happened to my car? That was the longest 'present' moment of the year when I crashed it falling asleep at the wheel coming back from a family reunion. Luckily I wasn't injured and no other cars were around me. I spent the entire day scrambling to just figure out how to move on and get back home. Man, that could have ended so much worse. But, from that, I was given my androgynous truck Vitalee. Love that guy.

On the more spiritual and crap side of things, the year offered some breakthroughs. I met Carol this year, she really made me question my stances on many many things after I had made the mistake of being comfortable in my views. I really began to realize the scope of my existence and how collective the universe is. I believe I found out what God is, until further notice. I realized the degeneracy that is 'art', still battling the definition of that. I believe I have begun to uncover the basic drive of humans, to hope to exist. Hopefully I can keep challenging my views in perpetuity.

The one major failure was my resolution last year of getting to know my father better. Apathy, being used to the norm and apprehension got in the way of that. Hopefully I will be motivated this upcoming year.

Endnote- I give 2013 an 8 of 10, I have learned oh so much.