No time like the present
Not once did I post in 2014, which of course is unsurprsing other than the fact that I would like to keep up with the New Year's reflections. But no such luck. So in keeping tradition of skipping years, here is my recount of celebrating incoming 2015, my hopes for the new year and a look back on 2014, for nothing more than posterity.
RINGING IN 2015
The evening started with joining a good group of friends, Chris, Vicky (newly returned from Vietnam), Mel, Maddog, Danny and Lissy, at Dat Dogs on Freret where the motto should be "One dog is never enough." A guiness dog on a sweet bread bun with the perfect amount of mustard and saurcraut joined my nearly forgettable cider. Maybe I should have gone with a beer with guts. Still, it was a perfect start to the evening. They say always leave your audience wanting more, and I as the audience definitely left dreaming of some entirely unneeded seconds.
I continued the night by returning to a New Year's Eve favorite. I spent my evening drinking and being merry with good friends at Finn McCool's in Mid City. Mel, Lissy, Brett among others rounded out a light crowd, but a good crowd. The night air was not so brisk, but at least it wasn't a repeat of last year's chilly rain. I could enjoy sitting outside watching as fireworks illuminated the sky and sent sparks on to the ground.
I have to confess, this year's countdown was a little less than amazing. I probably yawned and missed it. Maybe it was because of that jerk in the courderoy jacket who kept shouting a countdown over and over again basically from an hour beforehand. Or maybe it was just a less-than-enthused holiday glum I've been experiencing. My first New Year's resolution should probably be to find the magic in holidays again.
MOVING FORWARD
2014 was neither good nor bad really. I have had a decent job for the past 2 years that has afforded me many of the luxeries as a single lady in the medium-sized city of sprawl. I don't especially enjoy Baton Rouge, but I have made it out to the New Orleans area enough times to see friends and family that I don't feel completely secluded like when I was living in Texas City.
I've gone to out of state music festivals, Hangout and Austin City Limits with friends. I think I might be getting to old for that shit. I loved the music, and don't get me wrong, I'm more than OK with walking miles and getting gross and sore from a day in the trenches. But the crowds were frustrating. And let me use my petulant child voice for a second, "People are mean." Shoved, stepped on, blocked. It just took the enjoyment out of the whole experience for me. I'm sure that's part of the fun for many, but I'm out.
I haven't really increased my pool of friends or even dated much. I suppose that might be good to work on. I did try out OKCupid for a while, and while I am hesitant to call it a mistake or a waste of time, I will say it turned out to be a huge drag and netted some less than stellar folk. The rejections by me and of me was pretty much a downer.
A friend my past has been staying with me and my sister for the past 6 weeks. I met Dominic in Scotland and 2005 and visited him in his homeland of New Zealand in 2007 along with my sister. The two of them hit it off and he decided to visit us around Christmas. He's been real fun and he's been doing out dishes. It's been nice.
I'm looking forward to shaking up 2015 if not one day at a time, at least bi-monthly.
2014 (and a little bit of 2013) ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2014 proved to be pretty big for my accomplishments. I'm sure I'll miss some, but I've started cooking a lot more, and now it's time to start cooking healthier. I did look into a culinary institute, although I made the wholly logical but maybe no-fun stance to turn down going there. The program was great and would be incredibly worthwhile, but the cost and time committment would end up being a deal breaker.
I stuck with guitar pretty well, but I'll credit my instructor with keeping me with it. I did tend to lag a little toward the end of the year. So it's time to jump right back in there. Musically, I'm a bit awful, but I enjoy it, even if I'll never be on stage. Who would want that anyway?
Running has been a big thing over the past couple years. I've done many, many 5ks walking, jogging, walking and jogging; i've done some 10Ks, and one 8K. I even walk-jogged a half marathon. That. Was. Rough. And grueling. I didn't walk right for about a week. And I didn't run again for a while. I was doing pretty well with running right up until this past summer. And then the heat came. And I got a little whiny. There's no lying here. Mostly. With the return of fall and winter, I'm getting back into the groove. I'm not there yet, but I'll be back in it.
