[MEME] 2018 IN REVIEW
Hoo boy, here we go.
1. What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?
Went to Mexico and specifically my first all-inclusive resort with my (now ex-)boyfriend; experienced my first break-up; got an impulse purchase air-fryer; set foot in Florida; use Bumble; returned to China--but for a business trip (Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai).
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Okay, let's check on the recap again:
- Visit Vegas again (to see O and eat at Bally's Sterling Brunch).
Didn't happen. Not sure when this will next happen to be honest.
- Draw at least one piece of fanart for 魔道祖师.
This did happen lol!
- Paint something with traditional media.
Nope
- Go to the gym at least once a month.
Nooope
- Have a vacation at an all-inclusive resort/cruise.
YES! THIS HAPPENED. AND IT WAS GLORIOUS. MINE EYES HAVE SEENETH THE LIGHT.
- Renovate my kitchen.
Noooooope.... though I actually have started taking steps to make it happen 2019.
- Reactivate my Canadian passport in the unfortunate likelihood that Trump actually does doom this nation to WW3.
Augh. Still procrastinating on this one.
For this year:
- Get a gym membership and go to the gym at least once a week! (Or a month, goddamit, I know myself).
- Draw better MDZS fanart--none of that doodle bullshit lol
- Renovate my kitchen and bathrooms
- Research more about property investments and start making Plans
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not someone super close, but a bunch of colleagues of mine gave birth this year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Los Cabos en Mexico! Fue una experiencia fantástica~
6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
A significant other who doesn't live in Florida and satisfies the many requirements that come as a result of having to be my significant other.
7. What date from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
2018/10/15. Broke up with the boy. It was an amicable break-up for all intents and purposes, but it was my first long term relationship (2.5 years), and the causation of us splitting was just... not ideal. We still get along and talk, but a part of me will probably always be bitter that we spent the last 6 months of our relationship dragging along each other's corpses in trying to make a long distance relationship work where neither of us wanted to move for the other.
/sigh It really is a shame since we did complement each other pretty well on many aspects.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Taking that week long vacation in March where I had horchata practically every day and... it was just really nice. Good memories.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not being able to let go sooner. He was a coward for handing me the keys to the relationship (basically he told me that he would never be able to be the one to pull the trigger--that if the relationship ended, I would be the one to call the shots; I, having never gone through a break-up before, was admittedly afraid and did not want to deal with the unknown but likely unavoidable emotional fall-out. I'm still thankful that he finally mustered up and made the decision for the both of us--though that has not stopped him from trying to get me to move to Florida even after the deed is done).
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Illness and injury free for 2018.
11. What were the best things you bought?
An airfryer! Salmon, steaks, shrimps... it is amazeballs, seriously.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I think my sister's? She's begun her first job, moved to Chicago--she's really come a long way.
13. Whose behaviour appalled you?
The GOP and Trump. Per usual.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Same old: Mortgage, stocks/investments... and a personal loan to a friend.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Deadpool 2 (I think??)... OH, the MO DAO ZU SHI animation and radio drama! I can safely say that I enjoy the radio drama more because it's more faithful to the novel, and the voice actors align more to what I'd originally imagined.
16. What song will always remind you of 2018?
Still in Chinese music phase--and in particular MXTX-series' inspired fan songs.
But if I had to choose... probably 【Aki阿傑】何以歌 (MDZS radio drama ED):
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? I don't know. Probably sadder.
ii. thinner or fatter? No visible change.
iii. richer or poorer? Dunno, probably richer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Deep introspection and evaluation of certain life choices, both earlier and sooner.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Processing through emotions I'd never experienced before. I realize it's probably a necessary life experience, but enjoy it I did not.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my parents and sister in the burbs. Got a really cool decorative glass plate bearing a silver/gold fish design from my sister.
21. Where did you ring in 2018? How will you ring in 2019?
2018: Rang in the new year at the boy's coworker's house party. It was pretty awkward if I recall correctly because I knew practically no body. Also recall that I asked the boy about the grapes the day before NYE (Dec. 30) and he was like "OH SHIT." LOLOL. There was a short-lived game of Cards Against Humanity, forced shots of Malort, and ridiculous surge prices on Uber/Lyft that forced us to partially take public transit/walk back in arctic conditions on the new year yay.
