An Overture to Illumination: Wrapping up 2014

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)

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.

31 December 2014

Wrapping up 2014

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