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30.12.11
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Year in Retrospect
How should I begin this? 2011 has been an interesting year, mostly because it was the first full year without school and therefore my first full year as a full-time working adult, and also because it was my first year as an out gay man. The year came and went as quickly as you can say "two thousand and ele...," and now as I try to rack my brains over the good, the bad, and the ugly, I find myself grasping at straws. Nevertheless, I am going to give it a go and see what memories come to me.
For starters, the August of this year marked my fourth year at Indigo. Even with the stresses and every unpleasantness that comes with a job, I do still really enjoy working with the company. My role in the store has slowly evolved from being on sales when I first started to a task role where I would shelve in Fiction, my baby (I get very anal when it comes to how things are placed and very obsessive when someone else shelves in there and messes it up), and do merchandising. With my seasonal promotion to ACEM in November, I got a pay raise with the added responsibilities. Being able to authorize returns on my own is handy but I feel like a fish out of water when my colleagues turn to me for assistance about something more elaborate and out of my depth, without the proper ACEM training that I should apparently have had. Noteworthy, at least to me, I opened the store myself with my own set of keys today. There was a period of overnight shifts, the reason for my promotion, and I am glad they are a thing of the past now. I am thankful for this opportunity since it helps towards my permanent residency application. Hopefully, this seasonal contract gets extended; I think I shall be able to get a clearer idea once mid-January comes around.
Since coming out last November to my siblings, my life has changed. For the better, I believe. It has been less taxing having to be mum on the subject of my sexuality or if I am dating. Besides, I feel like knowing my siblings and my best friends are aware of it and are accepting of it, has made our relationship a lot stronger. It is pretty hilarious how open we are now with each other about people we are dating, about sexuality and sex, or about random cute guys we check out and rate. I now get free relationship advice from them, most of it sound. I told my parents and aunts in the summer and it was not pretty. They have now gotten over it and we are back on talking terms as before, but I wonder what would happen if I bring it up again? In the past year, I have went on numerous dates - one out-of-this-world amazing, some alright, some just impossibly awkward, and dated a guy for six months, which opened my eyes up to the inner workings of relationships, it being my first proper one with a guy or anyone for that matter. I have since moved on and I am back on the online dating scene, which sometimes really is a drag and disappointing. I have started casually seeing someone whom I really enjoy spending time with and am interested in pursuing something more with, however it is hard to tell exactly where we stand.
Moving on from my work and "love" life, my social life consisted of books, movies, music, television, eating out (a lot), and playing games, all with various people in my life, family and friends. I signed myself up for a 50 Book Pledge at the start of 2011; I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. It started off well, I was on track with a book a week, but then I met my ex, summer came around, I lost ground and never caught up. I am ending my campaign at #24. Yes, I could not even make it to thirty. I have been reading a couple books at a go for the longest time, none of those seeming to end. Nevertheless, it was a good run and the pledge did push me to read more than I usually do, from a book to two books a month! Hopefully, 2012 will prove a more conducive year for my 50 Book Pledge (surprise, I am always up for embarrassing myself). 2011 will also be a special year for me as it is when I watched a movie on my own for the first time in my life. And to have that honour go to Melancholia is well-deserving. Actually, make that two movies I have seen on my own this year, the other being Shame.
My annual list of favourite music albums of the year will come tomorrow to end off the year. 2012 should be a fun-filled year since my friend is running a Games Night with board games and company every week. We started with Settlers of Catan when it was just the two of us, and have slowly expanded our repertoire to include Cranium and Apples to Apples, while inviting more people to join. Next Wednesday is the first official meetup with more games, so that will be something to look forward to! At the same time, the year will be equally stressful as I reach the final year of my post-graduation work permit so having to get my permanent residency application in order is of utmost importance since I refuse to leave this country I so fondly call home! So may the coming year offer me success in that and in my career, find me the love and companionship I seek, and the health to keep up with my business. And to you, may 2012 bring you what you wish.
See you in the new year.
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Stones taught me to fly
Love taught me to lie
Life taught me to die
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