Year of the Mink

Every year since Alex and I started dating, we’ve spent a couple of days between Christmas and New Years in a cabin (perhaps as a way to relive our early days of falling in love in his old cabin in Sandy Mush). While this is usually a joyous event for us, the 2010 New Year cabin trip was full of anxiety and stress on both sides of our family. The harsh winter froze these feelings into me. Instead of claiming my new year a week late, or a month late, I somehow decided not to start over until the next new year. This was not the best personal decision I’ve ever made, but I have been anticipating this opportunity to begin again for months now, bracing for another long, cold winter, and trying to take steps toward living the life I envision for myself. By the time 2010 was all said and done, it was, indeed, a worthwhile year, but I’m positive 2011 will be a fabulous one.

 Ten things I am thankful for in 2010:

1. Celebrating my first year of marriage with my beautiful, wonderful husband, Alex.

2. Having my amazing family close.

3. Finding a press that I love, and seems to love me back.

4. Having wonderful in-laws who have welcomed me into their family.

5. Discovering that Alex and I have the same goals to travel someday.

6. Having a day job.

7. Having a night job.

8. Finding various people and businesses with the same beginnings and dreams as I have, through this beautiful thing called the interweb.

9. Making back my money for initial studio costs and press through letterpress sales.

10. Realizing that I really do love my dog.

Eleven things that I look forward to in 2011:

1. Quitting my day job (???… ok, maybe 2012)

2. Finding a perfect paper cutter.

3. Seeing the work of Erik Minkin on TV.

4. Seeing Alex Minkin’s Thesis Photography show.

5. Lizzie and Ben’s wedding (posts with their save the dates and invitations to follow in the coming months!)

6. Celebrating Melanie and Scott’s engagement all year.

7. Working on the wedding invitations and other projects I have been entrusted with designing and printing.

8. Martha Stewart knowing my name (I’m ok with this one carrying over a year or two).

9. Learning more about printing.

10. Drawing more.

11. 11/11/11

For now, for the first few glittering moments of 2011, let’s believe that there will be a time in the year that I don’t slave away at a law firm, that I have more time to devote to the things that I love, and that I continue to grow as a person.

2011 is not the Year of the Rabbit. At least for this dreamer, it is the Year of the MINK.