Friday, December 26, 2014

End of 2014 Meme List Thing

I haven't abandoned this blog, I swear. I just keep writing posts I don't publish. This one will be different. I did this in 201320122011, and 2010, so here we go!

(I am publishing this for the first time on December 26, 2014, but I may revisit as I remember more things.)

1. What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?

Got a pedicure. Tried a bunch of new restaurants and cuisines. Recovered from two different surgeries within about a month of one another. Became a Level II Reiki practitioner (Komyo Reiki Kai). Briefly worked in a midtown office building with a glorious view. Got hooked on a podcast. Got hooked on Hannibal. Became a Binder. SHOUTYCAPS. Created a craft corner (and almost a year later, it is STILL organized!).

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn't make any.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My cousin!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No.

5. What countries did you visit?

Only in my imagination....

6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?

More money.

7. What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

2014 was just one giant blur. I'll have to get back to you.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Despite it being brief, I did hold a freelance gig at a company I liked and got my work published on the site. Also continuing to manage my freelance work, my kid, and the rest of my life.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Didn't drive enough. Didn't read enough. Didn't make enough money. 2014 was shit, basically.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing major this year, just recovering from 2013.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My FitBit. Even though it's not here, I'm very excited about the Tim3 Machin3 that I bought on Kickstarter (it's a rice cooker! it's a yogurt maker! it's a slow cooker! it's all the things!). My new coffee maker.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My kid.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Dude. Where do I even start? I have a lot of grievances to air....

14. Where did most of your money go?

More medical bills, which created a pretty deep hole out of which we have yet to climb.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

The new Tori album and then the Tori show. The Throwing Muses show. Basically, music and going out. Also the note from the kid's speech therapist.

16. What song will always remind you of 2014?

The Daniel Tiger theme song and also 16 Shades of Blue, which made me cry the first time I heard it.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?

Sadder.

II. Thinner or fatter?

I don't like how this is phrased. I am a bit over my WW goal at the moment but am hoping to pull that back in soon by being more active (with the FitBit).

III. Richer or poorer?

Poorer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

The same as last year: Travel. Running. Reading.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Worrying about everyyyyyyyything.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

This year we did Super H-Mart again. We also had a very fun dinner with friends at a Chinese-Indian restaurant and I ended it with wine and cheesecake.

21. What, if any, insight did you gain about yourself in 2014?

That I know I can make this work.

22. Did you fall in love in 2014?

11 years married, 19 years together....

23. How many one night stands?

LOL

24. What was your favorite TV program?

Jane the Virgin, without question. But I also loved Selfie - a very cute show with a very bad name. I'm watching it until the end on Hulu.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

No.

26. What was the best book you read?

Bargain Fever, Brown Girl Dreaming, Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, Tiny Beautiful Things, We Were Liars, Someone Else's Love Story, and a LOT of picture books.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Favorite music this year included the new Tori, Sia, St. Vincent. I rediscovered the Ditty Bops. Someone shared My Brightest Diamond with me and I liked her a lot too. And someone else shared Snow Songs by Daisy May with me and that was breathtaking and a perfect wintery album. But truly I didn't listen to enough new music (and didn't like a LOT of what I heard when I checked out Best Of 2014 lists) but maybe next year? (New Sleater Kinney & Juliana Hatfield Three!)

28. What did you want and get?

A whole bunch of new kitchen toys.

29. What did you want and not get?

A job.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

I saw Wild in the theater and it was great so that wins! I also enjoyed the Lego Movie.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 41 and earned my first sleepover away from the kid since I was pregnant with her. Drank a lychee martini, ate ice cream, shopped, relaxed. It was great.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Money.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?

Comfy, cute, classic.

34. What kept you sane?

Chromecast.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Tom Mison!

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

Everything having to do with the police in the US, basically.

37. Who did you miss?

A lot of people.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Everyone I met this year was lovely, OK?

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.

Budgeting can be helpful.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

As her heart is slowly ripping into pieces
Disconnecting from the circuits of her mind
She'll get over it you say in time.
In time? Stop Father Time.