Wrapping up 2013
- What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?
Bought a house!
- Did you keep your new years' resolutions and will you make more for next year?
From Last Year
- A bad habit I'm going to break: Snacking mindlessly (NOPE)
- A new skill I'd like to learn: Photoshop (like a pro) (MEH, although for work, I've had to step up my game)
- A person I hope to be more like: My manager, who is patient and kind and outgoing (Sometimes I feel like I was starting to learn, but ...)
- A good deed I'm going to do: Donate blood. It's been a while since I've been able to do this (NOPE. I also found out that I am AB, so in addition to any inability to donate on my part, it's also the least helpful blood type...)
- A place I'd like to visit: The El Paso Mission Trail (I was not able to do this this year, but we did go to Carlsbad Caverns, instead, which was a really good trip)
This Year
- A bad habit I'm going to break: Buying snacks from a vending machine
- A new skill I'd like to learn: How to do a stunning cat eye
- A person I hope to be more like: My husband, who is mindful and organized.
- A good deed I'm going to do: Donate to one of the many public services we utilize
- A place I'd like to visit: All of the conservation trails in my neighborhood
- Did anyone close to you give birth?
Indeed! We had a baby girl come into the world shortly before Christmas
- Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no.
- What trips did you take?
Mexico! It was just Cancun for a few days, and it was for work, but hey! I got a passport stamp.
Nashville—another work trip that was tons of fun
El Paso—we went down for a family wedding and had a blast
- What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
A diet and exercise routine
- What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory and why?
June 1, the day we moved to our new house
- What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting our shit together and buying a house. There were a lot of obstacles and hurdles, and it was emotional and financially terrifying, but everyday we are in this house, I feel better and better about our decision.
- What was your biggest failure?
My big mouth
- Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just the usual colds, allergies and sinus things.
- What was the best thing you bought?
Our house!
A 10' Tall Christmas Tree
A new couch that J actually fits on
- Whose behavior merited celebration?
Our families all came up to spend Thanksgiving with us, and it was wonderful.
- Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
There was an incident of "baby name theft" that left me pretty angry.
- Where did most of your money go?
Our house...I'm beginning to see a theme.
- What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My birthday present, which was a vinyl recording of my favorite Smashing Pumpkins album. Buying a house (HOUSE!)
The potential of a whole new world in the kitchen when I got a stand mixer for Christmas.
- What song will always remind you of 2014?
Let Her Go by Passenger (THANKS, BUDWEISER)
Counting Stars by One Republic
Argentina I, II, III by Tokyo Police Club
I Wanna Get Better by The Bleachers
- What do you wish you'd done more of?
Taking advantage of our beautiful neighborhood and all of the trails near our house.
- What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being hung over—it's not like it was in my 20's. Now if I have a hangover I spend 3 days feeling like shit instead of one morning.
- How did you spend Thanksgiving?
We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year
- How did you spend Christmas?
With our MA family, eating a delicious dinner and drinking the best Old Fashioned I have ever tasted.
- How will you be spending New Years?
Probably sleeping
- Did you fall in love in 2014?
As always
- What was your favorite TV program?
Sherlock
Gilmore Girls on Netflix
- Do you "hate" anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I
think that I've come to decide that "hate," even the mild pretend
"hate," is a completely wasted emotion. This doesn't mean that there
isn't anyone that could have made this list, just that I choose not to
participate in this question anymore.*
*I have added an addendum to include the strong sense of dislike that I feel for people who mark up library books.
- What was the best book you read?
The Handmaid's Tale
- What was your greatest musical discovery?
WERS
- What did you want that you also ended up getting?
The Smashing Pumpkins Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness
on vinyl.
A new dining room table and a new couch
Cowboy boots from Nashville
An Aqua Stand Mixer
A HOUSE
- What did you want that you did not end up getting?
A greyhound, which happens every year. One day I will have a house and a schedule that allow for a dog, but right now it wouldn't be fair to a four legged family member
- What was your favorite film of this year?
The Imitation Game
- What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 30, the big doble-quinceañera. We went ice skating, had some
dinner at Border Cafe and then went to Harvest for some great dessert
and cocktails. We had a piñata, but decided to save it for the summer
when more people were able to join in the fun.
- What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I had done a better job re-learning spanish
- How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
Plaid and Flannel
- What kept you sane?
Prozac and Klonopin, and allergy medicaiton
- Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Benedict Cumberbatch, Alli Speed
- What political issue stirred you the most?
I got pretty riled up about our local ballot questions. Turns out we moved to a red zone.
- Who did you miss?
I always miss my grandmother—buying our house and settling down up here made me think of her and her house quite a bit when I found myself trying to figure out what makes my house my home.
- Who was the best new person you met?
Our neighbors are wonderful
- Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014
"Don't spend time with people who don't treat you well," among other things.
- Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Two sips from the cup of human kindness
and I'm shit faced, just laid to waste.
