New Year's Eve

Today is new year's eve and it would be amazing to go out, grab some drinks with friends and wait for the count down. I am staying in instead. I love going out and having a great time with friends, but I am also a homebody. I like having time to myself, watching movies, cooking, reading a book, etc. Every year I have always just stayed in and watch the ball drop at midnight from my t.v. My sister and I are going to be making pigs in a blanket to eat later. I like spending time with my sisters and brother. I think that we have gotten even closer than before. Today we spent the whole morning and afternoon catching up on AWKWARD, which is a show about an awkward high school sophomore. I remember my high school days; I always cringe when I think about the ugly duckling stage. Maybe next year I will do something for new year's eve. I kind of have the sniffles so I prefer staying in bed. I would love to be in New York for New Year's Eve one of these years. I'll make it happen.

2011 has been an amazing year for me. I graduated in May and I am finally feeling healthy again. I know that I have some really great friends and I am happy to keep in touch with them. I think that you always have to work on relationships to make it work, even friendship. We all get wrap up in our own little worlds dealing with work, school, boyfriends, girlfriends, family, but I think that it is important to keep in contact with people that you care about. I know that I do. It is very hard, but I make the time to stay in contact with friends. I also get wrap up in trying to figure out what I am going to do with my life. It is good being able to talk to friends that are going through the same time that I am going through. It is good to know that I am not alone in trying to figure out my life. This past year has really taught me that friends come and go in our lives after college; however, only a few friends stay and make a huge impact in our lives. I am blessed and honored to have met such amazing people in my life.

A lot of people have new year's resolution. I don't. I have goals instead because most people don't end up fulfilling their new year's resolution. They end up giving up. I don't want to give up. I have goals so that I may try to reach them. One of my goals is to stay fit. I recently have change my diet to a really healthy diet. My diet consist of very lean meats, lots of fish, salads, yogurt, fruits, and anti-inflammatory foods. I stop eating when I feel full. I use to over-eat when I was on the prednisone (especially high fat, sugary foods). I have been trying to go to the gym 5 days a week. I sort of stop working out this week since it is the holidays. I am going to be a gym rat again after the new year. My face has dramatically slimmed down since being off the prednisone or it might just be from stress. I think my body has become tighter, but I don't know. I am trying to lose some butt. I think that my butt is too big. I am trying to tone my body.

This coming up year I am going to try very hard to get a job. I am also going to try to take some classes. I will start studying for the gre. I am so happy to be healthy and to have a clean bill of health. My heart has some leakage, but my doctor will just have to monitor that. I am excited for 2012. I want to travel in 2012. I need to visit Texas before my cousins move back to California. I heard Houston is very similar to L.A. Another place I want to visit: New York.

Here is to a Happy New Year, everlasting friendships, and good health.

xoxo,
Kat

Update

I have been MIA from blogging for about 7 months after graduating for UC Berkeley. The initial reason I stop posting anything is that I was going through a really bad flare. I couldn't walk at all. I had excruciating pain in my legs. I had to force my body to walk to bed. I was really disappointed that I couldn't go to New York with my sisters and cousins. Instead I was taking it easy. I went to see my doctor and she put me on methotrexate in combination with Imuran. She took me off prednisone since it has stop working for me. I am so relieved no more prednisone. She said that I was the perfect candidate for Benlysta, the new FDA approved medication for Lupus. We will see if I am put on Benlysta. My new doctor in Orange County wants to put me back on prednisone instead.

It's been 5 months since I've been on methotrexate and I feel great. I have not have a flare since. Since graduating I have been reevaluating my life and what I want to do in the future. I have a 5 year plan about what I want to do with my life. I want to do something I love. I actually love writing. I want to get my Masters in Journalism or photojournalism. It would be great to be able to travel and work.

This time off I have been the healthiest I have ever been. I am actually looking and applying for jobs that are not in Orange County. The job market in Orange County sucks. I miss the Bay area and my old doctor.

Everyone has been telling me to enjoy my time off, but I want to work. I want to be productive. I am so bored, and stressed out at home. I have been cooking and baking from time to time. I guess you could say I have writer's block. I haven't been inspired in a long time. I am just starting to get into the swing of things again.

More posts to come.

xoxo,
Kat