WOW I can’t believe it’s already December.  Being in retail means that life is fast forwarded.  The marketing campaigns, the workloads, the conversations, all targeted for the holiday shoppers so the mindset is always months in advance.

Another crazy thing about holidays is that it’s time to regroup with family and friends.  The friends that I’ve been neglecting the past few weeks are checking in and weekend plans are being made in far advance. White elephants, secret santas, holiday pot lucks, social gatherings (IRL lol) are bubbling up the social waters.  It’s great to see familiar faces and meeting new ones.  2011 has been an eventful year for me so I thought that I’d list off the things I personally learned.

He loves me, and never loves me not.

A dog’s love is unconditional. I never knew what this meant until along came Mojo.  Even when I’m being grouchy he still saunters over without a care in the world and nuzzle his mustache-y face at my non-mustache-y face.

On Shellfish

I may no longer be allergic to shrimp but I shouldn’t push my luck with other shellfish. * sigh *

Graffiti Can Be Beautiful

One of the best things about Netflix (besides instant gratification) is that movies I would never imagine to ever rent is so readily available at my fingertips. Exit Through The Gift Shop was one of those pleasant surprises where I had no clue of the underground culture that surrounded me on a daily basis.  This documentary was literally an “eye opener” and ever since then I notice the urban street graffiti that decorates random nooks and crannies of Los Angeles.

Autumn in LA

Who knew that we had trees in this city of concrete jungles? And never did one guess that the leaves do change color. See? We do have seasonal change in Southern California

I am never too old to learn.

This actually isn’t a new found statement. I had always believed that life will forever be a learning experience and you are never too old to learn new things. This chapter of my life has taken a strange turn – I have always been agnostic (and rejected Christianity) but due to my own personal search of the truth I’ve decided to take on Catechism classes.  I would never ever impose my beliefs upon others but one thing I highly encourage is that  you should never be complacent and stop learning.

Old People Knows Best

I have no cool picture to insert for this one. Just a very interesting article to read. The breakdown? The author David Brooks asked a bunch of 70+ years old to write him a reflective essay about things they did well or poorly in.  What did he take away from the reads? (please excuse the straight copy and paste):

- Happier people divided time into phases. “There were six crucial decisions in my life. Then they organized their lives around those pivot points. By seeing time as something divisible into chunks, they could more easily stop and self-appraise. They had more control over their fate.”

- Stop self-examination= self-obsessing. “Through self-obsession, they seemed to reinforce the very emotions, thoughts and habits they were trying to escape.”

- Lie to yourself. “When something bad was done to them, they forgot it, forgave it or were grateful for it. When it comes to self-narratives, honesty may not be the best policy.”

- Do not try to control other people. This thought was echoed by many.

- Risk everything.  “It’s trite, but apparently true. Many more seniors regret the risks they didn’t take than regret the ones they did.”

- Conform. “For a time, our culture celebrated the rebel and the outsider. The most miserable of my correspondents fit this mold. They were forever in revolt against the world and ended up sourly achieving little.”

- Do not live for others. “Don’t stay with people who, over time, grow apart from you. Move on. This means do what you think will make you feel okay — even if that makes others feel temporarily not okay.”

“Elevate the world from mediocrity to greatness”

One of the most insightful articles I read in the year 2011 would strangely be from the lululemon athletica blog.  This entry really touched upon an ongoing issue in my personal life that I wasn’t yet ready to face, but upon reading this article I realize that John Galt knew his shiet.

If you had read the above section (Old People Know Best) then you’ll realize that there are some opposing views.  Conforming vs free will.  Although you can free willing-y conform. ha.

Last but not least, this year I learned a very important lesson on ice cream.  Nothing beats Ben & Jerry’s strawberry cheesecake .  If I had to eat one ice-cream flavor for the rest of my life this would be it.

What were some things you learned in 2011? Share if you care, but if not, try a little introspection. Just remember – don’t over self-examine, it might lead to a glass half full