The Yearly Meme, Year 10
Year 1: 2004
Year 2: 2005
Year 3: 2006
Year 4: 2007
Year 5: 2008
Year 6: 2009
Year 7: 2010
Year 8: 2011
Year 9: 2012
This year: 2013
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Got reorganized into a new job; had an office move to a new cubicle. Took the train with a baby. Bought a dress at Anthropologie. Bought a used car.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No resolutions last year, and none this year. I do have a few goals, though, notably related to the continuing education I need to do to keep my yoga teacher registration active, which needs to be accomplished by the end of 2014.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Missi; Lauren in Boston; Lisa and Jenn from church; Emily.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no. I have been very lucky for several years now.
5. What countries did you visit?
We made it to Rhode Island, New York, and Cape May with the Frey. I take these as accomplishments. We also had a few brief forays into the world of Grownups, notably when my parents had a sleepover with Frey and we got to get a hotel room downtown. That was definitely like visiting another country.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
More sleep. More yoga. More writing time.
7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May: Friendcation at Pond House in Rhode Island
July: Freyfrey's first birthday
September: Cape May weekend and seeing Freya play on the beach for the first time
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Keeping my child alive and my family remotely organized. Writing a book review (seriously, one book review took me around eight months to finish). Completing two photo albums! (Freya's first three months and 3-6 months, which included her first Christmas)
9. What was your biggest failure?
There are so many little failures, every day. I am always doubting and always wondering if I'm letting my daughter or my husband down in some way. But you just have to power through.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
We had this horrible, horrible stomach bug of doom in February. If I had not given birth less than eight months previously, I would have said it was the worst night of my life. We also passed around a terrible cold for weeks and weeks in the spring. Otherwise, I've been healthy and very lucky.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I found the brown riding boots I wrote about not having in last year's questionnaire! They are so fabulous, they make me smile every time I see myself in them. We got Frey a little babydoll for Christmas that she adores, that was a good buy. And we knocked down the cement wall next to the driveway and had the hill graded; that was such a good use of money that I can't even remember what it used to look like. Oh! Nightstands from IKEA!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
F's, as always. What an amazing daddy. And, wow, my friend Annette. She survived what was in essence the worst series of events that I have ever heard of happening to any one person all at one time. I admire her so much.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Just heard that a friend's newly divorced ex-husband has a new wife already; I don't even know the whole story and I'm pretty appalled.
14. Where did most of your money go?
The diaper pail?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The new brown boots. Buying a dress at Anthropologie. Giving Freya various foods to see if she'd like them. Taking Freya to the pool and the beach. Pretty much every single new word out of her mouth (she's got a vocabulary of over 100 words now at 18 months old). Fourth of July. Halloween. Christmas.
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Avant Gardener, by Courtney Barnett. There are a lot more, and I was going to make a playlist, but then that would require downloading things and spending time on it.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? I don't know if it's possible to be happier than I was at this time last year, but since at least I'm sleeping a little better now, I'll say happier.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. Goodbye, wonderful benefits of breastfeeding.
c) richer or poorer? Richer, I think. We try hard to save.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Being laidback about our hectic kid lifestyle.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worrying. Stressing out about all the things I wasn't doing.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We spent Christmas at our home. On Christmas Eve, my best friend Sarah and her new man came to visit, and then we went to church, where we sat next to another family with a sweet toddler. Freya seemed to really enjoy the service. On Christmas day, we opened presents with Freya in the morning, then opened more presents when my parents arrived. We had brunch for dinner, Freya took a nice long nap, and it was a great day.
21. Did you fall in love in 2013?
More and more every day.
22. How many one-night stands?
Does it count if I spend half the night standing, trying to rock the baby to sleep?
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., mostly because it was one of the few shows we watched.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
25. What was the best book you read?
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang blew my mind; it inspired me to read Chiang's The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate which I really truly loved. I also adored Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate was wonderful. Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan really stuck with me. Guilty pleasure: the first three books in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Elizabeth Mitchell, she has some lovely children's albums that don't make you want to stab yourself. We like her more than Freya does. There have to be more just because we listen to the radio all the time but I can't think of any.
27. What did you want and get?
Those brown boots.
28. What did you want and not get?
More sleep, at least not as much or as often as we wanted it.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
In 2013 I saw Moonrise Kingdom and Much Ado About Nothing. Both were fantastic.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 34. It was a Saturday and we went hiking! Freya rode in the hiking backpack on F's back, then we stopped for a picnic, which she loved. Then she rode in the Ergo on my back (since the hiking backpack is just too heavy for me). It was a really, really great day.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
You know, I can't think of one thing. Maybe a little more yoga or a little more sleep, but that's splitting hairs. It was really good year.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
I started rocking the cute dresses. Partly this was size-driven: with my weight fluctuating due to hormone changes, pants have just not been trustworthy. But I really like wearing cute dresses all the time.
33. What kept you sane?
F. Yoga. Sleep.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Gah, I don't know. Too busy for much fancying these days.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I really, really try not to think about it. I don't have extra energy to spend on getting angry.
36. Who did you miss?
Missi and Mikey and their beautiful baby I haven't met yet. Heather, Sim, Lauren & Pierre, Amy.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
This is also tough. Kristin at work? We drove to DC together for a conference. She's pretty cool.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
I can't think of anything that doesn't involve, like, snot. If you need some tips and tricks for managing snot, though, hit me up.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Can't think of anything. Maybe I'll come back and fill this in later.
