my one year anniversary

Greenlake, Seattle, WA (aka my backyard)

No...I didn't run off and elope 12 months ago, but what a fun and unexpected blog twist that would have been, huh?!
My mom said she was getting sick of looking at almonds (see previous blog post), and while racking my brain for new material, I realized my one year anniversary of this blessed life in Seattle has passed without any mention on the blog! While it's almost a month in the past now, here is a list (because who doesn't love a good list?) of things it took me a year to figure out in Seattle...

1. Nothing beats the Seattle local music scene. Am I right...or am I right? I'm right. (See here, here, here, here, here, here, and oh yah, here too.)
2. There are at least three routes to get anywhere. And you've officially conquered your neighborhood if you know those routes...and which one's the fastest during rush hour.
3. Seattle-ites are passive aggressive by nature. And they drive that way too. 
4. Every neighborhood has at least three hot yoga studios. And you should try out all of them. (If you can find a Groupon.)
5. I-5 (read: "eye-five" and not "the 5") will always have traffic. 
6. Nothing says, "I'm a local" more than having your favorite Barista know your name and give you free drinks. YES.
7. It doesn't matter if it's 39 degrees. If the sun is out, the sun is OUT. *happy dance* 
8. Vitamin D supplements are a must. But don't overdo it. 
9. Waterproof mascara is also a must. This one is my new favorite. It's waterproof AND washable...whaaaa?! 
10. I don't know how to drive in the snow. But I can walk in it. Far.
11. I REALLY LIKE IT WHEN PEOPLE COME VISIT ME!
12. Working even just on-call at a coffee shop has probably saved me over $500 in free espresso. Holla.
13. I like sushi now! Which is a darn good thing because the lovely port city of Seattle treats it like it's its own food group.
14. I'm not the only single person left in the country.
15. People reach back when you genuinely reach out to them.
16. You don't need to work 40+ hours a week to survive.
17. You can use your fears and regrets from the past year as fuel for the next year.
18. Good friends back home will not forget about you when you're gone.
19. It takes $15 in unpaid late dues before the Seattle Public Library bars you from checking out more books.
20. "For as long as you can remember, you have been a pleaser, depending on others to give you an identity. But now you are being asked to let go of all these self-made props and trust that God is enough for you." 

—Henri Nouwen's The Inner Voice of Love