advent calendar day 18 & etc.
Today's song: Bob Seger -- The Little Drummer Boy
It's a pretty faithful cover. Pretty, if you like that song. Not as fun as the Wyclef Jean version posted previously, but it's Bob Seger, so it doesn't have to be.
So, the meme! I genuinely forgot about it yesterday, you guys. Well, I remembered at about 9:30, but I had to go to bed, so I decided I would just double up today. Sleep trumps LJ shenanigans sometimes. Sometimes.
Day 28 → This year, in great detail
So, 2009. What did happen this year? Let's break it down by category.
Physical: I lost 27 pounds, which is not really that much, but as you may have surmised from my infrequent mentions, my body is quite stubborn when it comes to weight loss. Last year I only lost 35 total, so 27 isn't so bad. My brain is finally starting to catch up with my weight loss a little, in that there are days when I look in the mirror and think, "Huh, I actually look normal sized". They are still infrequent, but I'm working on it.
Emotional/Spiritual/Whatever you want to call it: I've done a lot of work to repair my self-esteem. My close friends have been a tremendous help in this department, particularly duckduck, who is an amazingly good sport about telling me how awesome I am when I really need to hear it. She tells me I'm pretty when I need to hear that, too. I feel for her, because I've been pretty needy this past year. Which is another thing I have finally learned: It's okay to ask for help when you need it, even if the 'help' is just an ego boost. People aren't mind readers, but if you tell them what you need, they will probably give it gladly.
Friends: I have amazing friends. Amazing, amazing friends who love me and think I'm strong, and also think that strength is an asset and not a disease or something. There have been times in the past when I've felt all alone in the world and been a big, selfish baby about it, when in fact my friends love and support me (as does my family), and that means I am never alone. This year I am working on remembering that and appreciating it every day. It's made me even stronger, I think, and gone a long way toward helping to repair my self-confidence.
Family: I lucked out in the family department as well, you guys. Since I moved to Knoxville my sister and I have gotten a lot closer than we've ever been, but this year she's really depended on me to help keep her sane while she tries to adjust to parenting two small children. Sometimes we don't see eye to eye, of course, and there are topics we will never discuss, which makes me sad, but she's become one of my closest friends, and that's really nice. There have been times in the past I wasn't sure that would ever happen, and I know she feels the same way.
I'm lucky to have family that supports and loves me no matter what, that stands by me even when I make dumb or rash decisions. My mom listens to my harebrained schemes and never says, "that's a pretty harebrained scheme". Instead she says, "sure, I will help you with that". Not just sewing projects, either. She hasn't once told me that I am an idiot for considering moving to New York, even though I'm sure the expense alone makes her cringe. She's always let me be myself, romantic fantasies and all, and that's pretty cool.
Travel: I rediscovered Minnesota, including a first visit to Duluth, which was fantastic. The company was the best ever, as usual, and it was nice to go back there after all this time and remember what I love about the Twin Cities. At 2:00 am in a truck stop in Indiana I finally scored an Indiana snowglobe, after years of fruitless searching. It was an exciting moment. The kid behind the counter thought I was insane. He wasn't that far off the mark.
Work: Work has been...work. There's been the high school drama, which we have all heard about until we can't take anymore, so it's not even worth getting into. I'm still struggling to adjust to the culture here, and I realize that I hold myself back in a lot of ways by thinking too much about the future. To that end, I am learning (very slowly) to live in the present more, to embrace the moment and enjoy the place I'm standing in instead of planning for what life will be like when I'm standing somewhere else. It's a challenge for me, because I have always looked to the next step instead of focusing on the current one. I think I'm making a little progress.
The tl;dr version of 2009 is this: I lost some weight, got a tattoo, hung out with my girls, remembered what it's like to deal with heartache, made new friends and kept the old, etc. I didn't do much writing, but what I did I am proud of. All in all, it's been a year. I'm not sorry to see it end, but I'm not saying good riddance, either.
~
Day 29 → Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
In the coming year I plan to lose some more weight, keep working on living in the moment, and keep putting myself out there more. I plan to visit New England in the summer, hopefully with the usual suspects, and I plan to finish the paranormal romance I should have finished a year ago. I'll probably also get another tattoo.
I hope to meet some new people in the area and expand my social circle some more. I hope to continue dating (only this time I will try to stick with people who aren't afraid of me), and I hope to continue rebuilding my self-esteem. I also hope to continue improving my sewing skills.
I intend to continue enjoying your company, dear friends list, and I hope you will stick around to enjoy mine. (If not, I will try not to take it personally.) Above all, I plan to be happier. You don't have to change your current direction to be happier; you only have to change your mind. Words to live by.
~
Day 01 → Your favourite song
Day 02 → Your favourite movie
Day 03 → Your favourite television program
Day 04 → Your favourite book
Day 05 → Your favourite quote
Day 06 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 → A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 → A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 → A photo you took
Day 10 → A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 → A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 → A fictional book
Day 14 → A non-fiction book
Day 15 → A fanfic
Day 16 → A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 → An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 → A talent of yours
Day 20 → A hobby of yours
Day 21 → A recipe
Day 22 → A website
Day 23 → A YouTube video
Day 24 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 → Your day, in great detail
Day 26 → Your week, in great detail
Day 27 → This month, in great detail
Day 28 → This year, in great detail
Day 29 → Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 → Whatever tickles your fancy
In other news, my Yuletide fic is posted! I am glad to have that sorted, I must say. (Though I can't say I'm happy with my title.)
Here's something interesting I noticed while up in the stacks just now looking at the New England travel guides: The NE and Appalachian books are intermingled by call number, even though they are not geographically linked. Is that a sign of some kind? I do not know. The universe does have a unique sense of humor.
