[Meme] 2016 in Review
Better super late than never.
1. What did you do in 2016 that you'd never done before?
Went to an NHL playoff game (Blackhawks lost though, whomp whomp n_n;); acquired a significant other with whom I’m oddly compatible with, and experiencing all the bells and whistles that go with (e.g., meeting his parents within one week of him meeting mine within only 3 or so months of dating WAS TERRIFYINGLY FAST-TRACKED EARLY ON??); SHOT A SEMI-AUTOMATIC; diversified my financial portfolio; asked a few questions during an expert deposition; BOUGHT A 60” SMART-TV; bought a gaming console (PS4!) and some console games that I will probably never play lol; started playing Pokemon Go and The Trail; was forced to play some Resident Evil 4; contributed artwork to a wedding. So, sorta eventful?
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Looking back at the list from 2016, here we go again.
- Visit either London or Hong Kong.
Didn’t happen, alas. In fact, I didn’t take a single vacation/travel anywhere in 2016. It was GREAT /sarcasm
- Finish That One SNK fic.
Didn’t happen either. It’s currently sitting in my google drive drafts folder, about 60% complete and MOCKING ME in this fandomless void I’ve been apparently stuck in since god knows when.
- Start on That One SNK doujinshi (i.e., sketch/lay out at least one bloody page).
/HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER
- Find and buy 2 pieces of furniture that I actually like.
Success on this front! I finally bought a living room set (BLACK LEATHER SECTIONAL COUCH GET!) that I love, and a bedroom set which, while I’m not 100% happy with, still looks good. Also, I love my extra firm mattress--it is a soft, dense brick of loveliness. XD There’s the TV too. Guess that’s a likable purchase (though I will admit to using it more to watch YouTube content than anything else--please to be releasing a remaster of Okami on PS4 already? :O).
- Buy a pair of leather pants.
Haven’t found any store that sold one to my liking.
- Start practicing Tai Qi again.
/jazzhands
Do I want to make more resolutions? Not particularly, no. However, it is fun in that somewhat masochistic way to revisit how far off target my aim can get, so why the hell not:
- TAKE A VACATION (or two), somewhere overseas.
- Become an artist alley vendor again.
- Find a fandom to play in again.
- Get some abdominal definition IDEK
- Teach the boy how to play mahjong and/or enjoy an anime series (even though he isn’t all that interested in fiction/fantasy, I’m going to do this gdi).
- Get better/faster internet service for all that my building is fucking wired as if it’s stuck in the bloody 20th century.
- Watch Wonder Woman in theatres.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
I was a sad vacationless schmuck in 2016. However, 2017 may prove differently… here’s to hoping.
6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?
More vacations. More motivation/drive to do fandom-y things again.
7. What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
2016/12/31. After working the entire day and just as we were getting ready to go out to new year’s eve parties, I received a call from one of my credit card providers warning about fraud. Specifically, there were apparently 2 charges made on that card in Tuscanny, FL. Walgreens and Wendy’s to be precise. So while I was on the phone with the rep, I tried to find my wallet to confirm. Only I couldn’t immediately find it. This led to an immediate assumption that I’d somehow dropped my wallet somewhere between coming back from a trip to Costco the night before. Cue massive freakout regarding potential identity theft, rapid cancellation of 3 credit cards and my CTA pass, and then, just as I was about to head on out despite the utter dismay and shit mood I was in… I found my wallet. In a corner by the front door on top of shoes of the same colour.
Needless to say, my shit mood then went through another joyride of massive relief in combination with massive self-disappointment because I’d just irreversibly cancelled all my main cards/passes. Emotional whiplash, hello. I’d forcibly started 2017 with multiple new financial accoutrements.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Does acquiring a boyfriend count? LOL
9. What was your biggest failure?
Nothing really stands out in my memories as constituting a failure. Maybe the sense that I got super burned out from work and started becoming a bit dissatisfied with my own performance near the end of the year?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I got sick because of the boy. Definitely highlights how people in general are petri dishes.
