2019 new year's meme
here to make my annual appearance on this blog for the 2019 edition of a meme that i've been doing for a ridiculously long time at this point. as ridiculous as it is, it's actually become an instinctive habit at this point and is also something that i actually enjoy doing. if it weren't for this meme, there would honestly be even larger chunks of my life that i wouldn't be able to recall at all. it's a really awesome memory aid for me and a relatively reliable record of my life's journey. <3
my old apartment in Yokohama a day before moving out
2019 has been a year of huge changes in my life. i never would have imagined a year ago-let alone three or five-that i would be where i am today, both in the literal and in the figurative sense. i've now been back in the states for ~9 months after having lived abroad for over 11 years... reverse culture shock is still something that i deal with daily, but it's getting better. i'm sitting in bed next to my partner after having long since assumed that i may never be partnered again-which I'd more or less come to terms with and even come to embrace. those two things are but two of many changes that i've undergone this past year and i'm happy to say that for the most part, none of those changes have been negative; i'm ending this decade on a somewhat positive note with a dash of optimism with regards to the new decade to come.
that is, so long as i overlook Trump's existence.
but anyway i digress. i'll just shut up now and get on with the meme.
previous new year's memes:
2018 :: 2017 :: 2016 :: 2015 :: 2014 :: 2013 :: 2012 :: 2011 :: 2010 :: 2009 :: 2008 :: 2007
1. What did you do in 2019 that you'd never done before?
- failed to get into a single grad school program
- moved myself internationally entirely on my own dime
- moved back to the US long-term
- defaulted on my Japanese credit card...
- legally changed my name
- legally changed my gender marker (only on my license atm)
- did The Big Chop! bye bye 11+ years of locs
- got a super short haircut & maintained it myself
- been read as various shades of "queer" while being in the US
- worked in animal control / at an animal shelter
- bought financed a fucking [used] car
- adopted ferrets
- attended a Black Queer Pride/event
- finally achieved my childhood dream of owning having an SUV
- signed up for car & health insurance in the US of fucking A
- visited (& loved) Planned Parenthood
2. Did you keep your New Years resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
*resolutions for 2019:
- learn how to cut my own hair. → CHECK! although still a work in progress
- ...get into grad school? → FAILED...
- do reasonably well in grad school? → FAIL... see above
- don't give up on myself if i don't get into a program. → CHECK? i haven't given up, so...
- move back to the States, finances intact. → CHECK/FAIL? can't really say that my finances are intact at all...
- relearn how to be a brokeass person in America. → CHECK? still a work in progress, but...
- land a part-time (?) job at least until something better or grad school comes around. → CHECK? landed a 6-month contract job and now need to land another job...
- no mental breakdowns. → CHECK!
- TRY to not complain excessively about life in America. → CHECK?? Caspian says i've succeeded at this, but...
- pull my weight financially. → FAIL...
- be kind to myself. → ...CHECK?
- grow and be a good partner. → CHECK, i think?
- use Instagram more. → FAILFAILFAILFAIL
*resolutions for 2020:
- land a job before Feb 2020
- switch fields before the year's out (go to a bootcamp / school in some capacity)
- move out of Mount Vernon
- no late car payments
- finish 2020 more financially stable than i am now
- blog/vlog regularly
- read more
- use a budgeting app to track spending & create healthy budgeting habits
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
- no?
4. Did anyone close to you die?
- not that i can think of...
5. What countries did you visit?
- n/a (moved countries, not visited)
6. What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?
- new career prospects
- career longevity
- [eventual] financial stability
- healthy budgeting habits
- better spending habits
7. What dates from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory?
- March 25th, 2019 (JST+PST): boarded a flight from NRT to SEA with Calcifer in tow; landed in Seattle and began the first day of my life with Caspian that same day (timezones!)
- April 18th, 2019: got notification of my legal name change by mail
- May 18th, 2019: did The Big Chop at Mr. Naturalz
- August 8th, 2019: signed my life away for the [used] SUV of my dreams
- November 23rd, 2019: changed the gender marker on my license to "X"
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
- leaving Japan
- moving in with Caspian
- legal name/gender marker change
- getting a car
9. What was your biggest failure?
- not getting into grad school
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
- no, thankfully.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
- 2015 Nissan Rogue SV
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
- Caspian's for doing their best to take better care of themself mentally and physically this year, despite having a lot on their plate work-wise and health-wise.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
- until he is no longer relevant, Trump.
