- Caught a striped bass
- Went to a group meditation class
- Traveled internationally with my husband
- Ate frozen wedding cake
- Stripped paint from dining room chairs
- Patched drywall
- Ran a 5K
From last year:
- Work on my yoga/meditation
- I would like to be able to do crow pose without looking like a stuck barnyard animal.
- I would like to get my hips closer to the floor in pigeon pose, and I would like to touch my heels to the floor in downward dog
- I would like to meditate at least three times a week, and check out group meditation at least once this year
- Start earning more money as a freelance designer
I did do more yoga this year, but it tapered off in a really bad way after the summer. I still can't do crow pose, my downward facing dog is worse, my pigeon is better. I did check out group meditation exactly once this year. I earned some money freelancing, but I did begin to found a company with some graphic designers, and I have some work slated for 2013.
This year? Rather than resolutions, I'd like to set goals:
- Run a 10K
- Open an etsy store
- Redesign my website
Yes, friends of ours had a beautiful baby girl! We were actually there when she went into labor, which is apparently much less exciting than you'd think it would be (if you haven't had babies).
4. Did anyone close to you die?
J had a relative pass on this year.
5. What countries did you visit?
Croatia and Italy
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
A complete dining room chair set (all painted yellow)
7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory and why?
August 18th. This was the day we were in Venice eating outside, and a parade of Hare Krishnas danced through the streets while we were having dinner. The one meal when we didn't have a camera!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I had an actual breakthrough where I figured out that I was angry, not because I was actually angry, but because of something I was feeling embarrassed and sad about—it was the first of many steps towards not being so angry all the time, and it felt so big, even though it was over something that was actually somewhat inconsequential.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I let someone completely insignificant get the best of me, and I turned into a total drama queen in front of my family.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I got yoga mat burns on my elbows, and a nasty burn on my arm from our wok. I also inflamed my ankle, possibly by running too much too soon, and caught a nasty cold around Christmas.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I finally bought new, fancy, grownup sheets for our bed. They came from The Company Store, and they're so soft and so pretty.
I bought a Kate Spade bag and wallet, and I bought a new office chair. We also bought tickets to Europe, and while we were there, a Bad Memories Eraser for my sister.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My friend Jessica, who is the reason I ran an entire 5K. I was not the fastest, but I finished, and I didn't walk any of it, all due to her encouragement and support.
28. What did you want that you did not end up getting?
Relocation to the West/Southwest. I miss my mountains.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Wuthering Heights, Argo.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
A complete dining room chair set (all painted yellow)
7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory and why?
August 18th. This was the day we were in Venice eating outside, and a parade of Hare Krishnas danced through the streets while we were having dinner. The one meal when we didn't have a camera!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I had an actual breakthrough where I figured out that I was angry, not because I was actually angry, but because of something I was feeling embarrassed and sad about—it was the first of many steps towards not being so angry all the time, and it felt so big, even though it was over something that was actually somewhat inconsequential.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I let someone completely insignificant get the best of me, and I turned into a total drama queen in front of my family.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I got yoga mat burns on my elbows, and a nasty burn on my arm from our wok. I also inflamed my ankle, possibly by running too much too soon, and caught a nasty cold around Christmas.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I finally bought new, fancy, grownup sheets for our bed. They came from The Company Store, and they're so soft and so pretty.
I bought a Kate Spade bag and wallet, and I bought a new office chair. We also bought tickets to Europe, and while we were there, a Bad Memories Eraser for my sister.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My friend Jessica, who is the reason I ran an entire 5K. I was not the fastest, but I finished, and I didn't walk any of it, all due to her encouragement and support.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
One of my original designs had been accepted into a T-shirt contest and I was really thrilled about it until some wet blanket reported my T-shirt and another person's T-shirt for using unoriginal material, and their claims were baseless and factually untrue, but instead of being rational, the committee pulled the T-shirt designs and publicly called me and one other person out on not having "original, previously unpublished designs."
This all worked itself out in the end because me (and the other person) were in the right, and the committee (and the wet blanket) were in the wrong, but I had to fight this fight for two weeks. The first guy sends an email, and our T-shirts are pulled the same day, but they have to deliberate about their intrinsic wrongness for two weeks?
Anyway, it was really tough to keep my shit together for those two weeks. Especially because it was a stupid internal T-shirt contest, but I kind of didn't want to let it go that they emailed a good percentage of the university where I work and baselessly accused me of some form of not producing original work.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Most of our money went into paying for the wedding, the aftermath of the wedding, and our Europe trip.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
One of my original designs had been accepted into a T-shirt contest and I was really thrilled about it until some wet blanket reported my T-shirt and another person's T-shirt for using unoriginal material, and their claims were baseless and factually untrue, but instead of being rational, the committee pulled the T-shirt designs and publicly called me and one other person out on not having "original, previously unpublished designs."
This all worked itself out in the end because me (and the other person) were in the right, and the committee (and the wet blanket) were in the wrong, but I had to fight this fight for two weeks. The first guy sends an email, and our T-shirts are pulled the same day, but they have to deliberate about their intrinsic wrongness for two weeks?