11. What were the best things you bought?
My beautiful black leather L sectional, bedroom mattress, and… I guess the PS4? But only mostly because of its bluray player capabilities (might’ve gone a little overboard with all my movie purchases last year, including the LotR extended edition box set and Deadpool).
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Not sure if there was much to merit celebration this year… idek, Bernie Sanders?
13. Whose behaviour appalled you?
Last year’s answer: Why the hell is Donald Trump allowed to speak? Why.
This year’s answer: Welcome to the United States of Trump where fascism is alive and well. Fuck everything.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage, furniture, and diversification of my financial portfolio.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I don’t think “excitement” is quite the right word for the “HOLY SHIT WHAT AM I DOING” rollercoaster of emotions I went through when things started getting serious and fast with the boy. Perhaps there was a fleeting sense of excitement when I finally bought the TV?
16. What song will always remind you of 2016?
Maybe the Warsongs remixes from League of Legends? Don’t even play the game, and most definitely not interested in picking it up, but will concede that they have really good music.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Still straddling that middle line of content. It’s a good place to be.
ii. thinner or fatter? I think I’d remained the same. May have lost some weight, but nothing drastic.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer, I’d imagine.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Answer remains unchanged from last year: more creative crap.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Working. Maybe less freaking out about the boy and how fast the relationship was moving in the first few months? Though granted, it was moving REALLY FUCKING FAST.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Spent it with my parents. Gave them new smartphones and passed on my OnePlus 1 to my sister. Nothing big or special.
21. Where did you ring in 2016? How will you ring in 2017?
Boy oh boy, thank you 2015/16 self for keeping the “BTW, this is what you are doing as you write this” tradition alive. 2016: Last year, my parents and sister came to visit me in Chicago, where we cooked in my kitchen; ate on a sad little collapsible table; and sat on two collapsible chairs, a computer chair, and a large ice cooler. Then we walked up and down Michigan Avenue for an hour, came back, and completely missed/meh'd the Navy Pier fireworks when 2016 rung in half an hour later.
This year I went to two new year’s eve parties--the first was at the house of one of my friends, where DBZ abridged played in the background, there were kitties running around the apartment, lots of wine, and where Cards Against Humanity was brought out JUST AS WE HAD TO LEAVE >:( The second was then at the boy’s best friend’s place, where it was like a somewhat toned-down frat party come to life, and where during the 12 seconds counting down to midnight, I found myself shoving 12 grapes into my mouth (one for each second) per the Spanish tradition and trying not to choke. The hilarious backstory to that? The boy was sick the entire day, and earlier that day had asked me to buy grapes. No explanation, just “you must listen to me Cyn, I need grapes. You have to buy grapes. You think I’m crazy, but I’m telling you, I need grapes.” And just as I was about to search for “Spain” and “grapes,” I suddenly recalled a Hetalia doujinshi that involved New Years eve, countdowns, and eating grapes. And oh, it was also France/Spain. Thank you, Micromacro.
22. Did you fall in love in 2016?
I still don’t subscribe to the concept of romantic love or “falling in love,” but did I find someone who nudged me somewhat into the greysexual/demisexual range of the ace spectrum? Yes.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
So hilariously, even though I finally bought a TV, I really only used it to watch YT videos for the most part (Game Theorists/Film Theorists surprisingly addictive!). Watched a season of Criminal Minds before getting bored; watched maybe 2 seasons of Penny Dreadful before losing interest; watched a few eps of the second season of Narcos because the boy wanted to watch it. Nothing else really stands out in my mind.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. 2016 was a year of tolerance, I guess.
26. What was the best book you read?
The sadness continues as I do so much reading for work that I’m drained and find myself not at all motivated to pick up a book for pleasure. Hoping to change that for 2017.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
In all honesty? League of Legend’s music. Some of them are unexpectedly gorgeous, including the following login themes: Jhin (the first LoL theme I ever listened to), Taliyah, Lissandra.
28. What did you want and get?
Living room and bedroom furniture. :D I also learned how to shoot a firearm! (handguns, to be precise).