14. Where did most of your money go?
- final expenses in Japan (fucking rental agreement)
- bills (inc. the car/gas)
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
- finally living with Caspian
- cutting my locs off
- changing my name / gender marker
- getting a car
16. What song/album will always remind you of 2019?
*checks Spotify*
- Ladytron - Deadzone
- Ladytron - Paper Highways
- Vitalic - Waiting for the Stars (feat. ft. David Shaw And The Beat)
- Gorillaz - Charger (feat. Grace Jones)
- Myth and Roid - Shadowgraph (Boogiepop wa Warawanai OP)
- LSD - Genius (Lil Wayne Remix)
- Röyksopp - I Wanna Know (Lost Tapes)
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a. happier or sadder?
- happier
b. thinner or fatter?
- fatter. 2kg+ fatter...
c. richer or poorer?
- poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
- saving money. (same as last year)
- vlogging & blogging
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
- spending money. (same as last year)
- crashing / vegetating after work rather than being productive.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
- sleeping & doing this meme with Caspian.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
- Kesha & mom
22. Did you fall in love in 2019
- does 'more in love' count?
23. How many one night stands in this last year?
- ha.
24. What was your favorite TV programme?
- POSE
- Steven Universe
- Handmaid's Tale
- Raising Dion
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
- nope.
26. What was the best book(s) you read?
- "Sweet Tea" by E. Patrick Johnson
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
- N/A?
28. What did you want and get?
- a car
- stationary stuff?
- a life with Caspian
29. What did you want and not get?
- entry into a grad school program
30. What were your favourite films of this year?
- "Harriet"
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
- was 34. spent the day with Caspian.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
- financial stability
- getting into grad school
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019?
*if i had a "concept" it was the same as always:
- grayscale with some brown and yellow.
- coats/jackets/sweaters.
- rings.
- boots.
- hats.*
(same as always. i never change.)
(*a 2019 addition, but has long been a thing)
34. What kept you sane?
- music.
- Caspian.
- Calcifer.
(same as always.)
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
- Robyn Crawford (+1)
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
- Trump can go jump off a cliff already. (same.)
37. Who did you miss?
- hmm.... if Yokohama were a person...
38. Who was the best new person you met?
- Pam & Sherry at the shelter
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019.
- America sucksass, but is liveable. just barely.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
♪ "We sleepwalk into fire
A cloud of doubt just passed us by
We hide the truth behind a screen
This fire won't burn my dream
Weightless, you were dreaming
When you wake don't forget
This world keeps turning
If the sun sets to the west"
- Ladytron - Paper Highways ♫
my old apartment in Yokohama a day before moving out
2019 has been a year of huge changes in my life. i never would have imagined a year ago-let alone three or five-that i would be where i am today, both in the literal and in the figurative sense. i've now been back in the states for ~9 months after having lived abroad for over 11 years... reverse culture shock is still something that i deal with daily, but it's getting better. i'm sitting in bed next to my partner after having long since assumed that i may never be partnered again-which I'd more or less come to terms with and even come to embrace. those two things are but two of many changes that i've undergone this past year and i'm happy to say that for the most part, none of those changes have been negative; i'm ending this decade on a somewhat positive note with a dash of optimism with regards to the new decade to come.
that is, so long as i overlook Trump's existence.
but anyway i digress. i'll just shut up now and get on with the meme.
previous new year's memes:
2018 :: 2017 :: 2016 :: 2015 :: 2014 :: 2013 :: 2012 :: 2011 :: 2010 :: 2009 :: 2008 :: 2007
1. What did you do in 2019 that you'd never done before?
- failed to get into a single grad school program
- moved myself internationally entirely on my own dime
- moved back to the US long-term
- defaulted on my Japanese credit card...
- legally changed my name
- legally changed my gender marker (only on my license atm)
- did The Big Chop! bye bye 11+ years of locs
- got a super short haircut & maintained it myself
- been read as various shades of "queer" while being in the US
- worked in animal control / at an animal shelter
- bought financed a fucking [used] car
- adopted ferrets
- attended a Black Queer Pride/event
- finally achieved my childhood dream of owning having an SUV
- signed up for car & health insurance in the US of fucking A
- visited (& loved) Planned Parenthood
2. Did you keep your New Years resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
*resolutions for 2019:
- learn how to cut my own hair. → CHECK! although still a work in progress
- ...get into grad school? → FAILED...
- do reasonably well in grad school? → FAIL... see above
- don't give up on myself if i don't get into a program. → CHECK? i haven't given up, so...
- move back to the States, finances intact. → CHECK/FAIL? can't really say that my finances are intact at all...
