2021 Year In Review
1. What did you do in 2020 that you’d never done before?
I also went to High Tea. *gigglebounce*
I sat at my first born’s High School graduation… which means I also drove my first born to college. Hello first tangible step into empty nester hood.
I went on my first ever road trip with a super awesome friend.
I moved to another state.
2. Did anyone close to you die or give birth?
No. I am not sure I could have handled it if someone did. For all the reasons.
3. What countries did you visit?
Yah, that is still not a thing. But maybe in 2022.
4. What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021?
Stability. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE change. And I loved all that came with the epic move we chose to make. But I would like this next year to be about calm and presence. Also I would like a garden again. I have not had one in years.
5. What dates from 2021 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 20th. The day we closed escrow on our new home in WA.
6. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I feel like I owned this year. We decided in September of 2020 that we wanted to move to the Pacific Northwest. The husband needed a new job, the oldest spawn was going to graduate HS and the younger spawn was all for it. So I made it happen. Literally.
I applied the Husband to 173 jobs over the course of 9 months. I know he struggles with putting himself out there and that rejections would murder his self-esteem. Since I could, I did the hunt for him, and screened all the responses. He only hadto deal with the interviews. He landed at Logitech at the Camas WA branch. And it is a spectacular job for him.
I also bought us a house all by myself. The husband and boys did not see it until the day we got the keys!
I seriously kicked ass this year and I am exhausted. Happily exhausted and proud as hell.
7. What was your biggest failure?
I once again failed at trying to maintain a blog.
8. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was diagnosed with Trichotillomania.
9. What was the best thing you bought?
Knee high socks. No Contest.
10. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Silas: Oh my god, this kid. He got thrown into the deep end with school this fall. It’s a long story with lots of changes in direction and way to much homework and commute time, but the short of it is that he is now in a program where he will graduate high school with an Associate’s degree. There have been lots of bumps but he has been so mature about it. I am super proud of him.
Micah: Graduated High School in spite of pandemic and started at University. He is in the final stages of learning how to adult and I am proud of him too.
Shaun: He has been so patient and kind and encouraging and trusting and all the things. He landed the bestest job.
11. Where did most of your money go?
The move.
12. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
DUNE.
13. What was your song for this year?
I don’t have one this year. Nothing really spoke to me, although to be fair, I didn’t listen to much either.
14. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Happier!!! A million times over! The husband is working for a company that affirms his value, is ethically responsible and puts it money where its PR team’s mouth is. We have a rental, which was one of the Husbands life goals, and we have a dear friend as a tenant! We have friends (as in plural!!!!) we can actually see on a regular basis again. We no longer live under the almost constant threat of fire. It actually rains here! Like, often!!! We can see the sunset from our house. The sunrise wakes me up, cause I can watch it from my bedroom window while lying in bed. We closed the time/energy suck that was our side business. We basically removed some of the biggest stressors in our life. So yah, happier.
15. Compared to this time last year, are you thinner or fatter?
I ignored my weigh this year. I had other things to pay attention too. I stepped on the scale for the first time and it was 177. I am both OK with that and super not OK with that. Le sigh.
16. Compared to this time last year, are you richer or poorer?
I actually don’t know. Money has kinda been….. fluid this year. We saved a lot cause pandemic, then sold a house, traded 2 jobs for 1, then bought a house, then sent a kid to college, then fixed a bunch of things in the house…. But the books are balanced so I call it even.
17 and 18. What do you wish you’d done more or less of?
This question has me stumped this year.
19. How did you spend the Holidays?
Thanks day was at home and the day after we got to see some of our favorite people on a visit from another state. Christmas we drove down to Cali to do the normal extended family thing. Soup and Bread Christmas eve and Christmas day smorgisboard. White elephants and scratchers.
20. What was your favorite TV program?
Wheel of Time.
21. What was the best book you read?
I was so mentally exhausted this year that I did not have the head space to read. I tried so hard too, but just couldn’t.
22. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Space Cowboy Lo-fi
23. What Podcast captured your attention this year?
The Witch Bitch Armature Hour. I love their spookisodes.
24. What did you want and get?
All the things!
25. What did you want and not get?
I was hoping that in the midst of all the craziness of moving and getting my boys all settled that the answer to “what should I do with myself next?” would just magically appear. It did not. But I think that is OK because if it had I think it would have been one thing too much and I would have melted under the stress of it all.
26. What was your favorite film of this year?
DUNE
27. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
In March we were still in CA, and a friend came to visit. We binged all Starwars: Clone Wars episodes that revolved around the character Ahsoka.
28. What’s one thing that would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I could have conquered my trichotillomania completely. But that is not how OCD works.
29. What kept you sane?
Single-minded, all-consuming purpose.
30. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None.
31. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2021.
I learned small things that I kinda knew in my gut but was able to confirm. Like even though I have been married for almost 25 years, I am still capable of kicking ass on my own. That the second half of pandemics are harder than the first half. That Living closer to an Urban area DEFINITELY has its perks.
32. Was there anything that surprised you?
I like having a small yard.
33. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
You should see me in a crown.
34. What am I grateful for?
My husband
My boys
Logitech
My new home
Living near friends
My new and improved Bidet
Art supplies
Less yard
Closets. So many closets!!!
Rest
Knee socks.
