#goodbye 2015

[sleepiest-boy]

welcome 2016!

[namastay-me-blog]

Chapter One: Goodbye TwentyFifteen

Oh what can I say about good ok’ 2015? Oh yeah, good fucking riddance.

I can’t even say 2016 began with a good start. I may have ended things with my toxic EXboyfriend in September of 2015.. but it wasn’t until March of 2016 when I finally stopped any and all contact with him. He broke me down so hard, I hated every cell of my being. I couldn’t hold a conversation with anyone else, let alone talk period. I felt like my dreams, everything I wanted and needed meant less than nothing. This year was the year I started to rebuild what that sad excuse for a man destroyed. I began to rebuild myself. I made time for my family. I started making friends. Nicole, my high school best friend came back into my life. I couldn’t be more thankful. We made plans, we set goals. We were on a mission to help each other get over our toxic ex’s. To help each other become the best versions of us we could. I started looking into schools. I knew the idea of what I wanted for myself and my future. Finally, for the first time in almost four years, I was putting myself first. Tequila became my best friend and savior. She was my therapist. My Meredith to my Callie. It became the answer to all of my problems. It feels amazing. It feels like the Fourth of July. I feel liberated. I’m free to make my own decisions, bad or good. I’m finally able to be me. Now, how the hell do I do that?

[boookish]

Year in Review: 2015

1. I Can Barely Take Care of Myself by Jen Kirkman (Jan. 3) 2. St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell (Jan. 5) 3. Yes Please by Amy Poehler (Jan. 7) 4. If on a winter’s night a traveler by Italo Calvino (Jan. 15) 5. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (Jan. 22) 6. The First Bad Man by Miranda July (Jan. 23) 7. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Feb. 4) 8. Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill (Feb. 5) 9. The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell (Jul. 23) 10. Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer (Jul. 26) 11. The Life and Death of Sophie Stark by Anna North (Jul. 27) 12. Trip Through Your Wires by Sarah Layden (Aug. 1) 13. Reunion by Hannah Pittard (Aug. 17) 14. Pastoralia by George Saunders (Aug. 31)

Books finished: 14 Approximate pages: 4,444* Best month: January (6 books)

Kindle version: 12 Physical copy: 2

New releases: 4

21st century: 13 20th century: 1

Fiction: 11 Non-fiction: 3

Short-story collections: 2

Most favorite read: The First Bad Man by Miranda July Without a doubt. This book is probably one of the craziest things I've ever read, but it works, absolutely and completely. She crafts sentences that make you think the world was missing something until they were written. She finds genuine humor in the sadness, and poignancy in the mundane.

Least favorite read: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr The books I read this year were all actually pretty solid. This was just the one I was least into while reading it.

Book I just couldn’t finish: Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff I wouldn’t say that I couldn’t finish it, just that I haven’t yet. I got busy with school, hence the fact that I didn’t finish anything after August 31, and this just wasn’t calling to me during that time.

Most surprising find in 2015: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins This wasn’t surprising in that I loved it (I gave it three stars), but I had no idea it was going to get as popular as it did. I guess the mostly-unjustified comparisons to Gone Girl worked wonders! I am looking forward to the movie starring Emily Blunt, though.

Most anticipated book of 2015: Reunion by Hannah Pittard I read her debut, The Fates Will Find Their Way in 2011 and loved it, so I was anxious to read anything else of hers. It was different, but still great, and I’m excited she has another (shorter) book coming this summer!

Most memorable character: Cheryl in The First Bad Man by Miranda July Miranda July did just such a good job writing her. Cheryl’s actions are extremely unrelatable, but her voice somehow negates that, to a degree. 

Favorite author discovery: Anna North I enjoyed The Life and Death of Sophie Stark so much that I read it in a day. I’ll definitely read whatever she releases next.

Favorite cover of a book read in 2015: Pastoralia by George Saunders The aesthetic of the cover appeals to me, but also, if you look closely at the physical copy of the book, it has subtle, shiny stars on it.

Favorite quote/passage read in 2015: The First Bad Man by Miranda July “If you were wise enough to know that this life would consist mostly of letting go of things you wanted, then why not get good at the letting go, rather than the trying to have?”

[puraspinchisfotos]

Goodbye 15.

—– Fera María http://puraspinchisfotos.tumblr.com Instagram: @startevil

[something--about--everythin-blog]

Happy new year everyone! 😁🎉🎊🎆🎇

[beautifulbombshell01]

[yoursighness]

Goodbye, 2015

6th January, 2016. 3.18 PM So, you finally did it. Took that leap of faith. I don’t know what this was a result of, I can think of many. It may well be amazing, it may well be a stupid mistake, but I’m proud of you. Even as you chide yourself on bad timing and on the probable repercussions, I’m proud of you. 2015 was a tremendous year. It was filled with sadness. Sadness of the sort that changes you. Melts your insides, deforms it until everything you feel then on takes on a new shape. Happiness, excitement, nervousness, exaltation, they all feel different now, contained within and colored by your tainted insides. You’ve been sad before. But do you remember what was different this time? That little voice that kept whispering “it’ll be alright, you’ll get through this”. 2015 was the year you birthed that voice. It’ll be your friend forever, nurture it and watch it get stronger as it remains by your side through worse tribulations. No feeling is permanent and everything gets better; I’m glad you lived this by example, this year. If you have to remember this year by one trait that defined you, it would be bravery. There are no two ways about it. Do you remember the nights and days filled with nervousness and dread, responsibilities and tears? Do you remember living life in a strange city, in a strange environment, burdened with leading a team of 6 others, each one as clueless as you? You took this on head on, assumed responsibility, braved a façade and tamed the bull. Tamed the ferocious bull, had it sit by your side and lick your feet as it begged you to stay on by its side. Praise doesn’t have to make you feel guilty. Neither does it have to embarrass you. It was and is all true, and you deserve every bit of it. Never forget that. Gratitude. You can never express enough. Remember that good begets good. No one owes you anything, so be thankful, always.  Do you remember when it troubled you as you were offered a promotion? Everyone was against it but you went with your gut. I hope you remember how you felt as you realized your instincts were right. Everyone has an opinion. Do the right thing anyway. It may not work in your favour always, but you’ll have the nicest sleep. Many lessons learned, many battles braved, many won, some lost. Monumentous incidents occurred through the year, but never forget how you spent the seemingly insignificant times- tearing through the cold wind, smelling the scent of a different air, throwing away the map, soaking up the uncertainty and enjoying every single moment of it, giddy with happiness. Every day was an adventure as you basked in new sights, sounds, smells, touches. There was always something to be worried about, but I’m glad you remembered, you can always pause to feel happy and continue being sad another time (or never!) This year is going to be an adventure. Godspeed!

[thedangerzoneee]

Dj Earworm doing his regular amazing thang!