29. What did you want and not get?
I’d wanted to fanart RWBY’s Sun in the Monkey King regalia from Da Sheng Gui Lai because 2016 was the year of the Monkey, but my arting hath run dry. :(
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Finally saw Kingsmen, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Martian, which had been on my list for god knows how long! Also got to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. All very good, but my favourite film, hands down, was Deadpool fuck yeah. For 2017, Hidden Figures and Wonder Woman are on my shortlist. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is also queued,
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
According to my self-serving notes, last year I visited my parents in the suburbs on my birthday, partially for my yearly eye exam as well XD;
And to perpetuate my self-serving notes--2017’s birthday was spent in lovely Hawaii as a walking mucus machine, and celebrated by hiking up to some mountain falls and being taken out to a revolving restaurant by the boy.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Draw something that isn’t chibis and finding a fandom to play in again….
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?
Dressy casual. Skinny jeans, leather boots, and nice tops, I guess.
34. What kept you sane?
Not sure how sane I am right now. Definitely was not completely sane during the months of April-August. Was in danger of becoming extremely not-sane when my long-running case settled, leading to my being staffed on two new cases mid-year, one of which was in severe danger of ruining my January 2017 Hawaii plans.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Still don’t “fancy” other people in that particular sense, but have grown to really did enjoy Eva Green’s performance in Penny Dreadful (before the storylines went completely apeshit and divergent on me).
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I don’t want to think about politics right now. Jesus christ, 2016 was such a shitshow circus. I’d resolved to avoid the news as best I can for the next 4 years. Unless there’s a giant meteor heading to obliterate the entire western hemisphere, I Don’t Want to Know.
37. Who did you miss?
All my online peeps. I’ve become a nonentity on all social platforms, I know, and I’m sorry orz
38. Who was the best new person you met?
The boy is probably the most noteworthy? XD;
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016.
Romcoms lie. And it is apparently possible to find someone who fulfills a lot of requirements on what is for all practical intents and purposes, and ridiculous requirement list for characteristics to be found in a sig-other.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I hate this question.
Bonus. What was your favorite moment of the year?
Random moment: The delivery of my new mattress. It came before the rest of the set/frame came, so I took the opportunity and rolled around on top of its newly unpackaged surface. 'twas grand.
1. What did you do in 2016 that you'd never done before?
Went to an NHL playoff game (Blackhawks lost though, whomp whomp n_n;); acquired a significant other with whom I’m oddly compatible with, and experiencing all the bells and whistles that go with (e.g., meeting his parents within one week of him meeting mine within only 3 or so months of dating WAS TERRIFYINGLY FAST-TRACKED EARLY ON??); SHOT A SEMI-AUTOMATIC; diversified my financial portfolio; asked a few questions during an expert deposition; BOUGHT A 60” SMART-TV; bought a gaming console (PS4!) and some console games that I will probably never play lol; started playing Pokemon Go and The Trail; was forced to play some Resident Evil 4; contributed artwork to a wedding. So, sorta eventful?
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Looking back at the list from 2016, here we go again.
- Visit either London or Hong Kong.
Didn’t happen, alas. In fact, I didn’t take a single vacation/travel anywhere in 2016. It was GREAT /sarcasm
- Finish That One SNK fic.
Didn’t happen either. It’s currently sitting in my google drive drafts folder, about 60% complete and MOCKING ME in this fandomless void I’ve been apparently stuck in since god knows when.
- Start on That One SNK doujinshi (i.e., sketch/lay out at least one bloody page).
/HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER
- Find and buy 2 pieces of furniture that I actually like.
Success on this front! I finally bought a living room set (BLACK LEATHER SECTIONAL COUCH GET!) that I love, and a bedroom set which, while I’m not 100% happy with, still looks good. Also, I love my extra firm mattress--it is a soft, dense brick of loveliness. XD There’s the TV too. Guess that’s a likable purchase (though I will admit to using it more to watch YouTube content than anything else--please to be releasing a remaster of Okami on PS4 already? :O).
- Buy a pair of leather pants.
Haven’t found any store that sold one to my liking.
- Start practicing Tai Qi again.
/jazzhands
Do I want to make more resolutions? Not particularly, no. However, it is fun in that somewhat masochistic way to revisit how far off target my aim can get, so why the hell not:
- TAKE A VACATION (or two), somewhere overseas.
