2018: Checkpoint

Once more, with some semblance of feeling...

1. What did you do in 2018 that you’d never done before?

Visited Colorado. I think this makes my 40th state (assuming I've counted correctly).

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Not gonna happen.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No babies around here. Some far flung friends, but none infants I've met in person.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No. Glad for this answer.

5. What places did you visit?

Las Vegas, Nevada.  Denver(ish), Colorado. Points in between,

6. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?

As always: More surplus dollars.  A boatload of patience.  More and closer friendships, both in person and across the internet.  I need some buddies.  Will power, fortitude, self discipline, and better ways to communicate.

7. What dates from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

April 20, Sabrina's birthday slumber party.  I'm still tired.  July 7, leaving on our road trip to Colorado.  December 12: taking 100 5th graders camping for 3 days.  In December.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Survival.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Evergreen: Letting frustration win, again and again and again.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing significant, thank goodness. Let's hope for the same moving forward.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Netflix.  I'm super on top of things.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Sammy, for working so hard and being dedicated to school, even if he's not feeling tip top.  Sabrina, for her kind heart toward her friends and (most of the time) her brother.  My parents, for many things including loading us all into a car for a road trip to Vegas, again.  The Ladies Internet continues to be compassionate, insightful, and kind in so many ways.  

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

A vast majority of people with titles won through election, and the people who put them there.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Also evergreen: Day to day stuff.  Amazon Prime.  Taxes.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Summer.  Christmas.  Netflix.  Awesome bargains I found.

16. What song will always remind you of 2018?

Since I can't think of one, I'll go with Sabrina's selection of Ariana Grande's "Thank You, Next."

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

a) happier or sadder? A period of sadder, a period of happier. Ending on an up note.

b) thinner or fatter? My sister said I've lost weight, but who knows? I don't have a scale for this very reason.

c) richer or poorer? No exact numbers, but probably a little bit one way or the other.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Smiling.  Not worrying about things way out of my control.  

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Stressing.

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2018?

Hosted a Christmas Eve dinner for my side of the family, which Chris managed to make despite working long hours that day.  We went to Mass together and it was lovely.

We came home, cleaned up, somehow got the kids into bed, and let Santa do his business.  I watched the NORAD Santa Tracker a little too late and finally went to bed.

Christmas morning was delightful.  The kids adored their gifts from Santa, we had donuts and pigs in a blanket.  We managed to get dressed and over to my folks' pretty much on time for breakfast. Lots of gift opening and pickle hunting.  General slothlike behavior. I dealt with a headache in the afternoon, but thankfully, it faded by the evening.

21. Did you fall in love in 2018?

Um, pass.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

I finally got to watch The Crown and One Day at a Time.  I like New Amsterdam and I think I like Manifest.  

23. What did you do for your birthday in 2018?

Heck if I can remember. I think I got a pedicure and went out to lunch with my parents.

24. What was the best book you read?

Crazy Rich Asians and the second one were fun.  I'm waiting for the 3rd from the library.  I didn't know there was a 4th Peculiar Children book until last week, so I'm diving into that one right now.

25. What did you want and get?

Netflix.  Hulu.  New drawer handles for the kitchen, installed by someone other than me.  A way to manage all of Sabrina's extracurricular activities.  

26. What did you want and not get?

Skinnier.  Peace on earth.  Children with consistent table manners.

And where is that rich benefactor?

27. What was your favorite film of this year?

Ralph Wrecks the Internet.  Thanks, @Pamie.

28. Did you make some new friends this year?

Yes!  I went to Nashville and met a lovely new section of TLI.  I roomed with Jen (@jayesel) and drank (or at least tried to) a bottle of wine with Joanna (@ofgoodfamily).  Those were the nights I laughed the most all year.  I need to do a better job keeping in touch. 

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

A jet pack.

Always, always, always: the ability to communicate anything to my children and have them understand instantly.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?

Yes, I shop at Kohls, why do you ask?

31. What kept you sane?

Caffiene.  TLI.  Sending my kids to school and husband to work and returning to a quiet house.  

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I'm not too fancy this year.  I still want to hang out with Lin Manuel Miranda.  And he should bring his wife and Weird Al along with him.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

The Supreme Court.

34. Who did you miss?

Everyone I lost and everyone I don't see often enough (which is most everyone).

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.

Don't open your mouth if you don't want an answer.