New Year's Q & A: 2020
1. What did you do in 2020 that you'd never done before?
I lived the lyrics to Jingle Bells on top of a mountain in Maine.
2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I resolved to fly to a brand new destination in both 2019, and then 2020.
This year I resolve to bring Dave home to New Orleans.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Caitlin and Maikel gave us Ronan and BJ and Erica gave us Lillian in March, Chris and Bianca gave us Charles James in September
4. Did anyone close to you die?
💔Dave. Uncle Bob. Shannon. Buskey. Mango.
5. What countries did you visit?
The plan was Hockey Hall of Fame this summer in Canada, but here we are.
6. What would you like to have in 2021 that you lacked in 2020?
A camper van.
7. What date(s) from 2020 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The first two weeks of January: the long goodbye to all of my dreams.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
The LAOP Summit on Halloween (there's an early Nov post on it, if you're interested)
9. What was your biggest failure?
Everyone says it's not a failure, 'take all the time you need,' but I haven't cleared out all of Dave's stuff yet.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
That carcinoma diagnosis that I'm ignoring.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A dumpster, then a whole new living room from La-Z-Boy.
12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Let's just say a new hire at work.
13. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Scott Bartlett.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Bryac.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Krewe Bryac agreeing to come with me to New Orleans.
16. What song will always remind you of 2020?
Every single song that meant anything to Dave and me.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? This time last year was rock bottom. Today, with my friends' help, I am ok.
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Upper body, at the gym.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
'Showing up.' I think I could have given myself a break, this year, of all years.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I didn't think there'd be holiday events because of the pandemic restrictions, but I got to be Mrs. Claus at a ton of places this year, and met a lot of new Santas! Christmas plans are "Thanksgiving II: Electric Boogaloo" -- my sister and me helping mom Zoom with everyone else.
21. How will you be spending New Year’s Eve?
At Maplecrest, with my new coffee pot and project management planner.
22. Did you fall in love in 2020?
No. And I haven't fallen out of love, either.
23. Social event of the year:
DaveFest in NY
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Project Runway and RuPaul season XII
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I haven't hit hate but someone I loved this time last year is not loved right now, yeah.
26. What was the best book you read?
I had 0 time for books.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Brotherhood.
28. What did you want and get?
My green belt
29.What did you want and not get?
My bo black belt.
30. What was your favorite film that you saw for the first time this year?
I REALLY miss going to the movies.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 52 on a Saturday in January, four days after Dave died. I went to the Yale art gallery to look at my favorite Dali piece, "The Phantom Cart." I wanted to be alone, to avoid everything and everyone. I think my mother had a feeling I'd drive off the Pequonnock bridge so she tagged along.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
As ever, I am very busy. I am never home. But I want my life to have a dog in it.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2020?
ICU chic.
34. What kept you sane?
Sucking it up/not sh*tting on anyone's day.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Colin Kaepernick.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
My politics were very localized this Presidential season.
37. Who did you miss?
💔Dave. Willow. Scott. The sunnier version of myself.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Keith.
39. What did you purchase that was over $500?
Furniture, shipping fees to Cameroon (who knew??) and a new chromebook.
40. Have you run into anybody you graduated high school with?
Patti, Mary Beth, Lucy.
41. What concerts/shows did you go to?
Quarantined with my covid pod at Bryac, where live music never stops.
42. What from pop culture will you remember 2020 by?
My kickass masks from Christian Siriano
43. What do you want for Christmas?
Amtrak tickets.
44. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2020.
There is always a reason to smile. I was drowning in despair, and was very comfortable in my decision to give up. 100% of my reasons to live are gone. All my plans - ALL of my plans, included Dave. Focusing on what is lost doesn't change the circumstances. I worked very hard to find things to appreciate about being left behind this year.
45. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
But I had you to come on home to
you were all I had
Losing you, that's a different kind of sad