- relearn how to be a brokeass person in America. → CHECK? still a work in progress, but...
- land a part-time (?) job at least until something better or grad school comes around. → CHECK? landed a 6-month contract job and now need to land another job...
- no mental breakdowns. → CHECK!
- TRY to not complain excessively about life in America. → CHECK?? Caspian says i've succeeded at this, but...
- pull my weight financially. → FAIL...
- be kind to myself. → ...CHECK?
- grow and be a good partner. → CHECK, i think?
- use Instagram more. → FAILFAILFAILFAIL
*resolutions for 2020:
- land a job before Feb 2020
- switch fields before the year's out (go to a bootcamp / school in some capacity)
- move out of Mount Vernon
- no late car payments
- finish 2020 more financially stable than i am now
- blog/vlog regularly
- read more
- use a budgeting app to track spending & create healthy budgeting habits
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
- no?
4. Did anyone close to you die?
- not that i can think of...
5. What countries did you visit?
- n/a (moved countries, not visited)
6. What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?
- new career prospects
- career longevity
- [eventual] financial stability
- healthy budgeting habits
- better spending habits
7. What dates from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory?
- March 25th, 2019 (JST+PST): boarded a flight from NRT to SEA with Calcifer in tow; landed in Seattle and began the first day of my life with Caspian that same day (timezones!)
- April 18th, 2019: got notification of my legal name change by mail
- May 18th, 2019: did The Big Chop at Mr. Naturalz
- August 8th, 2019: signed my life away for the [used] SUV of my dreams
- November 23rd, 2019: changed the gender marker on my license to "X"
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
- leaving Japan
- moving in with Caspian
- legal name/gender marker change
- getting a car
9. What was your biggest failure?
- not getting into grad school
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
- no, thankfully.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
- 2015 Nissan Rogue SV
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
- Caspian's for doing their best to take better care of themself mentally and physically this year, despite having a lot on their plate work-wise and health-wise.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
- until he is no longer relevant, Trump.
14. Where did most of your money go?
- final expenses in Japan (fucking rental agreement)
- bills (inc. the car/gas)
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
- finally living with Caspian
- cutting my locs off
- changing my name / gender marker
- getting a car
16. What song/album will always remind you of 2019?
*checks Spotify*
- Ladytron - Deadzone
- Ladytron - Paper Highways
- Vitalic - Waiting for the Stars (feat. ft. David Shaw And The Beat)
- Gorillaz - Charger (feat. Grace Jones)
- Myth and Roid - Shadowgraph (Boogiepop wa Warawanai OP)
- LSD - Genius (Lil Wayne Remix)
- Röyksopp - I Wanna Know (Lost Tapes)
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a. happier or sadder?
- happier
b. thinner or fatter?
- fatter. 2kg+ fatter...
c. richer or poorer?
- poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
- saving money. (same as last year)
- vlogging & blogging
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
- spending money. (same as last year)
- crashing / vegetating after work rather than being productive.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
- sleeping & doing this meme with Caspian.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
- Kesha & mom
22. Did you fall in love in 2019
- does 'more in love' count?
23. How many one night stands in this last year?
- ha.
24. What was your favorite TV programme?
- POSE
- Steven Universe
- Handmaid's Tale
- Raising Dion
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
- nope.
26. What was the best book(s) you read?
- "Sweet Tea" by E. Patrick Johnson
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
- N/A?
28. What did you want and get?
- a car
- stationary stuff?
- a life with Caspian
29. What did you want and not get?
- entry into a grad school program
30. What were your favourite films of this year?
- "Harriet"
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
- was 34. spent the day with Caspian.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
- financial stability
- getting into grad school
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019?
*if i had a "concept" it was the same as always:
- grayscale with some brown and yellow.
- coats/jackets/sweaters.
- rings.
- boots.
- hats.*
(same as always. i never change.)
(*a 2019 addition, but has long been a thing)
34. What kept you sane?
- music.
- Caspian.
- Calcifer.
(same as always.)
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
- Robyn Crawford (+1)
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
- Trump can go jump off a cliff already. (same.)
37. Who did you miss?
- hmm.... if Yokohama were a person...
38. Who was the best new person you met?
- Pam & Sherry at the shelter
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019.
- America sucksass, but is liveable. just barely.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Click to view♪ "We sleepwalk into fire
A cloud of doubt just passed us by
We hide the truth behind a screen
This fire won't burn my dream
Weightless, you were dreaming
When you wake don't forget
This world keeps turning
If the sun sets to the west"
- Ladytron - Paper Highways ♫