January 13, 2015
thirty-six
- What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before?
Probably nothing! Well, I saw someone through a psychotic break, which was incredibly hard, and when one of my employees applied to law school I wrote a letter of recommendation for her, which was one of those, huh, I guess I am an adult moments. I also hired, fired, and gave raises, all of which I enjoyed doing.
- Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year I said “I’m not sure what I want to do. Lose ten pounds? Keep being honest? FINALLY start wearing makeup for the love of god?” I did not lose ten pounds. I did keep being honest and I did actually start wearing makeup for the love of god, although of course when I started wearing makeup I had no idea I had thought about committing to it as a new year’s resolution.
I should also clarify that when I said “keep being honest” I did not mean, like, don’t tell people lies (like I’m a Belgian countess/dog) but that I wanted to keep being honest with myself about what I wanted out of life and what I could be doing better at any given time.
- Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
- Did anyone close to you die?
No.
- What countries did you visit?
I will quote myself from last year: “this answer is always the same and I’m okay with that: Mexico and the US.” Eventually, sure, I will visit other countries but for now I find it so satisfying to go back to a very, very small town in Mexico and go snorkeling a lot.
- What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
I did not lack anything this year except for maybe ten million dollars. I had good relationships, true happiness, many wonderful times. One thing that I am going to have in 2015 that I lacked in 2014 is a good boss, because I got a new director and my old manager left (in two unrelated events) and guys, my satisfaction level at work went up about 500% when my old manager left. She was a really shitty boss. She was negative and terrible with people and never advocated for her employees. She was a half robot/half human with the very shittiest traits of both parts. God, she was terrible. It is wonderful that we are not working together any more.
- What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Hm. I’m not sure there are ones, although I had a really nice anniversary trip with my boyfriend (we stayed in an old wonderful hotel in downtown Toronto that had a wood-burning fireplace and also, there were many glasses of wine) and I enjoyed driving to the south-eastern tip of New York by myself in June (just because the last couple of hours of the drive were so pretty — I love the Hudson Valley so, so much).
- What was your biggest achievement of the year?
There were probably a thousand times during the year when I could have been involved in drama but chose not to be. In my real life, on the internet, whatever – I absolutely did not in engage in drama and it was great.
- What was your biggest failure?
My food allergies went from being bad to being terrible and ever-multiplying and I kind of rode it out in a way that wasn’t helpful (like, at times I was literally developing new food allergies every week and instead of calling a thousand doctors to help me, I just sort of removed the new allergies from my diet and went on). I want to be more proactive about them this year. Also, after a long time of not eating any meat I started eating fish again and that was really sad and hard for me.
I should write down what I am allergic to as of January 13, 2014 because I hope against the hope the list will be a lot smaller next year: cow dairy, soy, walnuts, almonds, honey, corn, sesame, egg white (but tiny amounts of egg yolk are okay), salmon, tuna, halibut, and raw apples, melons, kiwi, cherries, strawberries, bananas, pineapple, peaches, nectarines, plums, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots.
- Did you suffer illness or injury?
My food allergies stem from an extremely, extremely over-active immune system. The upside of that is that I literally never get sick.
- What was the best thing you bought?
I gave a lot of great, thoughtful gifts this year and that felt great. Also, my gift wrapping game was tight.
- Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine.
- Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Basically every day something happened in the world that appalled and depressed. Terrible crimes against women and children and minorities and man. It’s really not easy to live in this world.
- Where did most of your money go?
Rent? I realized at the end of the year that I have given my landlord $100,000 since I moved in and that number left me gobsmacked. I am really happy with my life and I love the house I live in but Jesus Shitting Christ, one hundred thousand dollars in rent?
- What did you get really excited about?
Having friends over a lot and cooking for them. I guess because I can’t eat regular food I find it so satisfying to cook delicious, wonderful things and serve lots of drinks.
- What song will always remind you of 2014?
I listened to “Reminds Me Of You” by Van Morrison on repeat for a couple of weeks. It’s really sad and poignant and perfect if you have ever missed someone (although when I found out the song was actually about a broken engagement I kind of wanted Van to reel in the melodramatics).