This year: Got invited to Linda's boyfriend's former-roommate's party. Will be going to that and... well, we'll see how it goes. (ETA: Super fun, small, cozy gathering. Basically we drank, ate decent food, and played Codename--the adult version which required some decent amount of urban dictionary knowledge--and a bunch of Jackbox.TV games. Overall an enjoyable way to ring in the new year.)
22. Did you fall in love in 2018?
No. I still think I'm incapable of romantic love. Inadvisable feelings of loyalty born out of emotional attachments? That still happens. I miss when I only really had two emotions. (Rage/LOL)
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Hrm... even though I had a lot of gripes and nits about how they handled Wei Wuxian's Yiling Patriarch character/abilities in the animation, the MDZS donghua was probably one of the only shows I watched in full this year. Didn't watch Voltron Season 8 because my spoiler sources all tell me that it's a flaming dumpster fire. Oh, and Netflix's Vietnam War documentary series is also extremely good.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
I've been reading qidian's official english translation of QZGS/The King's Avatar and shit is HILARIOUS. Highly recommended.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I have an entire youtube playlist of gu qin songs/covers lol. Most of them are from this channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCltmf0pqjXyLtNsF2vek_wQ
Have a exemplary recommendation:
28. What did you want and get?
The boy got me an erhu for my birthday. I've so far figured out how to set it up, rosin up the bow, and coax out vaguely musical, non-screeching sounds from it.
29. What did you want and not get?
I wanted self-actualized clarity as to how I'm going to get out of litigation within the next 10 years, set up a reliable source of passive income, and maintain a comparable standard of living... still working on that.
I actually put "karaoke machine" on my Christmas wishlist as a whim. We'll see if anybody actually indulges me on that. :P
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Deadpool 2. I also just saw Aquaman (went it with no expectations whatsoever) and had a really good time.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Well, it would seem that my 2017/2018 self forgot to come back and make notes.
Luckily it was memorable enough. The boy made reservations at a sushi restaurant (Jellyfish) and they actually customized our dinner menus with a birthday wish and my name. Nobody had ever done that for me before, so IIRC, I got a bit misty-eyed when we came back. He also got me a small ube cake from Jennivee's bakery. /sigh
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Spending more time at that all-inclusive resort? Or going on another all-inclusive adventure? Dammit, I just want to not be working like a dog all the time.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
LMAO, so I bought a bunch of things from this Chinese site... and wore a bunch of really east-asian cut dresses/shirts throughout the warmer weather seasons.
34. What kept you sane?
For a while playing Okami on PS4 and reading C-novel translations.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Wall. The fucking Wall. Walls don't work. And yet our government is in a shutdown right now because we have the village idiot/conman stationed in one of the highest seats of power in this nation throwing a tantrum to install one.
Ginsburg had better live to 100, fucking hell.
37. Who did you miss?
I do honestly miss the boy and probably will for a while. But I'm nothing if not good at compartmentalization and I've already thrown myself back into the stupid dating pool because time is of essence, I guess. Tch.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I've been chatting to a bunch of dudes on Bumble. I reserve any and all judgments.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.
Break-ups suck... but it's best to get them over with sooner rather than later at the first clear sign that something likely isn't going to work out.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"We were always meant to say goodbye" - Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson
Bonus. What was your favorite moment of the year?
Random moment: At Los Cabos, we found out that they didn't actually have horchata on tap.
So we talked to this really helpful server whose name was Jesus, who hooked us up with some... But because horchata had to be made in batches, I'd run out of it and had to wait a day or two before a new batch was ready. So after the first batch, wait I did. And I was in no real hurry. But then one day, while I was still waiting and had no expectations, we went to the restaurant Jesus was at. He saw us get seated and came over with one of those chrome pitchers they used to pour ice water. But LO. AND BEHOLD. WHAT HE POURED OUT WAS NOT WATER. IT WAS HORCHATA. So it seemed like the dude bloody turned water into horchata like his biblical namesake, of which even I as an atheist could appreciate the hilarity and irony. Truly an amazing moment.
