What a difference a year makes...they say time heals all...

I've been going back and forth on posting this for a few weeks, so here goes nothing.

And just like that, it's been over a year since I've last posted. The past year (give or take) has been such a whirl wind...SO MUCH has happened. I've had some really high highs, but definitely some very low lows. 

So, let's rewind and start with my 30th birthday. It was SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN! I wanted to do it up big for the big 3-0. Since New Orleans is one of my fave places, I thought it would be the perfect place to spend my birthday with my friends. It was a blast, and even a few of my friends flew in from Michigan! The next weekend, my Auntie Pat took me, Nicky, and Mumsie to Orlando! We had a blast experiencing Universal Studios (my first Halloween Horror Nights), as well as Disney World! The most amazing thing was after they gave me a birthday button at Universal, me and the other ladies got the VIP treatment! I got so many "happy birthday" wishes from everyone! We got placed in the fast pass line for just about every ride, so we were able to make more than the most out of our time...even being able to go on our favorite rides more than once! It was great being able to spend a milestone birthday with so many close friends and family!

Right before my birthday, I started a new route in my old division at work. It was great being closer to home, as well as having buyers that I got along with (with the exception of the one). As difficult as it was to spend hours upon hours putting up displays and working crazy back stock until the wee hours of the morning during the holidays, I grew as a person and started to better figure out what I wanted in a career. 

Houston hosted the Super Bowl this year in February, so of course I had to take part in the local events! There was an awesome set up in Discovery Green, and the overall weekend was deemed a great success!

Ok, so here's the tough part. A few weeks before Halloween last year, I started dating someone I had kind of been acquaintances with for a while. With all of the hurt and deceit I have been through in past relationships, it was refreshing to be with someone I just meshed with so well (from the outside we looked like COMPLETE polar opposites, but after getting to know each other, it turned out we actually had a lot in common)...where things just were so natural and I was finally on the same page as the person I was with. Or so I thought...while I fell pretty damn hard for him, he apparently did not so much for me as I had thought. I know, I know, it's been over a half year since we broke up (and from what I've heard, he's moved on with someone else), but, even after all of the time spent overanalyzing things, replaying the last couple weeks of our relationship in my head over and over again, receiving some misinformation, and talking to friends about what could have been done differently, it's the best feeling to just write my feelings out. Honestly, it's still a struggle for me because I never got the closure I needed and deserved. I have no regrets about telling him I fell in love with him, but I'm not going to lie, I do have some regrets about cutting off contact with him. Maybe it would have helped me get into a better spot, maybe it would have been worse. But hey, I guess I'll never know. I should have written this a lot sooner...and I do feel like I've lifted a weight off my chest. And to my ex: I highly doubt you will ever read this, but if you do - I don't hold any ill will towards you, and will always care for you. Me removing you from social media was not maliciously intended..it was something I had to do for myself to work on moving past this. Even if we never speak to or see each other again, I still gravely miss my best friend and will always cherish our time together. You deserve nothing but happiness, as do I.

On top of other not so positive things going on in my life, I found out I got screwed over by a loan company I was working with to pay off some debt I owed. Let me rephrase. MAJORLY SCREWED. Like, my plans to become a fully functional adult had been completely blown up and presented to me in one huge ugly platter. It is like they say...you never think something like that would happen to you, but then it does. You just sit there wondering how such horrible things happen to you after you think you've done everything to make sure you have dotted all your I's and crossed all of your T's. I really needed a serious pick me up at this point.

Now that I have those things off my chest, let's move on to happier things. I got hired into a new division in my company back in February, but for whatever reasons, my old division wouldn't let me start until April. After some set backs with my old division, I finally felt like I could breathe. It was such a good change for me..not as much stress, an amazing boss and management team, and just an overall better environment. I represent two suppliers whose products I actually finally enjoy being around, so if you're in the North Houston area, basically everywhere between 249 and West Lake Houston, from the Beltway up to 2920 (with a few accounts above that), please make sure you are getting your drink on with Diageo products (Crown Royal, Captain Morgan, Smirnoff, Ketel One, Tanqueray, the list goes on!) and Moet Hennessy products! I'm looking forward to see what the future holds!

My bae Marcella and I!

In May, I took a long needed vacation with my friend Mary Eileen to Los Angeles! We had a blast! It was so neat to see all these places I've seen on TV since I was very little, and soak up the craziness and brightness that is La La Land. We saw the Hollywood sign, Rodeo Drive, Sunset Strip, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Dolby, and many other famous landmarks! My favorites were Universal Studios, WB Studios, and DISNEYLAND! We just had the best time, and even got to attend a big Hollywood premiere for the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie! It was amazing to see Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp right there in person! I was also happy we got to connect with our friend, Teri, who was living in Hermosa Beach! It was cool for three Michigan girls to hang out and catch up on the other side of the country! I just LOVED La La Land!

I'll be there for you...

Brunching at The Ivy

Urban Lights at LACMA

Walking the beach in Santa Monica

Santa Monica beach

Santa Monica

Disney's California Adventure

California Screamin'

Original Disneyland entrance

Try the grey stuff, it's delicious 

it's a small world

Sleeping Beauty's Castle

Pirates of the Caribbean

Orlando Bloom was truly this close!

Johnny Depp!

Summer was pretty much just finding my footing in my new position at work, with lots of Texas heat. 

At the end of August, I unfortunately got to experience my first hurricane, and boy was it a doozy. In matter of fact, the biggest hurricane Texas has ever had, and one of the worst in history. Most of my friends and family were lucky enough to not have suffered any huge losses, thank goodness. It's been pretty difficult with work though, since losing about a quarter of my accounts due to flooding. It's so sad to see people I've become pretty close to struggling to get back on their feet. Everyone has been in good spirits, and keeping strong. 

Just the beginning 

This wasn't even the deepest part by us!

Minnie assessing the flooding

My friend Jasna and I took a mini weekend in New Orleans post flood, and we had a very good time. Very whirlwind, but good! It was fun going back with the first friend I had been to NOLA with. especially since she couldn't make my 30th birthday bash last year!

Mary Eileen and I took a pretty impromptu trip to Orlando back in October, visiting Disney World and Universal Studios. It was a short trip, but a good trip filled with Halloween fun!

Cinderella's Castle

Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights

And now I find myself back in autumn. Another birthday. Weather transitioning. I've started dating again, and am getting to be in a pretty good place with the pending holiday season. I'm still more than ready to say adios to this utter dumpster fire of a year, with high hopes for 2018. 

I wanted to make sure I added in the fact that the Houston Astros are MLB World Champions! Yes, they won the World Series! I had the best time with Morgan and Courtney at Minute Maid taking in the celebratory atmosphere with all the other fans!

With Morgan and Courtney

I've missed blogging a lot, and really do want to start turning this back into a regular thing. I've always been a writer at heart and it's where my true passion lies. Thank you so much for all of your support, and I hope everyone has had a good 2017!

Stay Tuned!

- L