- Compared to this time last year, are you:
- happier or sadder? Happier, even happier than before
- thinner or fatter? Fatter, actually! I’m okay with that
- richer or poorer? Richer
- What do you wish you’d done more of?
Not totally answering the question, but I thought A LOT this year that I really wish I had yelled at my parents more when I was growing up. I was a pretty laid back, trouble-free kid, but I really wish I had been difficult and contrary instead.
- What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying. It has no point and serves no purpose.
- How did you spend Christmas?
Like last year, I spent the holiday with my boyfriend and his mom. I worked a lot (a lot) before the holiday and my boyfriend was so helpful at getting things ready that I started joking that I am actually dating a set of identical triplet brothers (because otherwise, how could he possibly work a full day, do all of the holiday food shopping, feed the cats, wrap the presents, deliver dinner to me at work etc etc etc etc). I unplugged on Christmas Eve afternoon and we had a great night of board games, birthday presents (my boyfriend’s birthday is on Christmas Day, so we do his birthday presents the day before) and general merriment. Then I got up at 5 AM for a few hours of work and then I went back to bed and slept until it was time to open presents. I was spoiled with thoughtful presents and it was great.
- Did you fall in love in 2014?
Yes. My boyfriend moved in at the end of September and I told him beforehand that I thought his cats were great and I liked them very much, but that my dear darling Chaos was always going to be my favorite cat. After all, she is 13 (and a half!) and she understands English and she has an amazing sense of humor (for a cat). Then his cats both completely stole my heart and I really do love each of our cats with my whole entire heart.
- What was your favorite TV program?
I watched Parks & Recreation from start to finish and was surprised by how much I loved it.
- Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No.
- What was the best book you read?
I’m not sure I read anything that captivated me.
- What was your greatest musical discovery?
My musical discovery of the year was sort of that listening to the Van Morrison Pandora station and cooking is always going to make me so, so happy.
- What did you want and get?
Another trip to Mexico, a very peaceful and smooth transition from living alone to living with my boyfriend and his cats, a vastly improved work situation.
- What did you want and not get?
More money from work (I got more, but I wanted MORE). No more new food allergies.
- What was your favorite film of this year?
I never, ever watch movies. I never, ever do! I don’t think I’ve been able to answer this question in any of the years I’ve done this quiz.
- What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 34. I debated a lot about where I wanted to go for dinner and then I finally decided that I wanted all of my favorite foods at home for a snack-style dinner, so my boyfriend left work and rounded everything up. I got flowers and some lovely presents from him. On the weekend following I had some people over for dinner and probably served a themed meal, although I cannot remember what it was.
- What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A really huge, 1800s-era house to renovate, restore and decorate. A dollhouse replica of Downton Abbey.
- How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
Last year I wore jeans twice and I thought maybe I would do a whole lot more of that this year. Update: no, I wore jeans literally zero times this year. I did wear yoga pants to work one day because I had a lot of errands to run and I thought I could literally run them faster if I wasn’t wearing dress shoes.
- What kept you sane?
I think being sane kept me sane.
- Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I really appreciate Barack Obama, even though my very liberal friends think is he not doing enough on any issue. As if being president equals turning into a magician who can immediately do whatever he wants. And does not have to work with a congress that stops him at every move. At any cost and with no regard to what might be best. Basically every day I want to email him and say YOU ARE DOING GREAT.
- What political issue stirred you the most?
Everything about the way the world works breaks my heart.
- Who did you miss?
My friend Lynn, still, honestly, although on the two-year anniversary of her death one of our friends posted this video of her and it was SO GREAT to see her (and completely different than seeing still pictures of her) and just being happy to see her (instead of having mixed emotions) made me realize I was in a different stage of grief than I had been the year before.
I also had some moments of missing my best friend Karen, who died when I was 24. She was astonishing.
- Who was the best new person you met?
I don’t think I met a best new person this year.
- Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.
Whatever you’re worrying about doesn’t matter.
kate 