Wrapping Up Think Kit 2012 (Better Late Than Never, Right?)

Clockwise from top: My sister and brother-in-law's beautiful street in Florida; me and one of my best friends, Ellen, at a mini DePauw reunion (I promise I have other tops than that sweater); the BEST mac and cheese in the world at the OK Cafe in Atlanta; Palm trees!; In Daytona Beach you can actually drive ON the beach, which is kind of crazy.

December got away from me. I had a table at the Indy Alternative Gift Fair (which I really, really enjoyed) and had plenty of Christmas orders to fill. I also got to see some old college friends for an evening in Bloomington, which was a welcome burst of fun in the middle of the holiday chaos. Then I ended the month visiting family in the Nashville and Orlando areas.

It had been over a year since I got away for a prolonged period of time, so a week outside of Indiana felt amazing. Plus, I got to eat at the OK Cafe in Atlanta, a place my family accidentally found about 8 or so years ago when I visited Emory as a prospective student. If you're ever in Atlanta, please do yourself a HUGE favor and eat there. It's a funky spot on the north side of the city that celebrates good southern and homestyle cooking. They have THE BEST mac and cheese I've ever eaten in my life (and trust me, I've eaten a lot). This trip I also enjoyed crab and crawfish cakes, which were perfection.

But amazing mac and cheese aside, I missed out on the end of Think Kit. I didn't want to let it go without mentioning it again, so here are answers to a few of the responses from the rest of December:

Wednesday, Dec 12: Something Different
Try something totally different. Have something for lunch or dinner you don't normally eat. Make up a new recipe. What did you come up with?

I ate lunch with a Twitter friend I hadn't met in person before. Does that count?

Thursday, Dec 13: Your dream trip
Plan out your dream trip! Is there somewhere you really want go in 2013? Pick a place in Indy, or anywhere in the world.

New York City. It's been on my list for a long, long, long time.

Sunday, Dec 16: Learning
What new things did you learn this year?

I learned a few little HTML/CSS skills. I'm no expert, but it was great to figure out how to change some things on this blog and the On a Good Note website all by myself! 

Wednesday, Dec 19: No limits
If money, time or other commitments were no obstacle in 2013, what would you do?

TRAVEL. All over: The East Coast. The West Coast. London. Dublin. Paris. Venice. Madrid. I've hardly been anywhere in the grand scheme of things. 

Friday, Dec 21: New mantra
Write a mantra for the year ahead - how you'll approach it, what you wish it to be. How'd you arrive at the mantra?

I don't have a mantra per se, but I did pick a word to live by for the year. You can check out the full scoop over at The Zesty Digest, where I am a weekly contributor. 

Sunday, Dec 30: First step
What's one step you can take to support a goal you have for 2013?

Kick my soda habit! I'm on day 3 of no soda right now. I crave the carbonation but I'm trying to develop a love affair with my Georgia Dawgs water bottle. I purchased it a few years ago when I worked at a camp at UGA. I'm not a UGA or SEC fan, but I just pretend the color is for IU.

Monday, Dec 31: Looking ahead
What are you looking forward to the most about the next 365 days?

Improving--myself, my business ventures, my writing habits. Meeting new people. Trying to get organized. Working toward goals.

What's on your agenda for 2013? 

Creating Traditions

The holiday season is typically full of tradition, making today's Think Kit topic perfect: What new traditions do you want to start this year?

I don't have many traditions in place, no routine rituals or things I vow to do every year. Even the holiday season lacks consistency. My family tends to be on the road, with Christmas morning being at either my sister's or aunt's home. A few years ago my aunt decided to start a Christmas Eve tea for just the women. Last year, though, my parents and I opted to avoid the stress of tiring holiday travel and stay in Indiana, skipping out on tradition for the welcome opportunity to wake up in our own beds on Christmas morning.

Outside of the holidays I don't have many traditions, but one thing I'd love to do is make a yearly road trip with my friend Ellen (or any other friend who wants a little adventure!).

In 2010 Ellen and I both spent the summer working for branches of an academic camp. She was in Durham, NC at Duke while I melted (literally, it was incredibly hot) at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. At the end of the summer I picked her up in Durham and we embarked north on a Virginia adventure, spending time in Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, and the beautiful University of Virginia in Charlottesville. It was the perfect way to end the summer before our senior year of college and it was the first time I got to experience the freedom of vacationing as an adult. We've briefly talked about doing another trip in the future but have never made concrete plans. Maybe 2013 is the time to take the leap.

What are some of your road trip adventures? And what traditions do you want to create in 2013?