New Years Meme

I used to do these every year, at the old place.  I think I'll do it again this year.

1. What did you do in 2017 that you've never done before?
Bury my dad.  
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Sort of.  I resolved to make time for reading every day.  I started out doing really well, and then dad got sick and died and I kind of got off track.  I've still read way more this year than I have in awhile, but I'd like to try to do even more.  And I think I want to figure out a way to limit my time on social media.  It's interesting and fun, but those are hours of my life I'm never getting back, and I bet I could find a better way to use them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My dad.  The man I considered to be my second dad.  The cat, and the dog.  
5. What countries did you visit?
I did not leave the US this year.  I did have a lovely week on Maui, which is almost as good as a foreign country.
6. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?
Good health for my family.
7. What dates from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 2, the day my dad died.  January 9, the day Pat died.  September 23, the night I got the call my mother had broken her hip.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Hmm.  I'm pretty proud of how well my company and I have performed this year, and the things I've learned.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't really think of any of my life as a failure.  I guess we could say I failed to get out and move more, but I will stand by my excuses this year.  They were really good, valid excuses.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I did not, except for a really wicked cold during tax season.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I am getting a kick out of my Alexa.  And I love Joe's new car.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The people who marched in protest.  The (far too few) members of Congress who stood up for the country over their party.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The president, and the rest of Congress not mentioned above.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Of the money I personally made, almost all of it went to buy Joe's new car and to pay estimated tax payments.  Grump.  We're working on restructuring the company to make that better.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Mom coming home from rehab.  Nephew getting married in Seattle, and Indiana relatives coming here for the wedding.  The increasing success of my business.  I think the high point was taking my whole family to see the solar eclipse.
16. What song will always remind you of 2017?
I must be getting old, my favorite radio station is now greatest hits of the '80s.  But no song stands out in my mind this year, old or new.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) I think a bit sadder.  I am pretty happy most of the time, but it's been a hell of a year.
b) thinner or fatter? Right about the same, I think.  Maybe a couple pounds lighter.
c) richer or poorer? A little bit richer.  Emily going to community college has helped a lot.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I'd exercised more, and read more.  Other than that, I feel like I make good use of my time, except for...
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Sitting on the computer.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
It was a weird year.  We missed my dad, of course.  Mom wanted everything exactly the same as it's always been, but she wasn't really up for doing everything.  And then we were supposed to take her to church on Christmas, but it snowed and we couldn't get out of our valley.  Youngest brother pulled his usual last minute plan changes, so some things stayed just the same.  Sigh.
21. Did you fall in love in 2017?
No more than I already was. 
22. What was your favorite TV program?
Property Brothers.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Let's see, did I hate Donald Trump this time last year?  I am certain I did.  And I know I loathed and despised Mitch McConnell.  So no.
24. What was the best book you read?
Hmm.  I just went back through Goodreads, I read more than I thought I did.  I liked Harry Potter and the Cursed Child very much.  I also liked Ann Patchett's Commonwealth.  
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Can't think of anything.
26. What did you want and get?
For Michael to find a better job.  I don't remember if I talked about it here, but a recruiter found him on Linked In, called him, and he got a much better job with much better pay.  He is really happy there now and hopes to stay for the long term.  I'm so glad for him.
27. What did you want and not get?
Better health for Joe.  For Emily to get in to Western.  Now I need a better job for Danny.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Hmmm.  I saw Star Wars, Wonder Woman and Victoria and Abdul.  Star Wars was disappointing.  Wonder Woman was cool because it was a woman heroine, but I could do with less violence.  Loved Victoria and Abdul.  I think I should make a resolution to see more movies in 2018.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I can't even remember.  Probably Joe took me to dinner down on the waterfront.  Likely some of the kids came.  Oh!  I did get a two hour massage that day.  It was heavenly.  Definitely doing that again this year.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Aside from the inevitable sickness and death around me as I get older, there's not a lot.  There were bumps in the road but everybody seems to be overcoming them.
31. Stupid question about fashion sense deleted, because I like nice clothes that fit, but I don't have a style.
32. What kept you sane?
Who started this rumor that I'm sane?
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I really like the Duchess of Cambridge.  So classy.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Let me count the ways.  Besides loathing the Republicans and what they're doing to the country?  Gun control, and the lack thereof.
35. Who did you miss?
I miss my dad, even though really he was pretty much gone for awhile before he actually died.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
I'm not sure I met anybody new that stuck in my memory this year.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017.
Treasure every moment.  I already knew that, but it was brought home to me in new ways in 2017.


Comments

  1. So many interesting things in this meme. You had a year filled with loss, and those are so hard to bear. #12 and #13, absolutely. I'm getting used to Alexa, and also loved Victoria and Abdul. I wasn't a huge fan of Commonwealth, but read several life changing books in Book Club this year. Ordinary Grace and the One Million Dollar Boy are two examples. What is Joe's new car? I can barely stand to talk about gun control because NOTHING ever happens...or will? It's depressing.

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