[2014] in 2013-2014

This should be exciting.

1. What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before?
Got engaged. Quit a job. Moved to South Carolina. Pierced my ears. Worked for a temp agency. Planned a wedding. Monitored a war and volunteered to do translation editing for local stories in that country. Rode through a category 2 hurricane in a beach house. Spent a week at a fairly high-end destination beach with Aaron’s extended family. Went kayaking. Bonded with the kids. SPENT MAJOR HOLIDAYS WITH AARON. SPENT MAJOR HOLIDAYS WITH AARON. SPENT MAJOR HOLIDAYS WITH AARON.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions and will you make more for next year?
The only resolution I can remember is wanting to get my waist under 30 inches, and I did, in November during burpee-athon. I’m sure it’s edged back up again, BUT I DID IT. This year, I want to look awesome in my wedding dress and have an awesome honeymoon driving across North America.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not anyone close to me, I don’t think. I know a bunch of people who have, but no one I’m particularly close to.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
I have still never left the US.

6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
A wedding! A honeymoon! Money! Sex! <– I am so transparent.

7. What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I am actually terrible with dates. I got engaged in the wee hours of March 22 and I moved in the evening of July 27. I had to check Facebook for the engagement date.

8. What was/were your biggest achievement(s) of the year?
Getting engaged.
Moving.
Finding work in South Carolina.
Holding it all together the last two months.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I’m really not sure. I’ve done really well this year, honestly. That feels like bragging, but I can’t think of any ‘failures.’ I guess letting myself go in December? But that wasn’t really a failure. I’m disappointed that we couldn’t pay for our wedding rings in cash, but that’s still not a failure, not being able to put down $1000 right off the bat.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, not even during my mudruns. Crazy! I guess maybe you count that time this fall when I tweaked my back? Or the pinched nerve in my shoulder? Maybe?

11. What was the best thing you bought?
If moving costs don’t count, then a wedding dress. With cash. Let’s say that again. I bought my wedding dress without credit.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Aaron and I have both done great, all things considered.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
My mother’s.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Moving. Rent. Assorted bills.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Moving! Getting engaged! MOVING MOVING MOVING! Getting a job! Being paid like a real person! Having a beautiful, perfect office in a wonderful setting! (I miss the fuck out of that office.) The week vacation at the beach!

16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2014?
Oceans -Hillsong United
Battlecry -Skillet
Rise -Skillet
Sick of It -Skillet
My Salvation -Skillet
The Madness in Me -Skillet

That whole album, basically. It sort of stretches into 2013, but it’s been my anthem.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. richer or poorer?
Poorer, poorer, poorer, this is the poorest I’ve ever been, poorer.

But I also have a lovely apartment, a better fiance, elderly animals who are hanging in there, and I’m warm and fed. My daily needs are always met and there is so much more love in my life.

ii. thinner or fatter?
Thinner! A consistent effort from 2013 has continued and I’m definitely a lot more comfortable and healthy than I’ve been. I’m in the lower 140s now rather than flirting with 150.

iii. happier or sadder?
You have no idea how much happier I am.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Saving money for these unemployed stretches. Recycling. Giving.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Feeling sorry for myself and sulking around.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
For the first time in forever, I was with family to enjoy togetherness and gift-opening. And I wouldn’t change a damn thing.

21. What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2014?
I can’t think of anything worse than maybe farting in public.

22. Did you fall in love in 2014?
Maybe a little more, but with the same person.

23. What is the biggest risk you’ve taken this year?
Picking up and moving to a new state.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
I still don’t watch much TV–I actually didn’t have cable for half of the year. I watch WWE with Aaron because of the lolz, but when I pick, I’m usually happy with something foody. Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, Man vs Food, Chopped, Holiday Baking Challenge, whatever. Don’t care. Show me the food porn.

25. What surprised you this year?
Gas prices dropping like a rock, let’s be honest.

26. What was the best (i) book you read and (ii) blog you read?
I finished Zlata’s Diary today (the diary of pre-teen in wartime Sarajevo) and I’m still plodding through a biography of Juan Carlos (king of Spain) and Misha Glenny’s The Fall of Yugoslavia.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Starset? The fan-made collabs between Linkin Park and Eminem. Some Russian stuff.

28. What did you want and get?
A ring on my finger. A permanent residence in Charleston. A new job.

29. What did you want and not get?
A permanent new job. I’ll be more specific next time.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
How to Train Your Dragon 2

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 27. I don’t think I did anything at all. Maybe bought myself some unhealthy comfort food. OH! I got out of work early the next day because of winter weather that would soon paralyze Atlanta completely, and I had no Internet because my ISP was a fucking idiot. So I was a weather nerd and frolicked with my dog a lot.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
FINANCIAL STABILITIY

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
I continue to wander the realms of grunge-rock, with eyeliner and jeans and leather and decorative chains when I’m feeling fancy. I got my pointy chin back, which helps a lot.

34. What kept you sane?
Jesus.

35. What were you afraid of?
Hitting rock financial bottom.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Ukraine.

37. Who did you miss?
Aaron, for about half of it. :) My dad a lot lately.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
If it all pans out, the man who will have gotten me a very nice job!

(And also all the church people helping with our wedding. You are all delightful, church people.)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.
You are better off than you think you are. Take one day at a time, and waste nothing–not food, not things, not time, and not even the moments when you lack for nothing. Cherish everything. ”You’ve never failed and You won’t start now.”

40. Quote a song that sums up your year.
You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
-Oceans, by Hillsong United

*You’re on the edge of giving up
You know I feel it too
You won’t be alone because
I’m with you
Bring the fire, bring the smoke, bring the rain
We will bend but we will never break

If we believe we can’t lose
Even mountains will move
It’s my faith, it’s my life
This is our battle cry
They can’t take us down
If we stand our ground
If we live, if we die
We will shout out our battle cry
-Battlecry, by Skillet

(why won’t my lyrics italicize properly)

Last updated December 28, 2014