Now that earth's inhabitants have survived the threat of the ominous 2012 global destruction, we now approach the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013. For me, the "New Year" is a time of personal and professional reflection. I attempt a concerted effort to outwardly acknowledge my personal and professional successes, failures, strengths, weaknesses, fortunes, and shortcomings.... all in all, I am proud of what I have accomplished this year. In April, I "charged the hill" in Washington D.C. along with fellow physical therapy students and working therapists at the American Physical Therapy Association's Federal Advocacy Forum. Admittedly, I have very limited awareness of what actually takes place on Capitol Hill; however, after attending the forum I understood that acquiring a basic level of domestic and international political awareness wouldn't hurt. Albeit minor, over the year I have attempted to listen to NPR more often, read other sections of Yaho...