New Year's Meme

1.  What did you do in 2019 that you’d never done before?  We bought a piece of property and are building a retirement home.  I haven’t talked about it here, but I love it so much, and it’s so exciting to see it finally coming together!  We’ve been talking about doing this for years.

2.  Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?  I don’t think I made any resolutions for this year.  I did a big overhaul a few years back, and mostly kept them, so I haven’t felt as much urgency.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Michael’s best friend, who is sort of like another son around here, and his wife had an adorable little girl this year.  That’s the only one I can think of.

4. Did anyone close to you die? My Uncle Jim.  Three of my favorite clients, two of them very unexpected.

5. What countries did you visit? None but the US this year.  I did get to go to Hawaii and Washington DC though, so there was some travelling.

6. What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?  More life-work balance.  I worked way too much this year.

7. What dates from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? March 2, the day my uncle died.  December 2, the day we did a big business move.  Labor Day, we had family and friends out to play at our property and it was such a beautiful day.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting this house moving, finally, after talking about it for years.

9. What was your biggest failure? No one is perfect, I’m certainly not, but I can’t think of anything huge.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? My knee decided to go bone on bone right before we left for Hawaii.  That was fun, and is going to be addressed this year.  Other than that, I’ve been super lucky.

11. What was the best thing you bought? New property and beginning of house.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Emily.  After struggling academically and having trouble settling in to a school, she finally found the right program at the right school and is getting almost a 4.0 there.  I’m super proud of her.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? The president, and the people who still think he’s the best thing ever.

14. Where did most of your money go? My earnings go toward taxes, in shocking amounts.  What was left went to the down payment on the property and is helping pay for the loan.  Joe’s salary went for household expenses and retirement, as usual.  Oh, and some of Emily’s tuition, still.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?  The day we went to see progress on the new house and could walk around and see where the rooms will be and how big they are.

16. What song will always remind you of 2019?

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter, a little.  Less walking but the same amount of food.
c) richer or poorer? A little bit richer, I think.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Reading books, spending time with good friends, exercising.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Working.  Eating junk food.

20. How did you spend Christmas? At home, with my family. Michael and his girlfriend were with her family that day.  Emily spent part of the day with her boyfriend.  Danny was here all day, and my mother came for dinner.  Very low key, just the way I like it.

21. Did you fall in love in 2019? No more than I already was.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Property Brothers.  I don’t watch a lot of TV but I do love that show.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No. I hated a few of our lovely politicians this time last year too, I am quite certain.  My hatred is burning and permanent.

24. What was the best book you read? Some of the best were Michele Obama’s Becoming, Tara Westover’s Educated, and Where the Crawdads Sing.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? I can’t think of any this year.

26. What did you want and get? For my boys to get good jobs that would utilize their educations (Danny did) and for Emily to figure out college and do well.

27. What did you want and not get? Grandchildren.  For Michael to be happy at work. Peace in the world. More unity in this country.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? I loved Bohemian Rhapsody, and A Star is Born.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 58. Probably went out to dinner, I don’t remember.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Working less, making more money.  Heh.  Not likely, but a girl can dream.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019? Um, whatever is clean and fits?

32. What kept you sane? I never know how to answer this question.  I don’t feel sane, I feel anxious all the time, but people seem to think I’m calm, so whatever.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I just love the Duchess of Cambridge.  I’m sure a lot of it isn’t real, but I really like her.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? In addition to the obvious, I am getting more and more worked up about gun control.

35. Who did you miss? We’re coming up on three years since my dad left us, and I still think of him every day.

36. Who was the best new person you met? I can’t think of anybody new who’s really made an impact.  Except for clients, I don’t meet lots of new people anymore.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019. Things will be become clear if you wait long enough. 

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.  Lucky.