1. What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?
Went to Mexico and specifically my first all-inclusive resort with my (now ex-)boyfriend; experienced my first break-up; got an impulse purchase air-fryer; set foot in Florida; use Bumble; returned to China--but for a business trip (Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai).
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Okay, let's check on the recap again:
- Visit Vegas again (to see O and eat at Bally's Sterling Brunch).
Didn't happen. Not sure when this will next happen to be honest.
- Draw at least one piece of fanart for 魔道祖师.
This did happen lol!
- Paint something with traditional media.
Nope
- Go to the gym at least once a month.
Nooope
- Have a vacation at an all-inclusive resort/cruise.
YES! THIS HAPPENED. AND IT WAS GLORIOUS. MINE EYES HAVE SEENETH THE LIGHT.
- Renovate my kitchen.
Noooooope.... though I actually have started taking steps to make it happen 2019.
- Reactivate my Canadian passport in the unfortunate likelihood that Trump actually does doom this nation to WW3.
Augh. Still procrastinating on this one.
For this year:
- Get a gym membership and go to the gym at least once a week! (Or a month, goddamit, I know myself).
- Draw better MDZS fanart--none of that doodle bullshit lol
- Renovate my kitchen and bathrooms
- Research more about property investments and start making Plans
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not someone super close, but a bunch of colleagues of mine gave birth this year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Los Cabos en Mexico! Fue una experiencia fantástica~
6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
A significant other who doesn't live in Florida and satisfies the many requirements that come as a result of having to be my significant other.
7. What date from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
2018/10/15. Broke up with the boy. It was an amicable break-up for all intents and purposes, but it was my first long term relationship (2.5 years), and the causation of us splitting was just... not ideal. We still get along and talk, but a part of me will probably always be bitter that we spent the last 6 months of our relationship dragging along each other's corpses in trying to make a long distance relationship work where neither of us wanted to move for the other.
/sigh It really is a shame since we did complement each other pretty well on many aspects.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Taking that week long vacation in March where I had horchata practically every day and... it was just really nice. Good memories.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not being able to let go sooner. He was a coward for handing me the keys to the relationship (basically he told me that he would never be able to be the one to pull the trigger--that if the relationship ended, I would be the one to call the shots; I, having never gone through a break-up before, was admittedly afraid and did not want to deal with the unknown but likely unavoidable emotional fall-out. I'm still thankful that he finally mustered up and made the decision for the both of us--though that has not stopped him from trying to get me to move to Florida even after the deed is done).
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Illness and injury free for 2018.
11. What were the best things you bought?
An airfryer! Salmon, steaks, shrimps... it is amazeballs, seriously.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I think my sister's? She's begun her first job, moved to Chicago--she's really come a long way.
13. Whose behaviour appalled you?
The GOP and Trump. Per usual.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Same old: Mortgage, stocks/investments... and a personal loan to a friend.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Deadpool 2 (I think??)... OH, the MO DAO ZU SHI animation and radio drama! I can safely say that I enjoy the radio drama more because it's more faithful to the novel, and the voice actors align more to what I'd originally imagined.
16. What song will always remind you of 2018?
Still in Chinese music phase--and in particular MXTX-series' inspired fan songs.
But if I had to choose... probably 【Aki阿傑】何以歌 (MDZS radio drama ED):
Click to view17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? I don't know. Probably sadder.
ii. thinner or fatter? No visible change.
iii. richer or poorer? Dunno, probably richer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Deep introspection and evaluation of certain life choices, both earlier and sooner.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Processing through emotions I'd never experienced before. I realize it's probably a necessary life experience, but enjoy it I did not.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my parents and sister in the burbs. Got a really cool decorative glass plate bearing a silver/gold fish design from my sister.
21. Where did you ring in 2018? How will you ring in 2019?
2018: Rang in the new year at the boy's coworker's house party. It was pretty awkward if I recall correctly because I knew practically no body. Also recall that I asked the boy about the grapes the day before NYE (Dec. 30) and he was like "OH SHIT." LOLOL. There was a short-lived game of Cards Against Humanity, forced shots of Malort, and ridiculous surge prices on Uber/Lyft that forced us to partially take public transit/walk back in arctic conditions on the new year yay.