- Become an artist alley vendor again.
- Find a fandom to play in again.
- Get some abdominal definition IDEK
- Teach the boy how to play mahjong and/or enjoy an anime series (even though he isn’t all that interested in fiction/fantasy, I’m going to do this gdi).
- Get better/faster internet service for all that my building is fucking wired as if it’s stuck in the bloody 20th century.
- Watch Wonder Woman in theatres.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
I was a sad vacationless schmuck in 2016. However, 2017 may prove differently… here’s to hoping.
6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?
More vacations. More motivation/drive to do fandom-y things again.
7. What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
2016/12/31. After working the entire day and just as we were getting ready to go out to new year’s eve parties, I received a call from one of my credit card providers warning about fraud. Specifically, there were apparently 2 charges made on that card in Tuscanny, FL. Walgreens and Wendy’s to be precise. So while I was on the phone with the rep, I tried to find my wallet to confirm. Only I couldn’t immediately find it. This led to an immediate assumption that I’d somehow dropped my wallet somewhere between coming back from a trip to Costco the night before. Cue massive freakout regarding potential identity theft, rapid cancellation of 3 credit cards and my CTA pass, and then, just as I was about to head on out despite the utter dismay and shit mood I was in… I found my wallet. In a corner by the front door on top of shoes of the same colour.
Needless to say, my shit mood then went through another joyride of massive relief in combination with massive self-disappointment because I’d just irreversibly cancelled all my main cards/passes. Emotional whiplash, hello. I’d forcibly started 2017 with multiple new financial accoutrements.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Does acquiring a boyfriend count? LOL
9. What was your biggest failure?
Nothing really stands out in my memories as constituting a failure. Maybe the sense that I got super burned out from work and started becoming a bit dissatisfied with my own performance near the end of the year?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I got sick because of the boy. Definitely highlights how people in general are petri dishes.
11. What were the best things you bought?
My beautiful black leather L sectional, bedroom mattress, and… I guess the PS4? But only mostly because of its bluray player capabilities (might’ve gone a little overboard with all my movie purchases last year, including the LotR extended edition box set and Deadpool).
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Not sure if there was much to merit celebration this year… idek, Bernie Sanders?
13. Whose behaviour appalled you?
Last year’s answer: Why the hell is Donald Trump allowed to speak? Why.
This year’s answer: Welcome to the United States of Trump where fascism is alive and well. Fuck everything.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage, furniture, and diversification of my financial portfolio.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I don’t think “excitement” is quite the right word for the “HOLY SHIT WHAT AM I DOING” rollercoaster of emotions I went through when things started getting serious and fast with the boy. Perhaps there was a fleeting sense of excitement when I finally bought the TV?
16. What song will always remind you of 2016?
Maybe the Warsongs remixes from League of Legends? Don’t even play the game, and most definitely not interested in picking it up, but will concede that they have really good music.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Still straddling that middle line of content. It’s a good place to be.
ii. thinner or fatter? I think I’d remained the same. May have lost some weight, but nothing drastic.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer, I’d imagine.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Answer remains unchanged from last year: more creative crap.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Working. Maybe less freaking out about the boy and how fast the relationship was moving in the first few months? Though granted, it was moving REALLY FUCKING FAST.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Spent it with my parents. Gave them new smartphones and passed on my OnePlus 1 to my sister. Nothing big or special.
21. Where did you ring in 2016? How will you ring in 2017?
Boy oh boy, thank you 2015/16 self for keeping the “BTW, this is what you are doing as you write this” tradition alive. 2016: Last year, my parents and sister came to visit me in Chicago, where we cooked in my kitchen; ate on a sad little collapsible table; and sat on two collapsible chairs, a computer chair, and a large ice cooler. Then we walked up and down Michigan Avenue for an hour, came back, and completely missed/meh'd the Navy Pier fireworks when 2016 rung in half an hour later.
