An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.

Wow - I can't believe that it's been nearly a year since I've posted here. I feel pretty disappointed about that since I really do enjoy writing these posts - and Penguin says that he has enjoyed reading them. Alas, since starting 2nd year and working 100 hour weeks on a regular basis, most of my "free" time has evaporated. Perhaps with a little effort and some revisions of the weekly posting headers, I can work having a weekly post back into my normal routine.

In the meantime, I'd like to present to you The Best of 2012. My list of the best of everything we did over the past year. Hope your year was just as amazing and wonderful as ours. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. xo Saroja + Penguin

The Best of 2012 

Best Album: July Talk (self-titled)

Best Book: When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

Best Comic: found this on facebook... laughed for a week straight.

Best Date Night Idea: Going to see the Stars in concert!! (They were incredible!)

Best Decision: (aside from saying YES! when Penguin proposed) Joining a CSA for the summer.

Best Dinner: our first homemade Thanksgiving dinner together in our new apartment.

Best Gift: Stained Glass Window from Penguin for our 5^th Anniversary

Best Idea: Dear Sophie Video from Google Chrome = genius. Makes me choke up a little every time.

Best Moment of 2012: Penguin proposing in March. Swoon.

Best New Tradition: having everyone who is far from home coming over to our house for dinner on the first Sunday of every month

Best Picture: taking a picture in our bathing suits at -23 degrees celsius while winter camping.

Best Project: Writing the "Happiness Manifesto" and putting it up on our fridge.

Best Purchase: (obviously my wedding dress but I feel I should save this for next year, so...) the furniture for the balcony, on which I spent many an hour sipping sangria and studying while listening to the boats on the river.

Best Recipe: Pork Roast and Thyme-Scented Plums by The Noble Pig (one of our favourite food blogs). We found this entre is best accompanied with cheesy zucchini rice (partially because we had an average of 7 zucchinis in our fridge on any given day from the CSA basket!)

Best Rendezvous: meeting Lemonriffic and Kate on a random weekend in Ottawa!

Best Surprise: Scarlett and Constellation's super-awesome-and-still-kinda-secret-news!!!

Best Surprise Visitor: my aunt from BC who came for Folk Fest

Best Vacation: Going to Mexico for Jorge and Dafnne’s Wedding / Christmas

Best Weekend Warrior Adventure: Winter Camping in a Yurt for my birthday