We’ve wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne

1. What did you do in 2016 that you’d never done before?
Spent an unplanned night in the hospital. Bought a new car on my own credit – no co-signer!

2. Did you keep your New Years’ Resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Nope… don’t make any.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! Several friends had little ones!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
A great aunt recently passed away. Also so many people who were iconic to me (and the world). Too many. πŸ™
On the non-human side, my tablet, my PC, and my car ALL died on me.

5. What countries did you visit?
None this year. I’m a slacker.

6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?
Money, health, and some sanity.

7. What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Jan 19 – Attended Mariana’s Trench concert w/Emily, including a VIP meet & greet, and a local radio station private show.
June 3 & 4 – Met Haley Atwell & John Cusack at Dallas ComicCon.
Sep 3 – Bought my new car – a purple 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage.
Oct 7 – Hospitalized for dual blood clots.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Not dying! (Yeah, it was that kind of year. Nothing great to celebrate.)

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not standing up for myself many times I should have.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I learned that I no longer have any cartilage in either of my knees, and that the bones are shifting. I was diagnosed with acute bilateral DVT of the popliteal veins (aka, blood clot behind both knees). My shoulders now slide in and out of joint randomly.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I’m going to go with the new car and the new PC. My new wheels are awesome, and being able to get online is a must. πŸ˜‰

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I am drawing a blank this year. I’m sure there are people, but I’m being forgetful.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
It’s best for me not to say anything here

14. Where did most of your money go?
BILLS! Medical bills, vet bills, car repairs, then a down payment and car payments, had to buy a new computer…

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Concerts with my best friend. πŸ˜€ My pretty pretty new car.

16. What song will always remind you of 2016?
“Who Do You Love” & “Good To You” – Mariana’s Trench
“Can’t Stop The Feeling” – Justin Timberlake

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?

Sadder. It was a hard year
b) thinner or fatter?
Thinner. Woo hoo!!
c) richer or poorer?
Poorer. Again. Too many medical bills/no raise

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

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Incur medical expenses/go into debt. Meh.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Opened gifts, watched the newest episode of “Doctor Who”, and got extremely frustrated when my PC died.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
As always – Mom (talking). Emily (texting)

22. Did you fall in love in 2016?
Nope.

23. How many one-night stands?
None.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Code Black.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I … strongly dislike some people a lot more than I did.

26. What was the best book you read?
I read a LOT of books in 2016. I loved everything I read by Seanan McGuire. And, well, I loved all the books I read.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Emily intro’d me to Mariana’s Trench. I’m definitely enjoying them.

28. What did you want and get?
A pretty purple car. I didn’t want a new car, but when getting a new one became a necessity, I got the very one I wanted.

29. What did you want and not get?
To travel to Canada. More concerts, more traveling.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Captain America Civil War! πŸ˜€
Doctor Strange.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old?
42, and I worked. It was a boring birthday, per usual.

32. What would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less pain, fewer medical bills, a different outcome to the election, less death of beloved icons, and more time with my friends.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?
Same as always β€” “Whatever”

34. What kept you sane?
IM/text/email conversations w/my best friend, Emily.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Chris Evans, Tom Hiddleston, Brendan Fletcher

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election. Gun control.

37. Who did you miss?
Emily. Way too far away.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I didn’t meet many new people.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016:
People really are worse than I imagined. I shouldn’t give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
As I walk through this wicked world
Searchin’ for light in the darkness of insanity.
I ask myself, is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?

And each time I feel like this inside,
There’s one thing I wanna know:
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh
What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?

But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne

1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
Have 3 MRI’s in one year. Ha. Had laser hair removal. Spray painted the cars at Cadillac Ranch. Went to Stonehenge — the one in Odessa, Tx. Had my name in a best selling book! Started going to a rheumatologist. Held a baby kangaroo.

