Prompt for December 11: Small pleasures. What small pleasures did you discover this year?
Is food a small pleasure? I pretty much live for pho. I eat it weekly and it makes me so happy every time I have it for dinner. Another small pleasure? Introducing people to pho (my parents, sibling, friends) and having them fall in love with it. Besides food (everything I want to add to this list seems to revolve around food), I love cuddling before bed and morning goodbye hugs and kisses (though I’d much rather just cuddle in bed then be separated by work!). I love reading at night with Wolverine. Small pleasures for me are in the little moments.
Prompt for December 12: Unexpected passion. What new hobby or interest piqued your passion this year? Or did you think about an old passion in a new way?
Project Life was something I really embraced and enjoyed this year. So I guess it is a new and old passion at the same time. I’ve always liked scrapbooking, but never really delved into it. Now that I do weekly spreads with my Project Life binder, I find myself being more and more graphically creative. Creating a literary journal took a lot of dedication and passion. I’m glad Linsey and I really put ourselves into this project and think Spry will have a great successful future. Finally, finishing my thesis. Getting my MFA from Fairfield University was one of the best choices I’ve ever made in life. Being a graduate student is never easy, especially when you are a procrastinator with a lot of work to do to finish a thesis. I was fortunate to have the best faculty and students to help me through that process.
Prompt for December 13:Â Do-over. Of the things that happened this year, if you had the chance to do X all over again, what would it be?
Residencies at school. There is a big part of my heart that is really missing this current residency which started today. I know I will be there a few days this residency (alumni day, watch my MFA little sis do her student reading and graduation!) In 2012 I attended two full residencies. I’ve always loved being away at school, but I’ve always been a but whiney about missing Mr. O and Wolverine while I’m away. And then in July, at my graduation residency, my father had a heart attack, and my head and heart seemed to be in two different places. I’m pretty jealous of the students who get to spend 10 glorious, yet exhausting, insanely-creative days on an island with other writers. I wish I could do it again.
Prompt for December 14: Family. Did your role in the family shift or change over the past year? How? Why?
I love my family. The biggest change in my most immediate family (Mr. O, Wolverine and I) is that we now all live together. So yes, in some ways my role shifted. It has been a nice transition living with my guys. We love spending time together, and I look forward to every moment we have together.
Prompt for December 15: Friendship. What was it like for you to be a friend to others this year? Did you rekindle an old friendship? Strengthen a current friendship? Make friends with someone you didn’t think was “your type?â€
2012 was an odd year for friendships. Lots of stuff happened in all of our lives this year. Friends had babies, others were in graduate school, some were buying houses, etc. I can’t quite say that I spent an extreme amount of quality time with my friends, but I did enjoy every second that we did spend together. Here’s hoping we get more chances to be together in 2013.
Prompt for December 16: Choice. Being an adult means making your own choices. What choices were the hardest to make this year?
Choices. Hmm. I don’t know if there really were any difficult choices to make this year. Naming my thesis wasn’t easy for me, but I’m quite pleased with the end result. I wasn’t sure whether or not I should have a tiny medical procedure, but I did and it went well. That’s all I can think of! I honestly think the most difficult decision was simply what to eat for dinner, especially on date nights. Mr. O and I think about food a lot.
Prompt for December 17: Surprise. The most surprising thing that happened this year was…
My dad had a heart attack while I was away at school for my graduation residency. My dad is a pretty healthy guy, and while he does work a bit too hard (which I’m sure leads to stress), I certainly did not think he would have a sudden heart attack. It was sad and scary, but I’m so grateful that he is doing really well and taking great care of himself.
Prompt for December 18: 1000 words. There’s the old saying that a photo is worth 1,000 words. Give us a photo with that impact that sums up some significant event of your 2012, or give us 1000 words about a pivotal moment in 2012.
 
I graduated from my MFA program!
Prompt for December 19: Crap. What was just absolute rubbish for you this year? What would you do to change that? Describe something, or some moment, that was just hopelessly awful, and tell us how it could (or could not) be made better.
I’m not sure that either of these moments could be made any better. The only way they could have been better was if they didn’t happen. I think the crappiest moments in 2012 were when my boss’s husband and Mr. O’s grandfather died. I was completely devastated for my boss, someone I’ve known and worked one on one with since I was seventeen. She and her husband loved each other deeply, and I still can’t quite wrap my brain around the situation. I think it’s bullshit that he passed away. Same goes with Mr. O’s grandfather. He had been suffering for a while, so I’m glad that he is no longer in pain, but I just wish some things were different.
Prompt for December 20: Stuff and things. What products have you discovered this year that you love? Tell us all about them, and why you love them. Become the celebrity spokesperson of whatever it is you like!
Project Life, Hershey’s Cookies and Cream chocolates, Netlix, Xbox, Apsara, Pinterest, Spry Lit, Del’s Lemonade, Grapefruit.
Confused by Reverb12? For the month of December Meredith, Kat, and Sarah are answering a prompt a day. Learn about the project here and join along.