This year I went to two new year’s eve parties--the first was at the house of one of my friends, where DBZ abridged played in the background, there were kitties running around the apartment, lots of wine, and where Cards Against Humanity was brought out JUST AS WE HAD TO LEAVE >:( The second was then at the boy’s best friend’s place, where it was like a somewhat toned-down frat party come to life, and where during the 12 seconds counting down to midnight, I found myself shoving 12 grapes into my mouth (one for each second) per the Spanish tradition and trying not to choke. The hilarious backstory to that? The boy was sick the entire day, and earlier that day had asked me to buy grapes. No explanation, just “you must listen to me Cyn, I need grapes. You have to buy grapes. You think I’m crazy, but I’m telling you, I need grapes.” And just as I was about to search for “Spain” and “grapes,” I suddenly recalled a Hetalia doujinshi that involved New Years eve, countdowns, and eating grapes. And oh, it was also France/Spain. Thank you, Micromacro.
22. Did you fall in love in 2016?
I still don’t subscribe to the concept of romantic love or “falling in love,” but did I find someone who nudged me somewhat into the greysexual/demisexual range of the ace spectrum? Yes.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
So hilariously, even though I finally bought a TV, I really only used it to watch YT videos for the most part (Game Theorists/Film Theorists surprisingly addictive!). Watched a season of Criminal Minds before getting bored; watched maybe 2 seasons of Penny Dreadful before losing interest; watched a few eps of the second season of Narcos because the boy wanted to watch it. Nothing else really stands out in my mind.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. 2016 was a year of tolerance, I guess.
26. What was the best book you read?
The sadness continues as I do so much reading for work that I’m drained and find myself not at all motivated to pick up a book for pleasure. Hoping to change that for 2017.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
In all honesty? League of Legend’s music. Some of them are unexpectedly gorgeous, including the following login themes: Jhin (the first LoL theme I ever listened to), Taliyah, Lissandra.
28. What did you want and get?
Living room and bedroom furniture. :D I also learned how to shoot a firearm! (handguns, to be precise).
29. What did you want and not get?
I’d wanted to fanart RWBY’s Sun in the Monkey King regalia from Da Sheng Gui Lai because 2016 was the year of the Monkey, but my arting hath run dry. :(
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Finally saw Kingsmen, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Martian, which had been on my list for god knows how long! Also got to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. All very good, but my favourite film, hands down, was Deadpool fuck yeah. For 2017, Hidden Figures and Wonder Woman are on my shortlist. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is also queued,
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
According to my self-serving notes, last year I visited my parents in the suburbs on my birthday, partially for my yearly eye exam as well XD;
And to perpetuate my self-serving notes--2017’s birthday was spent in lovely Hawaii as a walking mucus machine, and celebrated by hiking up to some mountain falls and being taken out to a revolving restaurant by the boy.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Draw something that isn’t chibis and finding a fandom to play in again….
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?
Dressy casual. Skinny jeans, leather boots, and nice tops, I guess.
34. What kept you sane?
Not sure how sane I am right now. Definitely was not completely sane during the months of April-August. Was in danger of becoming extremely not-sane when my long-running case settled, leading to my being staffed on two new cases mid-year, one of which was in severe danger of ruining my January 2017 Hawaii plans.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Still don’t “fancy” other people in that particular sense, but have grown to really did enjoy Eva Green’s performance in Penny Dreadful (before the storylines went completely apeshit and divergent on me).
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I don’t want to think about politics right now. Jesus christ, 2016 was such a shitshow circus. I’d resolved to avoid the news as best I can for the next 4 years. Unless there’s a giant meteor heading to obliterate the entire western hemisphere, I Don’t Want to Know.
37. Who did you miss?
All my online peeps. I’ve become a nonentity on all social platforms, I know, and I’m sorry orz
38. Who was the best new person you met?
The boy is probably the most noteworthy? XD;
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016.
Romcoms lie. And it is apparently possible to find someone who fulfills a lot of requirements on what is for all practical intents and purposes, and ridiculous requirement list for characteristics to be found in a sig-other.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I hate this question.
Bonus. What was your favorite moment of the year?
Random moment: The delivery of my new mattress. It came before the rest of the set/frame came, so I took the opportunity and rolled around on top of its newly unpackaged surface. 'twas grand.