2013: A year well lived

Hard to believe that 2013 will be referred to as "last year" in just a few short days. This time last year, I sat down to think about what 2013 would be like and what it would bring. I don't make some long list of resolutions but I did sit down and write myself a letter of hopes and desires, things I hoped that maybe it would bring, things I could work on, and people I could look out for. Rereading the letter a year later, some of things happened and turned out well, some things turned out completely not as expected, some didn't happen and some ill be resubmitting on my 2014 letter.

But overall, I can say that 2013 was one eventful year. What did I do? I guess I kinda did a lot...

I started back at Point Loma after re-adjusting back to life in America after Italy. Moved to San Diego officially into my own home sweet home. Went to the presidential inauguration. Saw Beyonce. Interviewed by British news. Celebrated with friends at their graduation. Landed an ideal student dream job (and paid internship). Had my first summer in San Diego. Explored Seattle. Arranged a secret flash dance mob. Watched free fireworks every night of the summer, courtesy of Sea World. Had the time of my life in the Mansour-Young wedding as a bridesmaid. Felt and turned 22. Surprised with the most incredible birthday party. Started my final year of undergraduate education.Went back home to my childhood land of Georgia. Was a bridesmaid in a childhood friend's wedding. Wished upon a star and woke up the next day with and internship offer by a Dining Magazine. Went to the Getty finally. Crossed the Mexico-CA border by food (just to go to dinner for the night). Ate food from about 100+ restaurants. Learned the ins and outs of the San Diego restaurant industry. Saw John Mayer, Train and Phillip Phillips in concert. Fell in love with exercise. Picked apples in Julian, CA. Ate a cronut. Participated in a swap meet scavenger hunt. Went to Mexico for a surprise family vacation. Traveled to Arizona, had a blast exploring Fountain Hills and seeing the world's largest fountain. Represented Dining Out at the San Diego Food and Wine Festival. Cooked my first 20 person dinner. Met Richard Blais and Sharone Hakman.Went to the San Diego Symphony. Best friend/roommate got engaged (so honored to be your bridesmaid!) Survived my 2nd to last finals ever. Raced in the mountains. Hiked in the mountains and celebrated the best Christmas yet with my wonderful family.

A post worth sharing

This link was shared with me today and I couldn't help but share it on my blog. I love the writer's open and honest remarks on what really matters in love and ultimately marriage. The post below is taken from the writter's blog. It is some serious food for thought.

getting it together

Every time I wrote I can't believe how much time has passed since I last blogged and I always get upset with myself. I love to write; I love to receive y'all's messages and emails and I even love the hate mail. I heard once that if you are offending someone, you must be doing something right, so I hope that perhaps I am doing something right..

Year 3 finished the first week of May and I enjoyed a few days at my parent's home before heading out into the big ole 8-5, Monday to Friday, business attire clad world. My 6:45 alarm calls are a consistent reminder  (or annoyance) that this is the real world. I've had jobs consistently since I was 15, but something about working a solid 8-5 block has really put things in perspective.

That being said before I dive in what's really been on my heart and mind, Id like to say that despite everything, I am beyond blessed and incredibly lucky to live the life I live. San Diego is beautiful, my home is welcoming and inviting and every day I am learning new things about my city, my friends, myself and life as a whole. I can't forget to mention that for a foodie as myself, San Diego is a food Mecca. It has every type of food and cuisine you could think of, whether you spend 5 dollars or 155 dollars, there is something delicious to be tried. I am working on a huge blog post of everything I have the chance to eat and the things my stomach is jumping for joy to try! Check back soon for that. Warming: don't read on en empty stomach or you might find yourself in your car en route to San Diego :)

Now that I've got that off my mind (or my plate), I can share a little bit of what I've been thinking, learning and maybe even messing up. Come summer vacation, I felt great, I looked great and I believed that anything was unachievable. I was high on life, and it was such an indescribable feeling. Yet, happiness came to a halt a little over two weeks ago. My health is as stable as the stock market which meant that as things seemed to get better, things evidently  crashed. It felt like all the progress and effort put in was worthless. It's as if I was stuck on a stationary bike. All that energy  put in and no matter how hard how hard you push, you are exactly where you started. Naturally, the first reaction was "Seriously? Again? Can you just cut me some slack God?" My cloud 9 had withered away and I was back on the ground.

Ironically, as physically and emotionally hard the past days have been, I feel like I have been awakened. While my body seems to still be confused that its only 22 years young and not 92 years old, I feel like my mind and eyes have never been clearer.

Roma Roma Mia

Still can't believe this was real life.

 Editors Note: Please excuse my lateness on this post, but I figured better late than never :)  

Okay this is actually Budapest… but I kinda left a piece of my heart there too!

     4 countries, 18 cities and 100 amazing days later, I am back in the grind. The adventure I had waited for what seemed like forever came and went in a glimpse. I no longer wake up to the noise of nuns protesting, run downstairs to get my daily cappucino from a little old man named Giovanni, get harassed on the metro on the way to school or pass by the Vatican on my nightly runs. It still seems crazy that just a few weeks ago, Rome was my home and Italian life became the norm. The pavement I walked held more story then the entire state of California. But as they say… "all good things most come to an end." My trip may have come to an end, but the learning, memories and friendships made have not. What happens in Rome, does not have to stay in Rome and nor do I want it to. I am proud of the journey I made and the impact my trip has made on the rest of my life. 

Yeah, all the dessert was to die for. Brought a new meaning to death by dessert

  If you knew me prior to my trip, you knew I could not wait to go to Italy. It could not come soon enough; September could not come quick enough. I landed in Florence on the evening of September 6 and despite my rough flight, late night and inability to adjust properly to time change, it all felt so unreal. I was here, in Italy, afters months and months of waiting. Yet the next night when my parents dropped me off, things became very real and actually a little depressing. I was going to be away for a long long time (or so it seemed at the time) and despite all the wonders and glories that Europe had to offer… my family would be miles and miles away. In that moment, my eagerness quickly faded and I was left standing with a room full of suitcases and a handful of Kleenex. 
     
     In true Lydia fashion, the homesickness comes right away and as fast as it comes, it also leaves. Looking back today, Italy gave me the journey and adventure of a lifetime. I lived with 5 other girls, each of us so vastly different.. in personality, in style, in belief and in daily routine. But that was the beauty of 114 Viale di Trastevere, we learned to live, compromise and communicate with each other and came to find that maybe we  weren't so different from each other after all. We all had the same fears, failures, heartbreaks and heartaches.. we all missed our families and american food and venti sized lattes.. and at the end of the day, all we wanted to be is to be understood. Perhaps some of us will cease to exist in each others lives and some of us will only strengthen our newly grown friendships, but the point is that we grew on our own because we grew together. 
    People ask me why I chose Italy and apart from the obvious response of "why not?" there is another part to the story. My political science program at Point Loma may have required a semester abroad, but it was something I knew I wanted to do long before I even went to school. I always knew I wanted to go abroad and was set on London for years but one day, something within me changed and to be honest, it wasn't my choice, it was made by the man upstairs. I had prayed about study abroad for a long time and one morning I woke up with complete peace and confidence just knowing that Rome was it. It was settled and done and doubt never again crossed my mind.