It's a pretty faithful cover. Pretty, if you like that song. Not as fun as the Wyclef Jean version posted previously, but it's Bob Seger, so it doesn't have to be.
So, the meme! I genuinely forgot about it yesterday, you guys. Well, I remembered at about 9:30, but I had to go to bed, so I decided I would just double up today. Sleep trumps LJ shenanigans sometimes. Sometimes.
Day 28 → This year, in great detail
So, 2009. What did happen this year? Let's break it down by category.
Physical: I lost 27 pounds, which is not really that much, but as you may have surmised from my infrequent mentions, my body is quite stubborn when it comes to weight loss. Last year I only lost 35 total, so 27 isn't so bad. My brain is finally starting to catch up with my weight loss a little, in that there are days when I look in the mirror and think, "Huh, I actually look normal sized". They are still infrequent, but I'm working on it.
Emotional/Spiritual/Whatever you want to call it: I've done a lot of work to repair my self-esteem. My close friends have been a tremendous help in this department, particularly duckduck, who is an amazingly good sport about telling me how awesome I am when I really need to hear it. She tells me I'm pretty when I need to hear that, too. I feel for her, because I've been pretty needy this past year. Which is another thing I have finally learned: It's okay to ask for help when you need it, even if the 'help' is just an ego boost. People aren't mind readers, but if you tell them what you need, they will probably give it gladly.
Friends: I have amazing friends. Amazing, amazing friends who love me and think I'm strong, and also think that strength is an asset and not a disease or something. There have been times in the past when I've felt all alone in the world and been a big, selfish baby about it, when in fact my friends love and support me (as does my family), and that means I am never alone. This year I am working on remembering that and appreciating it every day. It's made me even stronger, I think, and gone a long way toward helping to repair my self-confidence.
Family: I lucked out in the family department as well, you guys. Since I moved to Knoxville my sister and I have gotten a lot closer than we've ever been, but this year she's really depended on me to help keep her sane while she tries to adjust to parenting two small children. Sometimes we don't see eye to eye, of course, and there are topics we will never discuss, which makes me sad, but she's become one of my closest friends, and that's really nice. There have been times in the past I wasn't sure that would ever happen, and I know she feels the same way.
I'm lucky to have family that supports and loves me no matter what, that stands by me even when I make dumb or rash decisions. My mom listens to my harebrained schemes and never says, "that's a pretty harebrained scheme". Instead she says, "sure, I will help you with that". Not just sewing projects, either. She hasn't once told me that I am an idiot for considering moving to New York, even though I'm sure the expense alone makes her cringe. She's always let me be myself, romantic fantasies and all, and that's pretty cool.
Travel: I rediscovered Minnesota, including a first visit to Duluth, which was fantastic. The company was the best ever, as usual, and it was nice to go back there after all this time and remember what I love about the Twin Cities. At 2:00 am in a truck stop in Indiana I finally scored an Indiana snowglobe, after years of fruitless searching. It was an exciting moment. The kid behind the counter thought I was insane. He wasn't that far off the mark.
Work: Work has been...work. There's been the high school drama, which we have all heard about until we can't take anymore, so it's not even worth getting into. I'm still struggling to adjust to the culture here, and I realize that I hold myself back in a lot of ways by thinking too much about the future. To that end, I am learning (very slowly) to live in the present more, to embrace the moment and enjoy the place I'm standing in instead of planning for what life will be like when I'm standing somewhere else. It's a challenge for me, because I have always looked to the next step instead of focusing on the current one. I think I'm making a little progress.
The tl;dr version of 2009 is this: I lost some weight, got a tattoo, hung out with my girls, remembered what it's like to deal with heartache, made new friends and kept the old, etc. I didn't do much writing, but what I did I am proud of. All in all, it's been a year. I'm not sorry to see it end, but I'm not saying good riddance, either.
~
Day 29 → Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
In the coming year I plan to lose some more weight, keep working on living in the moment, and keep putting myself out there more. I plan to visit New England in the summer, hopefully with the usual suspects, and I plan to finish the paranormal romance I should have finished a year ago. I'll probably also get another tattoo.
I hope to meet some new people in the area and expand my social circle some more. I hope to continue dating (only this time I will try to stick with people who aren't afraid of me), and I hope to continue rebuilding my self-esteem. I also hope to continue improving my sewing skills.
I intend to continue enjoying your company, dear friends list, and I hope you will stick around to enjoy mine. (If not, I will try not to take it personally.) Above all, I plan to be happier. You don't have to change your current direction to be happier; you only have to change your mind. Words to live by.
~
Day 01 → Your favourite song
Day 02 → Your favourite movie
Day 03 → Your favourite television program
Day 04 → Your favourite book
Day 05 → Your favourite quote
Day 06 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 → A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 → A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 → A photo you took
Day 10 → A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 → A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 → A fictional book
Day 14 → A non-fiction book
Day 15 → A fanfic
Day 16 → A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 → An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 → A talent of yours
Day 20 → A hobby of yours
Day 21 → A recipe
Day 22 → A website
Day 23 → A YouTube video
Day 24 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 → Your day, in great detail
Day 26 → Your week, in great detail
Day 27 → This month, in great detail
Day 28 → This year, in great detail
Day 29 → Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 → Whatever tickles your fancy
In other news, my Yuletide fic is posted! I am glad to have that sorted, I must say. (Though I can't say I'm happy with my title.)
Here's something interesting I noticed while up in the stacks just now looking at the New England travel guides: The NE and Appalachian books are intermingled by call number, even though they are not geographically linked. Is that a sign of some kind? I do not know. The universe does have a unique sense of humor.