This year: Got invited to Linda's boyfriend's former-roommate's party. Will be going to that and... well, we'll see how it goes. (ETA: Super fun, small, cozy gathering. Basically we drank, ate decent food, and played Codename--the adult version which required some decent amount of urban dictionary knowledge--and a bunch of Jackbox.TV games. Overall an enjoyable way to ring in the new year.)
22. Did you fall in love in 2018?
No. I still think I'm incapable of romantic love. Inadvisable feelings of loyalty born out of emotional attachments? That still happens. I miss when I only really had two emotions. (Rage/LOL)
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Hrm... even though I had a lot of gripes and nits about how they handled Wei Wuxian's Yiling Patriarch character/abilities in the animation, the MDZS donghua was probably one of the only shows I watched in full this year. Didn't watch Voltron Season 8 because my spoiler sources all tell me that it's a flaming dumpster fire. Oh, and Netflix's Vietnam War documentary series is also extremely good.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
I've been reading qidian's official english translation of QZGS/The King's Avatar and shit is HILARIOUS. Highly recommended.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I have an entire youtube playlist of gu qin songs/covers lol. Most of them are from this channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCltmf0pqjXyLtNsF2vek_wQ
Have a exemplary recommendation:
28. What did you want and get?
The boy got me an erhu for my birthday. I've so far figured out how to set it up, rosin up the bow, and coax out vaguely musical, non-screeching sounds from it.
29. What did you want and not get?
I wanted self-actualized clarity as to how I'm going to get out of litigation within the next 10 years, set up a reliable source of passive income, and maintain a comparable standard of living... still working on that.
I actually put "karaoke machine" on my Christmas wishlist as a whim. We'll see if anybody actually indulges me on that. :P
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Deadpool 2. I also just saw Aquaman (went it with no expectations whatsoever) and had a really good time.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Well, it would seem that my 2017/2018 self forgot to come back and make notes.
Luckily it was memorable enough. The boy made reservations at a sushi restaurant (Jellyfish) and they actually customized our dinner menus with a birthday wish and my name. Nobody had ever done that for me before, so IIRC, I got a bit misty-eyed when we came back. He also got me a small ube cake from Jennivee's bakery. /sigh
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Spending more time at that all-inclusive resort? Or going on another all-inclusive adventure? Dammit, I just want to not be working like a dog all the time.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
LMAO, so I bought a bunch of things from this Chinese site... and wore a bunch of really east-asian cut dresses/shirts throughout the warmer weather seasons.
34. What kept you sane?
For a while playing Okami on PS4 and reading C-novel translations.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Wall. The fucking Wall. Walls don't work. And yet our government is in a shutdown right now because we have the village idiot/conman stationed in one of the highest seats of power in this nation throwing a tantrum to install one.
Ginsburg had better live to 100, fucking hell.
37. Who did you miss?
I do honestly miss the boy and probably will for a while. But I'm nothing if not good at compartmentalization and I've already thrown myself back into the stupid dating pool because time is of essence, I guess. Tch.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I've been chatting to a bunch of dudes on Bumble. I reserve any and all judgments.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.
Break-ups suck... but it's best to get them over with sooner rather than later at the first clear sign that something likely isn't going to work out.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"We were always meant to say goodbye" - Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson
Bonus. What was your favorite moment of the year?
Random moment: At Los Cabos, we found out that they didn't actually have horchata on tap.
So we talked to this really helpful server whose name was Jesus, who hooked us up with some... But because horchata had to be made in batches, I'd run out of it and had to wait a day or two before a new batch was ready. So after the first batch, wait I did. And I was in no real hurry. But then one day, while I was still waiting and had no expectations, we went to the restaurant Jesus was at. He saw us get seated and came over with one of those chrome pitchers they used to pour ice water. But LO. AND BEHOLD. WHAT HE POURED OUT WAS NOT WATER. IT WAS HORCHATA. So it seemed like the dude bloody turned water into horchata like his biblical namesake, of which even I as an atheist could appreciate the hilarity and irony. Truly an amazing moment.