Anyway, it was really tough to keep my shit together for those two weeks. Especially because it was a stupid internal T-shirt contest, but I kind of didn't want to let it go that they emailed a good percentage of the university where I work and baselessly accused me of some form of not producing original work.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Most of our money went into paying for the wedding, the aftermath of the wedding, and our Europe trip.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
- Our wedding was featured on a wedding blog—100 Layer Cake.
- We went to Italy and Croatia in August
- We decided to adopt a greyhound in 2013
16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder?
happier
thinner or fatter?
about ten pounds fatter
richer or poorer?
richer in experience
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
uppercuts, exercise.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being angry all the time.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder?
happier
thinner or fatter?
about ten pounds fatter
richer or poorer?
richer in experience
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
uppercuts, exercise.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being angry all the time.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
El Paso
21. How will you be spending New Years?
Black and Gold NYE party at our house!
22. Did you fall in love in 2012?
Again and again.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Wilfred or Breaking Bad.
24. 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 dislike that I feel for people who mark up library books.
25. What was the best book you read?
I didn't enjoy, but learned a lot from Tich Nacht Hahn's Anger: Cooling the Flames. I found a lot of inspiration in Sharon Salzberg's Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation. As far as non-meditation related books? I really devoured the Hunger Games trilogy this year. Admittedly not the best books ever written, but can we please stop comparing it to the Twilight series?
I also read a few Anne Boleyn biographies that were fascinating and illuminating. She was such a powerful and intelligent woman.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I am going to forever regret publishing this on the Internet, but Call Me Maybe. Maybe?
Just kidding. My favorite album this year was a tossup between Hot Chip's In Our Heads—in particular the song Look at Where We Are and Stars' album Night. Neither of the bands were discoveries, but in lieu of Carly Rae Jaspen, it's better, right?
27. What did you want that you also ended up getting?
New riding boots, an immersion blender, a trip to Europe, and a Canon EOS 60D.
21. How will you be spending New Years?
Black and Gold NYE party at our house!
22. Did you fall in love in 2012?
Again and again.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Wilfred or Breaking Bad.
24. 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 dislike that I feel for people who mark up library books.
25. What was the best book you read?
I didn't enjoy, but learned a lot from Tich Nacht Hahn's Anger: Cooling the Flames. I found a lot of inspiration in Sharon Salzberg's Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation. As far as non-meditation related books? I really devoured the Hunger Games trilogy this year. Admittedly not the best books ever written, but can we please stop comparing it to the Twilight series?
I also read a few Anne Boleyn biographies that were fascinating and illuminating. She was such a powerful and intelligent woman.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I am going to forever regret publishing this on the Internet, but Call Me Maybe. Maybe?
Just kidding. My favorite album this year was a tossup between Hot Chip's In Our Heads—in particular the song Look at Where We Are and Stars' album Night. Neither of the bands were discoveries, but in lieu of Carly Rae Jaspen, it's better, right?
27. What did you want that you also ended up getting?
New riding boots, an immersion blender, a trip to Europe, and a Canon EOS 60D.
28. What did you want that you did not end up getting?
Relocation to the West/Southwest. I miss my mountains.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Wuthering Heights, Argo.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?I turned 28. The night before my actual birthday (which fell on a Sunday this year), we went to dinner at Cantina La Mexicana. After dinner, we all went down to Central Square for Heroes Night at TT The Bears—where they celebrated David Bowie's birthday at midnight. It was awesome!
The next day, my actual birthday, J continued our tradition of going to Harvard Square and eating cupcakes, plus going to Eastern Mountain Sports and American Apparel.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
This year not being an election year would have made a lot of things easier. Not being pressured to have babies woud have been nice, even though the thoughts are well meaning.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
The next day, my actual birthday, J continued our tradition of going to Harvard Square and eating cupcakes, plus going to Eastern Mountain Sports and American Apparel.
This year not being an election year would have made a lot of things easier. Not being pressured to have babies woud have been nice, even though the thoughts are well meaning.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Lots of running clothes.
33. What kept you sane?
Avoiding my mother's facebook page.
33. What kept you sane?
Avoiding my mother's facebook page.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Ryan Gosling, of course!
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
In fact, many of the political issues I was stirred by weren't political issues at all—or shouldn't have been. Religion, women's rights, gay rights—you know, rights for people that are all equal in every way except when they're used as political props.
36. Who did you miss?
Our old neighbors, still. I'm also sad that my graphic design classes are over, but I still keep in touch.
Ryan Gosling, of course!
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
In fact, many of the political issues I was stirred by weren't political issues at all—or shouldn't have been. Religion, women's rights, gay rights—you know, rights for people that are all equal in every way except when they're used as political props.
Our old neighbors, still. I'm also sad that my graphic design classes are over, but I still keep in touch.
I met some really great people in my graphic design classes this year.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
I learned a lot of valuable lessons this year.
- It is okay to cry
- It is okay to know that you're right about something when you're right about something, and simply ask to be heard
- It is not okay to visit my mother's facebook page and then get angry at what I see
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I'd done
And I don't wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say
-Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know
or...
I'm so human
and it's ok
for me to feel this way
-Lady Sovreign, So Human