One of the best accomplishments for 2014 was making it to New York for my birthday to see the Christmas decorations and lights. I saw Santa at Macy's and froze atop the Empire State Building because I refrused to leave despite the chilly rain. I saw the tree at Rockafeller Center and ice skated below. I made it to Times Square and I waved at the Statue of LIberty from afar. I cried at the 9/11 Museum. I walked and walked until I wanted to cry. I rode the subway and somehow didn't get lost. I ordered Chinese food at 2 in the morning and bought a dollar pizza slice and ate it on the sidewalk after a night at the bar. I made it count. And it wasn't enough. I will be back.
I'll add in here that I did end up taking a surfing camp in 2013, but I didn't expand on my lessons like I wanted to in 2014.
2015 GOALS
Some of these are rollover.
- Take some sort of class, whether it be art, marshal arts or computer design
- Join a meetup group or book group (not OKCupid or even EHarmony or Match)
- Continue to expand on surfing, guitaring and cooking
- Go to Japan (well, the trip is already planned)
- Balance spending (hmm)
- Get back to writing. (I can do better than this)
- Move more. Eat food, not too much, mostly plants
- Run a half marathon
- Visit family in Chicag
- Find new places to eat breakfast in BR
IN REFLECTION QUESTIONNAIRE
Stolen, of course
1. What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before? .
2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? sLooking back at them, I really didn't so I'll move them forward. 2015 Resolution: Be a better person, volunteer and keep negative comments to myself (once again).
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? My cousin had a beautiful little girl in late 2013. No one close to me in 2014... unless I'm having a major pfft.
4. Did anyone close to you die? My aunt died. She was a good person who had a lot of issues. I wasn't as close to her in recent years, but there are so many ways that she has impacted my life.
5. What places did you visit? Gulf Shores for Hangout; Austin for ACL; NYC; no where really else. Will have to work on that.
6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014? A second job
7. What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Pass
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Finishing the Crescent City Classic.
9. What was your biggest failure? Not trying to write
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? No.
11. What was the best thing you bought? A plane ticket to New York.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Ally and Shay taking on Boston.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled, depressed, angry, etc.? I tried to be mostly supportive this year of people choices. They are their own. The only people who made me angry were those who questioned and snubbed their noses at my choices.
14. Where did most of your money go? Probably food.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? So many things: New York, Dominic's visit, music festivals, trips to New Orleans, a visit from some Texas friends, ladies nights, game nights
16. What songs will always remind you of 2014? I can never remember when songs came out and they never bring me back to a year, but here are some that I've been enjoying: Take me to church by Hozier; Rip Tide by Vance Joy; Get Lucky by Daft Punk.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? sadder
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter or about the same.
iii. richer or poorer? about the same
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Eat better.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Watch tv.
20. How did you spend Christmas? I spent the day at my parents’ house with my family.
21. Did you fall in love in 2012? No, but I did get a couple of crushes, shortlived.
22. What would you do if you met yourself? Become incredibly jealous and wondering if my other self is living life better.
23. What was your favorite TV program? Agents of SHIELD, Once upon a time, The Mindy Project, Mixology
24. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn't dislike this time last year? I'm sure I do.
25. What was the best book you read? I was actually pretty impressed with The Gone Away World.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Take me to church
27. What did you want and get? A drama free year
28. What did you want and not get? A trip to the moon ... seriously
29. What was your favorite film of this year? Guardians of the Galaxy
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I went to a comedy club in NYC.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Living in New York City. I have found over my 33 years that a trip really needs to be at least 6 months long.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014? A bit thrown together and shrinking. Curious.
33. What kept you sane? Trips to N.O.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most? Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, Melissa McCarthy, hell all the comediennes bringing the heat.
35. What issue in the news stirred you the most? The lost plane. How do you lose a plane?
36. Who/What did you miss? Definitely Ally.
37. Who was the best new person you met/got to know? Annie.
38. What concerts/performances did you attend? My sister is doing really well on the play circuit and I've gone to see many dramas, of which the sets she helped build.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014: Nothing happens unless I make it happen.
40. What quote sums up your year?: "I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it."