Year in Review Meme
I’ve stayed away for a reason. Somehow, writing about it here creates yet another finality I have to face.
Minni lost her almost-life-long battle with Chronic Kidney Failure 18 days ago. She was going to be 10 in January.
Minni "Mause" James
Precious, Precious Little Princess
January 9, 2004 - December 13, 2013
We did literally everything we could; her vet was in constant awe of her demeanor and general good health and the sheer amount of dedication and work we put in to keeping her that way. I will tell her story on her birthday, written with the care and love she deserves.
2013 in Review
1. In 2013, what were your biggest purchases?
Keeping Minni alive time after time. The road trip to Utah/Grand Canyon and the trip I won to the Halo 4 Global Championship/PAX. Also returning to school. And Xbox One.
2. What were the big events during the year?
February: Bungie revealed Destiny’s existence; I joined Destiny Dispatch almost immediately
March: Legend Zero Nation gave Destiny Dispatch a home
April: Road trip with Sissy to Utah; we traveled through the Grand Canyon to come home. At night. Past midnight. No moon. It was terrifying!
May: I made a decision to pursue my dreams outright and quit Fidelity
July: Destiny Dispatch discovered its purpose as a result with our E3 Community Livecast. Bubby moved out.
August: Minni got sick, and she would never fully recover. I returned to school. I won an invite from 343 Industries to participate in the Halo 4 Global Championship/PAX where I met video games developers, pro gamers, Major Nelson, Bungie personnel, and stepped foot inside 343 Industries’ studio.
September: Destiny Dispatch visibly united the Destiny Community, and so Bungie found us…
October: Minni’s health began its downward spiral while school started piling on projects: I fell behind in everything.
November: 11.22.13 - Xbox One arrived! Minni showed temporary improvement from my nursing and had many good days.
December: 12.13.13 - We let Minni go.
3. What would you consider your biggest accomplishments and failures for the year?
Accomplishments: Everything we’re doing/have done with Destiny Dispatch; the articles I wrote for Legend Zero Nation; Minni’s incredible progress, even to the end; actually returning to school and getting those A’s despite my world falling apart.
Failures: I lost my Princess… And I know. I know there was nothing I could do, that we kept her jubilantly alive for 8 years longer than should have been possible, and that I did what I promised I would by letting her go, but it’ll always feel like I failed her.
4. Did you have any big realizations?
I want to be an entrepreneur. It’s crazy, but… Even though I’ve gone back to chasing the dream I’ve had since I was 9-years-old -become a writer and work with video games- I always thought I’d want to work for the Man. If I could one day own my own studio though… Man, that’d be incredible.
5. What excited you most this year?
Xbox One, Destiny, and Halo, plus other games over the long haul. My short lived jubilant moments were my PAX experience and whenever we got good news about Minni.
6. Write a quick playlist of your favorite songs in 2012.
Halo Soundtracks + Ludovico Einaudi
7. What should you have done more of and less of?
More: I just wish there had been more time; I know I couldn’t have done more than what I did.
Less: The same answer, I suppose. For once, I did what I needed to do consistently with what time I had.
8. What were the best:
A) Books - Halo: Silentium by Greg Bear - I’m not sure how many times I’ve read/listened to that book.
B) Movies - Thor 2! Because Loki! <3 Star Trek Into Darkness! Because Benedict Cumberbatch! <3 Catching Fire; The Hobbit 2; Frozen
C) Video Games - Halo: Spartan Assault, Crysis 3, and the iOS mobile app of Injustice: Gods Among Us
D) Fanfics - I didn’t have much time to read fics this year, but when I did, they always seemed to be badfics. :|
E) TV Shows - I actually watched TV DVR/Hulu this year! The Blacklist, My Little Pony, Adventure Time, The Amazing World of Gumball, Agents of Shield, and… Once Upon A Time.