Year 2: 2005
Year 3: 2006
Year 4: 2007
Year 5: 2008
Year 6: 2009
Year 7: 2010
Year 8: 2011
Year 9: 2012
This year: 2013
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Got reorganized into a new job; had an office move to a new cubicle. Took the train with a baby. Bought a dress at Anthropologie. Bought a used car.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No resolutions last year, and none this year. I do have a few goals, though, notably related to the continuing education I need to do to keep my yoga teacher registration active, which needs to be accomplished by the end of 2014.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Missi; Lauren in Boston; Lisa and Jenn from church; Emily.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no. I have been very lucky for several years now.
5. What countries did you visit?
We made it to Rhode Island, New York, and Cape May with the Frey. I take these as accomplishments. We also had a few brief forays into the world of Grownups, notably when my parents had a sleepover with Frey and we got to get a hotel room downtown. That was definitely like visiting another country.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
More sleep. More yoga. More writing time.
7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May: Friendcation at Pond House in Rhode Island
July: Freyfrey's first birthday
September: Cape May weekend and seeing Freya play on the beach for the first time
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Keeping my child alive and my family remotely organized. Writing a book review (seriously, one book review took me around eight months to finish). Completing two photo albums! (Freya's first three months and 3-6 months, which included her first Christmas)
9. What was your biggest failure?
There are so many little failures, every day. I am always doubting and always wondering if I'm letting my daughter or my husband down in some way. But you just have to power through.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
We had this horrible, horrible stomach bug of doom in February. If I had not given birth less than eight months previously, I would have said it was the worst night of my life. We also passed around a terrible cold for weeks and weeks in the spring. Otherwise, I've been healthy and very lucky.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I found the brown riding boots I wrote about not having in last year's questionnaire! They are so fabulous, they make me smile every time I see myself in them. We got Frey a little babydoll for Christmas that she adores, that was a good buy. And we knocked down the cement wall next to the driveway and had the hill graded; that was such a good use of money that I can't even remember what it used to look like. Oh! Nightstands from IKEA!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
F's, as always. What an amazing daddy. And, wow, my friend Annette. She survived what was in essence the worst series of events that I have ever heard of happening to any one person all at one time. I admire her so much.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Just heard that a friend's newly divorced ex-husband has a new wife already; I don't even know the whole story and I'm pretty appalled.
14. Where did most of your money go?
The diaper pail?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The new brown boots. Buying a dress at Anthropologie. Giving Freya various foods to see if she'd like them. Taking Freya to the pool and the beach. Pretty much every single new word out of her mouth (she's got a vocabulary of over 100 words now at 18 months old). Fourth of July. Halloween. Christmas.
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Avant Gardener, by Courtney Barnett. There are a lot more, and I was going to make a playlist, but then that would require downloading things and spending time on it.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? I don't know if it's possible to be happier than I was at this time last year, but since at least I'm sleeping a little better now, I'll say happier.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. Goodbye, wonderful benefits of breastfeeding.
c) richer or poorer? Richer, I think. We try hard to save.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Being laidback about our hectic kid lifestyle.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worrying. Stressing out about all the things I wasn't doing.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We spent Christmas at our home. On Christmas Eve, my best friend Sarah and her new man came to visit, and then we went to church, where we sat next to another family with a sweet toddler. Freya seemed to really enjoy the service. On Christmas day, we opened presents with Freya in the morning, then opened more presents when my parents arrived. We had brunch for dinner, Freya took a nice long nap, and it was a great day.
21. Did you fall in love in 2013?
More and more every day.
22. How many one-night stands?
Does it count if I spend half the night standing, trying to rock the baby to sleep?
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., mostly because it was one of the few shows we watched.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
25. What was the best book you read?
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang blew my mind; it inspired me to read Chiang's The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate which I really truly loved. I also adored Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate was wonderful. Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan really stuck with me. Guilty pleasure: the first three books in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Elizabeth Mitchell, she has some lovely children's albums that don't make you want to stab yourself. We like her more than Freya does. There have to be more just because we listen to the radio all the time but I can't think of any.
27. What did you want and get?
Those brown boots.
28. What did you want and not get?
More sleep, at least not as much or as often as we wanted it.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
In 2013 I saw Moonrise Kingdom and Much Ado About Nothing. Both were fantastic.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 34. It was a Saturday and we went hiking! Freya rode in the hiking backpack on F's back, then we stopped for a picnic, which she loved. Then she rode in the Ergo on my back (since the hiking backpack is just too heavy for me). It was a really, really great day.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
You know, I can't think of one thing. Maybe a little more yoga or a little more sleep, but that's splitting hairs. It was really good year.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
I started rocking the cute dresses. Partly this was size-driven: with my weight fluctuating due to hormone changes, pants have just not been trustworthy. But I really like wearing cute dresses all the time.
33. What kept you sane?
F. Yoga. Sleep.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Gah, I don't know. Too busy for much fancying these days.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I really, really try not to think about it. I don't have extra energy to spend on getting angry.
36. Who did you miss?
Missi and Mikey and their beautiful baby I haven't met yet. Heather, Sim, Lauren & Pierre, Amy.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
This is also tough. Kristin at work? We drove to DC together for a conference. She's pretty cool.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
I can't think of anything that doesn't involve, like, snot. If you need some tips and tricks for managing snot, though, hit me up.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Can't think of anything. Maybe I'll come back and fill this in later.