1. What did you do in 2015 that you’d never done before?
I sent my youngest to kindergarten. I got addicted to audiobooks. I went to a women in business conference and found it was not a bunch of stupid hooey. Went to see a movie by myself.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Here is last year's - it doesn't appear I made any - so success! (again!) I do have a complex resolution system this year that I'll outline in a different post. So yes. This year, there will be resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A couple friends had babies, but I didn't visit any babies in the hospital this year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
C's Nana passed this year. We hadn't been close to her in a long time but we used to be very close. Also Eli passed, and that was and continues to be completely traumatic. Babies should never be allowed to die.
5. What countries did you visit?
Just the good ol' US of A, again. One day, man.
6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you didn’t have in 2015?
I'd really like to get moving on a new house and selling this one (ideally I'd like someone to do it for me).
7. What dates from 2015 will be etched upon your memory, and why?
August 1, 2015 - Francine joined our family.
August 26, 2015 - Henry's first day of kindergarten
October 20, 2015 - I successfully got myself off all my anxiety meds
8. What was your biggest achievement of this year?
I find that every year that I get all the way through it is a big acheivement. I just looked at last year's and survival was the big acheivement last year too. Must be the
9. What was your biggest failure?
I honestly can't think of any major failure.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, no major illnesses or barftastic times or injuries. I'm pretty healthy.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My duvet. New deck furniture.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
It's been a roller coaster this year, but I'd say that both my kids at one time or another would be on that list - other times they are on the list below but I'm refusing to put them there.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Oh, I'm going to have to go with A'Dell's answer and say my mailman is high up there. My mail never ends up in my mailbox on time.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Kids, Bills, Disney, Amazon. So much to Amazon.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The Seattle Blathering in April, NYC girls' trip in June, NYC with Sarah in August, DC with the family in October, Delaware to visit my BFF in November. Lots of trips. I love trips.
16. What song will always remind you of 2014?
Oddly, Christmas songs and Taylor Swift are still there - but now it's Spencer who is obsessed w/ Taylor Swift. Also Best Day of My life and Fight Song. My kids sing these songs ad nauseum.
17. Compared to this time last year: a) better hair or worse hair? b) more organized or less organized? (This question used to be happy/sad, thin/fat, rich/poor, and I think those are boring so I changed it this year.)
I chopped all my hair off in November and I haven't decided if it's better or not. It's hair, it grows back, right? Or maybe I need to cut it all off in a super short pixie. Who knows, it might happen.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Exercise.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Yelling - this is always my answer, unfortunately.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
We had all the grandparents over for breakfast and presents and then spent the afternoon/early evening at my inlaws' house.
21. What was your favorite TV program?
Do Rays games count? I haven't watched television in over a year and I'm no good at watching new shows on Netflix or Prime or anything. So my answers are the same as usual - Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls, Buffy, Bones. I'm rewatching Criminal Minds right now ...
21a. (New question!) Tell us about your favorite podcasts.
I listened to Serial last year but I don't as a rule listen to podcasts. I think that will change this year though. I am on a mission.
22. What was the best thing you learned?
I went on a tangent learning about Charles Lindbergh last week. It was really interesting.
23. What was the best book you read?
I read a few really fun and enjoyable series, like Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carringer (and really her other two series Prudence and Soulless), Red Rising by Pierce Brown, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Barduga, the Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny (audiobook, the narrator was just fantastic), Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, and every Lindsay Buroker book I read (God, I love her). I also listened to the audiobook of The Martian and that was delightful.
25. What was your greatest food discovery?
toasted brioche with fresh ricotta (or TJ's whole milk ricotta) and marmalade. Try it.
26. What did you want and get?
I wanted a piece of jewelry with my kids' names on it, and I got it (okay, I bought it myself). I wanted and got some Wick Habit candles (although they are pretty much gone already so I need to reorder).
27. What did you want and not get?
I can't think of anything that I didn't get. World Peace.
28. What was your favorite film of 2015?
Crud, what came out? I saw The Intern and that was amusing. Oh! Pitch Perfect 2! That was wonderful. If I add in Minions we've now covered every movie I've seen this year. Oops.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 35 this year. I can't remember what I did though it looks like we went to disney the day before. I do remember having a day date with C for our joint birthdays and we went the the Dali Museum.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2015?
I finally embraced leggings as pants. I'm sorry.
32. What kept you sane?
My pocket friends, always.
33. What political issue stirred you the most?
the Trump. God, such an ass.
34. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015.
Be compassionate to yourself and it will spread.
36. Show us one of your favorite photos from the year.
I couldn't pick one.