9. The biggest disappointments and heartbreaks in 2012 were...
Losing Minni. I stopped leaving the house for the last year of her life; I ensured she was never left alone because she hated it… I was there almost every second, hand-feeding her, giving her water by syringe if she wasn’t drinking enough, watching her sleep… I knew. The whole family knew, despite her exuberant exterior, despite our hope. She was such a fighter, so dedicated and loyal. So very, very happy and bursting with life.
10. Which current events and political issues captured your attention?
I admit that I got dragged into the Console Wars this year. Let the record show that I, as an Xbox Fangirl, wasn’t against the PS4 or Sony until they and their fan army repeatedly called us and Microsoft out, and then destroyed the best elements of the new console! It was like the Republican Primaries!
11. The YouTube Slot of 2013 goes to...
Battlefield Friends! The whole series is hilarious, and I don’t even play Battlefield!
12. Mention anything you feel the meme has left out here.
This year has been one of incredible growth and amazing experiences. I should consider it the best of my life, but I also lost the one furry little person I dedicated my days to protecting and keeping happy. Right now, I hate 2013. It’s the worst year ever imagined.
13. What did you get or do this year that you'll never forget?
Destiny Dispatch | Legend Zero | Utah/Grand Canyon | PAX/H4GC/343i
Losing Minni
14. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
I learned to physically let go, but emotionally… Well, I’m still learning that.
I also learned how much I know and how much I can contribute, particularly in a team environment. You really don’t know what you’re capable of until you let yourself pursue your goals, and you have friends there to help you do just that.
15. What big plans do you have for 2014?
Most of those are top secret, actually. LOL I can say our comic, Fireteam Grisly, will be debuting mid-January, though. I’ll keep working through Minni’s death, find the ways to keep her and everything she taught me alive. I’ll also be transferring to UTD to pursue my major - they’re the only school in Texas that has it. Because they take a while to acquire, we’re already looking at breeders for our next miniature schnauzers - plural. We’ll be getting 2 so they’re dependent on each other. Minni’s unique relationship with us will remain that way forever.
Minni lost her almost-life-long battle with Chronic Kidney Failure 18 days ago. She was going to be 10 in January.
Minni "Mause" James
Precious, Precious Little Princess
January 9, 2004 - December 13, 2013
We did literally everything we could; her vet was in constant awe of her demeanor and general good health and the sheer amount of dedication and work we put in to keeping her that way. I will tell her story on her birthday, written with the care and love she deserves.
2013 in Review
1. In 2013, what were your biggest purchases?
Keeping Minni alive time after time. The road trip to Utah/Grand Canyon and the trip I won to the Halo 4 Global Championship/PAX. Also returning to school. And Xbox One.
2. What were the big events during the year?
February: Bungie revealed Destiny’s existence; I joined Destiny Dispatch almost immediately
March: Legend Zero Nation gave Destiny Dispatch a home
April: Road trip with Sissy to Utah; we traveled through the Grand Canyon to come home. At night. Past midnight. No moon. It was terrifying!
May: I made a decision to pursue my dreams outright and quit Fidelity
July: Destiny Dispatch discovered its purpose as a result with our E3 Community Livecast. Bubby moved out.
August: Minni got sick, and she would never fully recover. I returned to school. I won an invite from 343 Industries to participate in the Halo 4 Global Championship/PAX where I met video games developers, pro gamers, Major Nelson, Bungie personnel, and stepped foot inside 343 Industries’ studio.
September: Destiny Dispatch visibly united the Destiny Community, and so Bungie found us…
October: Minni’s health began its downward spiral while school started piling on projects: I fell behind in everything.
November: 11.22.13 - Xbox One arrived! Minni showed temporary improvement from my nursing and had many good days.
December: 12.13.13 - We let Minni go.
3. What would you consider your biggest accomplishments and failures for the year?
Accomplishments: Everything we’re doing/have done with Destiny Dispatch; the articles I wrote for Legend Zero Nation; Minni’s incredible progress, even to the end; actually returning to school and getting those A’s despite my world falling apart.