2. Did you keep your New Years’ Resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Nope… don’t make any.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope, but a friend is going to next year! πŸ˜€

4. Did anyone close to you die?
I lost a cousin this year.

5. What countries did you visit?
None. Sob. No trips to Canada this year. πŸ™ I hate being broke.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
It didn’t work last year, but I’m trying again: more money & less pain!

7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Feb 3 – Had a MRI/MRA (with contrast) on my brain — WITHOUT having a panic attack or having to be sedated. I had a wonderful tech who helped me through it.
March 14-15 – Road trip to Roswell, NM with Emily… stopping to spray paint the cars at Cadillac Ranch, hunting aliens.. TRAIN! RUMOUR HAS IT! Stonehenge in Odessa. MASSIVE car accident/shut down highway, trying to find a way around it to get home.
April 6 – 10 years since Dad passed away
July 24DIED! Except… only in literary form. Ha. (“Thirteen” was released this day, and a character with my name gets dismembered in the book.)
August 13 – Adopted Loki

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Ma’s 60th birthday gift — collected memories of her from her friends & family, each one in a separate envelope and bundled in a box I hand-decorated.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I know I have some…. I’m just not sure what I’d put here.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Of course. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t. πŸ˜‰ Let’s see…. there were the ‘normal’ knee issues, managed to mess up a nerve in my back that has my right leg numb-ish, slightly bulging disc in back, bronchitis, laryngitis… That’s all that’s coming to mind. πŸ˜‰

11. What was the best thing you bought?
The new kitten, Loki. My silly insanely soft lil boy. Groupon for laser hair removal (always wanted to, but now I can finally afford it!). My new camera. Although – I don’t know if that counts. I bought it, but I bought it with Christmas money, so it was technically a gift…

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
People who helped re-elect our awesome President.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
As per usual – names and deeds withheld to protect the innocent. (“The innocent” being me, since this is a public forum and all. πŸ˜‰ )

14. Where did most of your money go?
Medical bills. Meh.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Trip to Vegas for mom’s 60th birthday. Road trip with Emily. Adopting Loki. Becoming a Whovian. Having my name in a book.

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
Rumour Has It – Adele
Brokenhearted – Karmin
Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen. πŸ˜‰

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?

Slightly happier
b) thinner or fatter?
About the same
c) richer or poorer?
Poorer. Again. Too many medical bills/no raise

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

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Incur medical expenses/go into debt. Meh.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Went to IHOP with mom & the brother, then mom & I went to see “Les MisΓ©rables”. Was extremely happy when snow fell that afternoon and we ended up with a white Christmas. πŸ˜€ Watched the newest episode of “Doctor Who”.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Once again – Mom (talking). Emily (texting)

22. Did you fall in love in 2012?
Nope.

23. How many one-night stands?
None.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Flashpoint. Grimm. Leverage. Doctor Who.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t think so. I know there’s a few I dislike now…. but not hate.

26. What was the best book you read?
Thirteen” by Kelley Armstrong. (Check it out. My name is in it. Hee!! :D)

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Rediscovered a lot of older music, when scanning in old CDs before selling them

28. What did you want and get?
Loki-kitten! New camera.

29. What did you want and not get?
To travel to Canada

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I actually went to the movies a lot this year! Well, a lot for me…
My favorites: Pitch Perfect, Avengers, Brave, Wreck It Ralph

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old?
I worked. What fun. Turned 38. Got insanely beautiful rainbow roses from my best friend.

32. What would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having less pain & medical bills

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Same as always β€” “Whatever”

34. What kept you sane?
IM/text/email conversations w/my best friend, Emily.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hugh Dillon. Brendan Fletcher

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election. Marriage equality. Gun control.

37. Who did you miss?
Emily. Way too far away.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I dunno.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
You may think that life’s got you beaten to a pulp, but it can find new ways to cause you pain.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“Underneath the clothes we’re wearing,
scars we all carry; some that don’t fade.
And they read just like a roadmap.
Time cuts a deep track through skin and vein.”

     Everybody Falls – Beth Thornley