Yearly Beloved

The old new year questions again. Reduce, reuse, recycle, is what I always say.

1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?

Witnessed naked hikers. Yes, I'm going to start this out with some peen peekage. I have since learned that this is so a thing that apparently I should have known about long ago. I am pro-you-go-ahead with that, but I still find the idea strange, if for nothing else, just from a branches/brambles angle. Hiking trails are prickly places. Naked beaches I get, naked hiking does not seem logical.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Nope and nope. Although Nordic Boy and I do a financial plan every year with specific goals (full blown ADULTS!), so I guess you could call that a resolution of some sort. I hate doing this activity with a fiery, rash-like passion, but I am always really happy and feel good about it once it's done. Nordic Boy, on the other hand, actually said the words "I am a spreadsheet type of guy" to me in happiness so. There's that.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Some acquaintances did, but no one super close. I think that's a first- these past few years I have been very fertile-adjacent.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No! Thankee Young Jeezy.

5. What trips did you take?

Michigan, Illinois, New York, Vancouver, Oregon, Wisconsin. All my regular haunts. I really should expand on this, but I love these haunts and I only have so many days and dollars.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Less tiredness. I'm just getting less spry, perhaps. As evidenced by my use of the word "spry."

7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and whyI sent out a Facebook message to people in my hometown to meet up with me for a drink when I was visiting and saw some people that I have known since before kindergarten. It was pretty cool- everyone was so different, yet at the core they were still the same.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
After a lifelong quest, my discovery of the Detroit Cooler finally happened. My precioussssssss.

9. What was your biggest failure?
There are many things that I don't think that I am failing but that I always want to be better about. A better friend and a better co-worker, mainly. I think about those things a lot. Probably a little too much.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not anything big. I did have the flu, and either I am the biggest wuss on planet earth or I have never really had the flu before and I did not handle it with one iota of grace.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A new oven and cooktop. I now have all major appliances that completely and totally work as they are supposed to. CALL ROBIN LEACH.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Ok, I am going to say something barfy. Just close your eyes and think of England if you get queasy. Nordic Boy. I often am taken by surprise when there are things that I don't even realize that he's thinking about to make my day easier. The ice scraped off the car in the mornings, the snack left for me before he goes out, the text sent to me because he's remembered that I have a hard meeting at work at a specific time. He's always thinking of ways to make my life better, and making me laugh, and making me food, and making me a better house, and just doing every last thing to show me he loves me. And he's just so consistently, unfailingly kind to me. I love that guy.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mostly political things on a national/international scale is where the appalling/depressing stuff has happened. Luckily I didn't have many appalling or depressing people in my personal life though. I think I have managed to cut all the fools out of here. Harsh of me, sort of. But mostly halle-fricking-lujah.

14. Where did most of your money go?
As always, our house ate our money. The house is getting shinier and better looking though, so apparently the money has an Oil of Olay effect.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

All of my trips. Gol-dangit I love a vacation.

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?

Losing You by Solange Knowles, This Head I Hold by Electric Guest, Cash, Diamond Rings, Swimming Pools by DENA.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier. I remember being kind of down in the mouth at this time last year.
ii. thinner or fatter? Same
iii. richer or poorer? Richer, just a smidge.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Writing. Bloggy and otherwise.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Being cold.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Already happened! Movies, reading, eating, cozyville.

22. Did you fall in love in 2012?
Constantly! What a hoochie. A monogamous hoochie.

23. How many one-night stands?
A 365 stand.

24. What was your favorite TV program?

I discovered Dance Academy and lo, it was good.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No.

26. What was the best book you read?
The Round House by Louise Erdrich and Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad. In nonfiction, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isable Wilkerson, Just Kids by Patti Smith, and The Tiger by John Valiant. Kid novels were The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire LeGrand, The Only Ones by Aaron Starmer, The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu, and The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis. Picture books? Why yes. I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black, and The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming, by Lemony Snicket. Ok so that's 12 books, not one, but HELLO. LIBRARIAN.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I don't think I have one. Hipster points: DOCKED. How about I just say an artistic discovery? I saw the Cedar Lake Dance Company this year and they fricking killed me, they were so good.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Carol Channing documentary was honestly my most favorite thing maybe ever.

29. What did you do on your birthday?
My birthday was really good this year. An unseasonably warm night, friends, drinks, low key, ahhhh.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I had so many great times with people I love that live far away- I wish that I could see every last one of them more often.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
I ventured into the world of sweaters! Good for me, but honestly I am not convinced about the knits. In related fashion news I have a brand new Nordic-Boy-Built closet so all my pretty dresses look pretty in the pretty hangy box.

32. What kept you sane?
Sane in the membrane! My circle of peeps felt extra close and small this year and they kept me in good shape.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Ok, so I had this thought a month or two ago and every time I think about it I want to laugh until a peepee dance occurs. My dude is 50% Ben and 50% Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec. You have to know him to think this is funny but SHEE-YOOT it's funny. I shared this with Delium and we busted a freaking gut over it. So I guess in a way I am saying both of those guys?

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election, Hurricane Sandy, the Connecticut shooting, and gay marriage passing in Washington State.

35. Who did you miss?
So many people. Can everyone I love just move to live near me, please? I mean, really.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Katie! A long time blog friend becomes REALITY. Again! I am batting a thousand on these blog friends, you guys. Is that the right term? Batting a thousand? I am batting a really good high perfect number.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
Put time and energy where you intend to- with purpose- and let go of the rest.

38. A song lyric that sums up your year.

I can't really think of one, so I will just leave you with one that gets played/sung a lot in my house, full on. Please join me in belting it with your loved ones because it's kind of the best.

 

Hooked on a Feeling