Jamie’s Lessons from 2013

Every year, I like to recap what happened by thinking about the things I’ve learned. Maybe you learned some of the same. Share your lessons in the comments below!

– Always ring in the new year with people you love.

– Living walking distance from the Capitol is awesome – especially during an inauguration.

– If you have the opportunity to attend a historic event, do it. Even if it’s just to say you were there.

– If you have the chance to swear in your dog at the Capitol, do it.

– Seneca, Selma, Stonewall. Having your history recognized by the President is pretty cool – especially considering it’s not taught in schools.

– Telling your story is important. Telling it to USAToday and having it wind up on the front page for young gay people to see and realize they aren’t alone is just awesome.

– Weddings are expensive.

– I want to be Olivia Pope when I grow up.

– Birthday profiteroles are awesome – even when they’re 5 months late.

– If you can’t afford a ticket to an inaugural ball, throw your own.

– Saying “balls” when you mean “parties” makes me giggle.

– If you see a gay person at Chik-fil-A, call their shit out.

– I really should blog more.

– Sometimes letting it go is more important than being right.

– Being gay is awesome.

– If you have the chance to go to a place called “Swinging Richards” in Atlanta, go. Bring $1s.

– Not everyone on the internet likes pictures of my sleeping husband as much as I do.

– Smile more.

– Wedding planning doesn’t have to be as bad as everyone makes it out to be.

– Find something to compromise on.

– Sometimes you have to spend the weekend on the couch marathoning a great TV show.

– It takes someone pretty special to have Darrell Issa and Elizabeth Warren both show up to your memorial service.

– Sometimes it’s ok to bail. Especially if it’s REALLY cold.

– Always order more Girl Scout Cookies than you actually need.

– Sometimes a cosmo is all you really need.

– Putting together a coalition WILL make you lose hair.

– It’s pretty cool to be able to work with people who make the world better everyday.

– Sometimes legends are crazy people.

– The Walking Dead is awesome. And it’s even better when surrounded by equally terrified friends.

– A “Rocky Mountain High” is an actual thing.

– Kids are funny.

– Sometimes it’s okay that your husband falls asleep every time you watch a movie.

– The Wii U is awesome – especially Luigi’s Mansion.

– Sometimes all you need is a cuddly dog that’s too big for your lap, pretending he fits there.

– When your coworkers fall asleep at work, it’s best to cover them with toys and costume pieces and take their photos.

– Coalition building is apparently important, but might make you want to take your own life at times.

– 10 times out of 10, apologizing won’t hurt you.

– When throwing a rally and the other side shows up, make sure you have a lot more people. 🙂

– Fuck the haters.

– If this is what they mean by “It Gets Better,” they greatly underplayed it. Because this is awesome.

– People who hate on you on the internet mostly live in their parent’s basements and are unhappy, obnoxious trolls.

– When a child tells you he’s a superhero, believe him.

– We need to do something about gun violence.

– I should be seeing more theatre.

– Crabs are yummy, but they’re no lobster.

– You can’t invite everyone to your wedding, but you can always throw  a couple parties that you can invite everyone to.

– Sometimes you need to take a day off and hang out in a park all day.

– Invite friends over and play games. As often as possible.

– Cooking for your friends is really fun.

– It takes a village to make a good wedding.

– If your dog engages in civil disobedience by following you out of the house and into the elevator, sometimes it’s best to just bring him with you.

– Provincetown is my favorite place.

– You will need more wine than you thought.

– Have someone you know and love officiate your wedding. It will make it much more personal.

– Sometimes people surprise you.

– Sometimes the music won’t work and you have to ask your friends to sing your first dance song. Just keep dancing.

– Sometimes people won’t show up for your wedding, hopefully it won’t be a family of 8.

– Drag Queens make everything better.

– If you can afford a wedding planner, get one.

– Your wedding isn’t about you – and that’s ok. It’s about celebrating the community of family and friends you’ve built.

– Get married on a beach.

– And the most important wedding lesson – if you ever have the chance to marry your best friend, do it.

– If you have the chance to go to a drive in movie – even if it’s raining, do it.

– If you ever have the chance to sing the National Anthem at a baseball game, do it.

– The difference between being married and being in a long relationship is like when an air conditioner shuts off. You don’t even realize there’s a hum in the background until it shuts off.

– Decorate your workspace. Overdo it.

– 7 weddings in one year is a lot. And sometimes you won’t make it to every one.

– Camping makes you feel dirty for a month.

– If you get invited to the White House, go.

– Sometimes the Vice President wants a selfie with you and your new husband.

– San José is a very weird little city.

– Sometimes a wedding announcement is just a wedding announcement and not a tool to “ruin your father’s life.”

– Being married is awesome. Having your marriage recognized by the federal government is even better.

– Moose are big. Real big.

– Rest.

– If you give people the opportunity, they’ll usually impress you.

– Sometimes saying no is important.- If you find yourself swimming with all the other fish, go the other way. They don’t know where they’re going either.

– Live tweeting other people’s conversations on trains can be fun.

– “Black Twitter” is a thing.

– FUN. puts on an awesome show – even in a thunderstorm.

– Take a walk.

– If you ever have the chance to embarrass your mother-in-law by telling the waiter at the Mexican restaurant it’s her birthday, do it.

– Muppets should be able to run for and hold public office.

– Make sure you have BINGO before you shout BINGO.

– Locusts are not so bad. Don’t believe the hype.

– Some people are just assholes.

– My dog on the beach is the best thing ever.

– Sometimes a night at home alone with your dog is the best remedy.

– You can’t put Students First if you put Teachers Last.

– Make homemade root beer.

– Baseball games are fun.

– Sometimes creating change means letting someone else lead the way.

– Everyone has a story, sometimes it’s happy and sometimes it’s not – the love is in the telling of it.

-Taking a back seat on something you’ve created can be tough – but worth it if it’s for the right reasons.

– Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.

– Laverne Cox is awesome.

– The slow cooker is easily the best invention ever.

– I’m not cool and I’m cool with that.

– Calling someone an “apologist,” or “defensive,” during a debate is an obnoxious and bullying behavior.

– Always tell people that you appreciate them.

– Say “please” and “thank you” as often as you can.

– I understand why the Mormons thought that Utah was the promised land. It’s beautiful.

– It’s just stuff, it can be replaced.

– Judy Garland makes everything better.

– Grow your own garden.

– There are more gay Mormons than even I thought.

– Always finalize dinner plans, especially if the original plan was made 3 months prior.

– Go to Golden Corral once in your life…but only once.

– Washing silver makeup off is tough.

– Celebrate with friends whenever you can.

– If it’s not one thing, it’s your mother.

– Ginger Ale is made from ginger, not redheads.

– If you can, have Thanksgiving with the people you love most…and give thanks.

– Always go around the table and say what you’re thankful for out loud. It feels really good to say it.

– I want an alpaca.

– Dental work is expensive and hurty.

– If you have a chance to see The Wizard of Oz or any other film classic on the big screen, go do it. And if you can bump into Liza Minnelli on the way there, do that too.

– Sometimes Beyoncé drops a secret album the same day as the event you’ve been planning for a year.

– Go to museums more.

– Sometimes New Year’s Eve is best spent with your family on a couch.

– I feel like I know less now than I did when I was 25. And that’s ok. There’s always more to learn.

Happy New Year from our family to yours!