Are you a New Year’s Resolutions type of person? I’m not. Normally New Year’s Eve is a time for me to become extra anxious about the year past. (Or passing, rather.) I like to go back and think about what happened over the year. The Good. The Bad. The Regretful. And then I replay the latter moments in my head; a most unhealthy practice that I’ve had a hard time shaking. So you can see why I’m a bit of a curmudgeon on New Year’s Eve.

Don’t get me wrong, I had an overabundance to be grateful for in 2012. It was a really, really great year for me as a writer and a traveler. And there are a lot of awesome people in my life, many that I met in 2012. I do make sure to give myself an attaboy for all I have accomplished. But I always have that feeling that I could have done so many things better in so many aspects of my life. And then stew on those feelings. Boo!

But New Year’s Eve got my 2013 off to a great start. There was no Champagne, but there was Cava. (Seriously, no Champagne?!? Yup.) And some Rainer with my name on it. And some sparkling rosé. New friends met, old friends toasted. A very late-night frozen pizza that (after cooked) severely burned the roof of my mouth.

So, yeah, it was all kinds of awesome.

I hope 2013 is a great year for you and yours.