Much of 2012 has been about looking back on my past and the places I've been and people I've known and trying to make something out of all of my experiences in an attempt to move forward as a stronger, more prepared person. It's been about trying to forgive and forget those who I've felt have wronged me, and about being more vocal about my wants and needs to save time and pain. In every single way, this year has been a year of recuperation and learning, and one of the greatest lessons I've learned this year is that there is no such thing as a bad move, really, because you can learn from everything you experience.

Songs from 2012 or songs that I discovered in 2012 that I have really liked and have related emotionally to are ...

I guess in a way, I've felt like a wayfarer ever since the day I left for college. Although New York City will always be my home, I knew the moment that I pulled out of my driveway headed to college that things would never be the same. Since that day, I've called a number of places of home for various amounts of time, and like I've said before, a part of me lives on in each of these cities and at different times, I am nostalgic for these places. Having been living in New York City for the majority of my post-college life, I haven't felt comfortable or settled in this city. The only comfort I really gain from this city is how familiar I am with its pace, and how easy it is to blend into the crowds. I'm very much still looking for "home," emotionally.

This song just describes how my year has kind of gone, not in terms of love, just in terms of life. Ups and downs and the contrasting colors and subtleties of shades ... I love some of the similes in this song.

I really, really love this Phillip Phillips song. I obviously was not around to watch this year's "American Idol," so I was shocked when I discovered that this song was sung by this year's winner. Of all of the show's past winners, I can say without a doubt that Phillip Phillips (awful name!) is the most relevant and contemporary type of artist and that the show has finally produced an artist that has found a good balance of the textures and types of music Americans want to hear, and sounds believable doing it. I really love this song and its message, especially since it speaks to me in this time of my life.

So that pretty much sums up my year ... I've been to Taiwan, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and home again, and I've met some wonderful people along the way. I hope 2012 has been good to you and that 2013 will be even better. Happy New Year!

P.S. I hope your night and first day of the new year goes like this (one of my favorite songs from 2012) ...