2014 Preview

A friend of mine once told me that odd numbered years tend to be the toughest.  Not all odd numbered years, but when a year is tough, it always seems to be odd numbered.

Now, I don't really believe in that kind of thing, but I will admit that 2013 has been a tough one, with almost everyone I know going through very difficult times.  And I'll also admit that the last year that I had that came anywhere near to being as tough was 2009.

The good news is that 2014 is just hours away, and while much of how the year will go is up in the air, I'm doing my best to think of it as a year of possibilities.

So, what can you expect to read about?  A few things:

- On the 6th of January, I'll make my way back to the halls of Studieskolen to begin module 6.  That's right, they actually let me in.  My oral exam didn't shake out as I'd hoped, as I was unexpectedly and excessively nervous.  Having walked out of my little presentation with only a 7, I had to call the student counselor to see if they would still allow me to proceed.  Luckily, the writing portion of the PD3 is the most important for module 6, and I'd gotten a 10 on that, so they signed me up without any issue.  So that means even more Studieskolen updates.

- In February, the university application website opens, and I'll be able to start applying for programs at several of the schools in the Copenhagen area.  Once all of that's done, I'll try to give updates on that process and the process of applying for SU (the student stipend that Danish and other EU citizens receive when they attend university).  I've heard horror stories about how much bureaucracy and misinformation there is when it comes to my particular SU loophole, so… that should be interesting.

- We may have a chance to make a trip back to America this year.  It's strange that it's been a year and a half since we've been there.  The time here has really flown.

- Hopefully, if everything goes as I hope it will, I'll be heading back to school in the Fall.  Which program?  I don't know yet.  Which school?  Also a mystery.  But I'm sure I'll post as soon as decisions are made.

So, I hope you all have a lovely New Years, and I hope your 2014 is full of just as many possibilities.

The New Years Look-Back of Awesome!

It's the end of the year, so it's time for the ONLY LOOK-BACK THINGY YOU'LL EVER NEED!

That's not true.  I just lied.

Let's be honest, no one actually needs New Years countdowns/looks-back of any kind.  But since we're here, and you've already read this far...

As far as years go, this one has been a doozy.  I have the pictures to prove it!

One year ago, I was working in Boston, living in Cambridge, and seriously stressing out while planning a wedding.  Shockingly, said wedding went off without a hitch.  It's true!  Photographic evidence, exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

We'd expected to move to Denmark in August, but found out just days after the wedding that we had to move at the end of June, just weeks after the wedding.  We did manage to fit in honeymoon in New Orleans, though.  Here's a lovely 'gator that we met there:

We arrived in Copenhagen on July 1st, and it was the perfect time of year.  It looked like this:

I've spent the majority of time since then learning Danish, but I've spent the last 2 months also looking after this little heathen:

Well, now you're up to date.  

As far as New Years in Denmark goes, it seems to start a few days in advance.  At least, it sounds that way based on the fireworks that we've heard for for the last few nights.  We have two options as far as plans go.  We may go to our local pub, or we may stay home and have a quiet night in.  The latter is the most likely, but... we're mysterious and won't decide until the very last moment.

Maybe we'll have an adventure!

But even if not, happy New Year to you from my husband and I!

2011, You Outdid Yourself

As 2011 comes to a close, and we're all inundated with articles and montages and sound clips of everything that's happened throughout the year...

Why not read one more? I mean, really, what's one more.

My fiance and I spent last New Years Eve sitting on the couch at home trying to decide if it was worth it to walk to the douchy hipster bar across the street... or to not bother.  I'm not anti-hipsters... but this place brings out the hipsters that everyone hates.  As you might guess, we stayed home and had dinner and drinks on the couch.

A nice, relaxing start to what would be a whirlwind of a year.

After a few really tough years here in Boston, this past year was magical.  Riddled with stress, but still really damn magical.

In April, I got on a plane for the first time in 10 years for our 2-week trip to England and Denmark.  It was an amazing trip, with perfect weather and wonderful people.  Just days after returning, my fiance popped the question.  Just days after that, some of my closest friends flew into town for my 30th birthday.  What more could a girl want?

The rest of the year has been almost all about wedding planning, with some attempts at learning Danish stuffed into the cracks.

These last couple of months, with all of the stress that went along with the layoffs at my company, and the extra workload that entailed... Well, it's been trying.  It's tested my patience, and my patience hasn't always passed that test.

But in the end, I'm a lucky girl.  This coming year is going to be a wild one.  With the wedding in May, followed by the Big Move some time this Summer... Expect to see plenty more posts here.

As for New Years Eve this year?  We'll be spending it at home with dinner and drinks.  On the couch.

Happy New Year.  And many more to come.