A Handful of Other Things I Did While I Was 35

So, yesterday, as I was working on my 36 Things post, finalizing the (ahem) accomplishments on the 35 Things post and generally feeling like a failure at life, I realized something important.

Most of the really good stuff I did, I never even considered doing. I couldn't have put it on a list, because I didn't have any clue that I was going to do it.

And you know, I'm not a failure because I taught myself how to knit, messed up my wrist and well, kinda never went back to it. I'm not a failure because my front yard looks only marginally better than the abandoned house across the street. I'm not a failure because my kitchen cabinets are still mismatched.

I am a success because I made it. I survived another turn of the ball and I learned and grew and changed and smiled and cried and fought and gave in.

So, here, in no particular order or organization whatsoever, are some other things I did in the last year:

• I had surgeries - They weren't pleasant to live through, all though they really weren't that bad either. But in the end, I feel better, like a million times better than I have in years. I dealt with something that was negatively impacting my life. I made it go away. I won.
• I dyed my hair pink - I've wanted crayola hair since I was in high school and the cute blonde girls dyed their hair at summer camp with Kool-Ade and I tried to too, but my hair was too dark and then it rained and I had grape flavored rain running down my face. I made a decision to do something I wanted and not worry about going to the office with pink hair or what the old ladies at church would say or whether or not I could afford to keep it touched up. And it looks fabulous.
• I asked for help - This isn't always easy for me, but I was laid up pretty helpless with my second surgery and I asked for help with the grocery shopping, with my house and with my kids. I bit back my pride and no one died. (I think I'll embroider that on a pillow.)
• I dated - I met someone, we went out and talked late at night. We had fun. He didn't treat me badly or manipulate me. It didn't work out and we parted with no hurt feelings. It was completely normal and completely outside my experience.
• I took a writing class - I wrote a lot and remembered why I love it and why I need to do it more. I started a new book, and I kinda think I can finish this one.
• I kept my job - Which may not sound like much, but it was a rough year for that around here.

So, yeah, it wasn't the perfect year, but it was a good year. A year that I can wrap up in a ball and call a pretty accomplished year. A year to look back at and smile. I hope all the years were as good as the last one, really. (Without all the surgery, because whew, the medical bills...)