Failures: I lost my Princess… And I know. I know there was nothing I could do, that we kept her jubilantly alive for 8 years longer than should have been possible, and that I did what I promised I would by letting her go, but it’ll always feel like I failed her.
4. Did you have any big realizations?
I want to be an entrepreneur. It’s crazy, but… Even though I’ve gone back to chasing the dream I’ve had since I was 9-years-old -become a writer and work with video games- I always thought I’d want to work for the Man. If I could one day own my own studio though… Man, that’d be incredible.
5. What excited you most this year?
Xbox One, Destiny, and Halo, plus other games over the long haul. My short lived jubilant moments were my PAX experience and whenever we got good news about Minni.
6. Write a quick playlist of your favorite songs in 2012.
Halo Soundtracks + Ludovico Einaudi
7. What should you have done more of and less of?
More: I just wish there had been more time; I know I couldn’t have done more than what I did.
Less: The same answer, I suppose. For once, I did what I needed to do consistently with what time I had.
8. What were the best:
A) Books - Halo: Silentium by Greg Bear - I’m not sure how many times I’ve read/listened to that book.
B) Movies - Thor 2! Because Loki! <3 Star Trek Into Darkness! Because Benedict Cumberbatch! <3 Catching Fire; The Hobbit 2; Frozen
C) Video Games - Halo: Spartan Assault, Crysis 3, and the iOS mobile app of Injustice: Gods Among Us
D) Fanfics - I didn’t have much time to read fics this year, but when I did, they always seemed to be badfics. :|
E) TV Shows - I actually watched TV DVR/Hulu this year! The Blacklist, My Little Pony, Adventure Time, The Amazing World of Gumball, Agents of Shield, and… Once Upon A Time.
9. The biggest disappointments and heartbreaks in 2012 were...
Losing Minni. I stopped leaving the house for the last year of her life; I ensured she was never left alone because she hated it… I was there almost every second, hand-feeding her, giving her water by syringe if she wasn’t drinking enough, watching her sleep… I knew. The whole family knew, despite her exuberant exterior, despite our hope. She was such a fighter, so dedicated and loyal. So very, very happy and bursting with life.
10. Which current events and political issues captured your attention?
I admit that I got dragged into the Console Wars this year. Let the record show that I, as an Xbox Fangirl, wasn’t against the PS4 or Sony until they and their fan army repeatedly called us and Microsoft out, and then destroyed the best elements of the new console! It was like the Republican Primaries!
11. The YouTube Slot of 2013 goes to...
Battlefield Friends! The whole series is hilarious, and I don’t even play Battlefield!
Click to view12. Mention anything you feel the meme has left out here.
This year has been one of incredible growth and amazing experiences. I should consider it the best of my life, but I also lost the one furry little person I dedicated my days to protecting and keeping happy. Right now, I hate 2013. It’s the worst year ever imagined.
13. What did you get or do this year that you'll never forget?
Destiny Dispatch | Legend Zero | Utah/Grand Canyon | PAX/H4GC/343i
Losing Minni
14. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
I learned to physically let go, but emotionally… Well, I’m still learning that.
I also learned how much I know and how much I can contribute, particularly in a team environment. You really don’t know what you’re capable of until you let yourself pursue your goals, and you have friends there to help you do just that.
15. What big plans do you have for 2014?
Most of those are top secret, actually. LOL I can say our comic, Fireteam Grisly, will be debuting mid-January, though. I’ll keep working through Minni’s death, find the ways to keep her and everything she taught me alive. I’ll also be transferring to UTD to pursue my major - they’re the only school in Texas that has it. Because they take a while to acquire, we’re already looking at breeders for our next miniature schnauzers - plural. We’ll be getting 2 so they’re dependent on each other. Minni’s unique relationship with us will remain that way forever.