2016, what a year that was. It was both simultaneously the longest and the shortest year of my life. It was full of some happy memories and some not so happy memories. Here's to looking in the past to a great 2017.

Now that it's over it's time to reflect. Some of the positives, I got to travel, I got a job, and tattoos happened. On the flip side of the coin: I lost my grandfather, I failed out of school, and I ended some friendships in really awful ways. And then there are some silver linings.

To start off let's begin with the best things that happened. I travelled more than I have in the past few years combined. I got to revisit 3 places I've previously been, but hey travel is travel. I went back to Europe in January. I got to see my family for the first time in a decade and revisit my childhood travels. I got to spend another 48 hours +/- in Iceland, including a day off-roading in a jeep with 3-foot wheels. And I spent a weekend in Canada with a good friend. Got to explore a city I only spent about 6 hours in previously, and even got my first Stick and Poke, ON someone's kitchen table of all places. It was my 3rd tattoo of the year, and I ended up with another 6. Another highlight was actually getting a "real" job. A job that's helped me become less shy. It's hard to describe, but I definitely came out of my shell.

As fun as my 2016 sounds, I did have some darker times. I lost my grandfather in April, and it hit home since despite him living around the corner and then some, I never really visited. Then shortly after that I really failed out of school, so that's been on the back burner. And then right after that, I had a huge fight with someone I got really close to the previous semester so I lost a really good friend.

But there's always a silver lining. I'm now MOVING to Europe, and a friend I've become close with recently is joining me for two weeks. I'll be able to aford to see alot of the places id love to work once I gradcuate college. Mainly South Africa and Egypt, Italy, and Greece. That means I'll have first hand experience when I do come back.