Hows my little '12 recap?

Oh two thousand and twelve where have you gone? Why, it seems like only a few days ago I was complaining about the winter that never was, or bitching about the frost that bit all of our plants hard. Heck it doesn't seem so long ago that we were walking the red line through Boston. Even with the looming end of the world there seemed to be a lot of new things coming my way, new constructions, new motorcycle, new car, new adventures, new food, new ferments, new growths (in the garden), new kegs, and new wands. I don't miss the beating sun and stifling humidity this summer brought, but I do miss swimming around the canoe trying to beat that heat.

So, here are some things worth remembering from the year that ended before the world:
Best: 
Movie (in theater):
Cabin in the Woods - I love horror movies, a lot. This one was so great for many different reasons, the best was how perfect they made fun of the often predictable horror genre, and nailing it.

TV Show:
True Blood had been my favorite show since 2008, The sex, sexyness, blood, and violence are what hooked me, this year they opted for 20 slow moving plots to follow (fire monster, really?). To me, True Blood met the true death this year, a giant failure in 2012. No show replaced it.

Concert:
Trampled by Turtles. Fun, upbeat bluegrass in a college town! I hadn't seen that much flannel and beards in one spot in ages.

Performance:
The Donkey Show. A midsummer nights dream with a crazy modern twist set in a 70s disco, with matching soundtrack, pasties, and glitter. Wonderful.

Album:
Nothing this year, I really fell off the new music wagon.

Song:
Gorillaz- DoYaThing - I just liked the video a lot.

Game:
Angry Birds Star Wars, Although Angry Birds Space was fantastic, Star Wars took everything fun about the original angry birds and space, and changed it to a new experience for the tired angry birds fan.

Book: 
The Twelve by Michael Cronin The book was nonstop excitement and curiosity from beginning to end.

Gadget:
A Vitamix blender. This is no ordinary blender. Especially good for someone who cares about the ingredients (or lack of) in their food.

Getaway: 
A week to Florida and back with my lovely wife. Visiting family, Universal Studios, Wineries, Breweries, The beach, and eating. What's not to like on a trip like that (aside from like 20+ hours in a car)?

Garden Growth:
Pickels! Our cucumbers went nuts this year due to the heat, we have tons of yummy pickles now and I'm happy about it.

Construction:
A tie, the hatchet target has been a dangerous albiet fun, hoot, but I did construct a kegerator and thats had pretty satisfying results.

Intoxicating Beverage Tour:
Harpoon Brewery. Tasting beer right from the tank, whats not to love about that.

Food Ferment: 
Sauerkraut! This year I managed to make not only edible kraut, delicious kraut!

Alcoholic Ferment: 
The baltic vanilla porter. Big, Boozy, and full of vanilla and yummy.
Whats in the carboy: Cucumber Mead, Vanessa grape wine, Pumpkin Wheat.

Athletic Endeavor: 
Tough Mudder Twin Cities - This was crazy. It was challenging before we got stuck at the quarter pipe, then we all nearly froze to death. Fun stuff!


Events of Note: 
Random:
A 100% free Goorin Brothers hat. Appearing on Local TV

Obsession:
Learning about fermented anything.

Newsworthy:
A massacre at an elementary school, the how and why are going to be interesting details.

News I'm oblivious to: 
The sports announcer on some gun control statement. Personally I think we need bullet control let the guns roam free. NFL Ref strike, wow did people get worked up, give the union anything! No wonder unions are still around.

Travels:
Washburn, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Twin Cities, Southern Illinois, Springfield, IL, Florida, and Asheville

More events of note:
The death of my wonderful Grandfather, Harold Summerville
Purchasing a motorcycle, 1999 Triumph Legend
Repairing my broken motorcycle
Selling the old Stratus
Another Successful BockFest
Re-Roofing the garage
Running a half marathon in less than 2 hours
Refinancing our house to save loads of cash in the future

When I first started thinking about this entry Laura asked me how I thought the year was, and I initially said, I don't think this is going to be a very exciting post. Now that I've gone through it, I see that I was completely wrong. 2012 was crazy and eventful! We traveled to some new places that were wonderful, I began a new hobby/learned a new food group with fermenting, and stayed busy with a bunch of my past hobbies. Looking into the new year and comparing it to last I think I'm going to try harder to keep up with my fitness year round instead of just the first half, maybe a fall/early winter race? Laura and I also want to go on a big adventure and this year we might be cutting back on adventuring to save for it. I truly enjoy my job and I'm still learning so much, I think I'm getting a decent handle on this winemaking business but its too soon to be getting confident. There were some significant changes in 2012 around my life and I honestly don't know what to expect in this new year, but I'm sure its nothing I can't handle.

I normally consider myself better than these but I think if I set a nice small goal here I can hack it. Plus when its in writing it becomes harder to break.
Resolution:
In 2013 I'm going to drink more/learn about bubbly.

Show me what you've got 2013.