Another One Bites The Dust

It's that time again, folks. Another year-in-review, with a few changes but mostly more of the same. Hey--at least I got more than one blog post in this year, right? (very small yay)

What did you do in 2017 that you’d never done before?

I was a guest host on two different podcasts (Radio Ronin twice, and So B.I.G. one time). It was really fun, and I hope to do it again soon. I'll be hanging out with the ladies of Life On The Rocks, Please in a few weeks. They are awesome, and it will be a blast.

Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Yes, I did make some. Did I keep them? Well . . .

To finish the unfinished projects before I start more (uh . . .)
To spend less money on makeup (uh . . .)
To be unapologetically myself (uh . . . I still find myself apologizing for myself frequently)
To ask for what I want (I've been a little better about this, but there's lots of room for improvement)

I think I'll keep these very generic goals, and add a few more, though I'm not writing them here.

Did anyone close to you give birth?

My brother Dave & his wife Lexy had baby #6 (Eve Ximena-Renee) in March, and I was privileged to be there for my niece's birth. What a lovely experience.

My sister Sarah gave birth to a sweet baby boy (Miles John), but he was born too soon (19 weeks). It has been devastating for her and Chad, and we are all still so sad from losing him. I kinda feel robbed of getting to know my nephew, though I know he's close. Chad & Sarah are doing IVF again, so we are hoping for another miracle next year.

Did anyone close to you die?

See above.
Also, Tollene's dog Ginger died. (We got a new dog, Finn, or as Benji calls him, "Hi-Finn.")
And a very nice guy from my ward, Brad Andreason passed away not too long after Miles and Ginger. He was in his early 50's and had lots of heart problems, but seeing so many people grieving is rough. I cried a lot in August and September. (Who am I kidding? I cry all the freaking time.)

What countries did you visit?

I should really just change this question to states, but within the next 5 years I will be able to write different countries! So until that point, I'll answer: Wyoming, Idaho, California, Washington State, and two I hadn't visited before: Minnesota & Iowa. They are lovely places!

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

Confidence and organization

What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory?

August 30 (Baby Miles's birthday)

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Surviving December. It was brutal.

What was your biggest failure?

Attempting to teach Microbiology. Ha! That was a joke!

Did you suffer illness or injury?

I spent a few days in the hospital with sepsis. Not fun. I got better, though I still have some lingering effects therefrom. My friend Erica Dawn had a terrible infection and was in the hospital for two months. Mine was a breeze compared to hers.

What was the best thing you bought?

Tickets to see two of my favourite bands in Seattle. Best. Mother's Day. Ever.

Whose behavior merited celebration?

Benji has been doing great. He was SO GOOD at Disneyland! I was very impressed with the way he handled the crowds and the rides!

Where did most of your money go?

Bills. Car. Food. Concerts. Gifts. Airline Tickets. Disneyland. Bath & Body Works. Ulta. Amazon. (Not necessarily in that order)

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

My trip to Seattle. The food was great, the company was great, the music was beyond great. 

What song will always remind you of 2017?

The big songs of the year (that I've heard once or twice and kinda liked) were "Despacito (Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee w/The Biebs) and "Sign of the Times" (Harry Styles). I listened to that Taylor Swift song a couple of times and it was terrible. I liked Chainsmokers (w/Coldplay) "Something Just Like This" in spite of myself. I also listened to a lot of Tom Petty (R.I.P.), but my personal favorite is "Lights of Home" by U2, which is better than all of those other songs combined.  

My album of the year is "Songs of Experience" by U2 (I know this surprises nobody). I usually have more albums, but since I've started listening to a lot more podcasts, I haven't had as much time for music. That's why three of my top ten are from U2, and two are from my community choir (Salt Lake Singers). I should probably branch out a bit more, but I was kinda sparse in my concert partaking this year.

My top 10 SONGS of 2017 (or, the songs that have meant the most to me this year)

10. "All Praise to Thee" by Elaine Hagenberg

9. "The Work of Christmas" by Howard Thurman/Dan Forrest

8. "Top of the World" by Greek Fire

7. "The Sky is a Neighborhood" by Foo Fighters

6. "Solid Gold" by Tom Chaplin & JONES

5. "Take Me As You Found Me" by Anberlin

4. "Landlady" by U2

3. "You're the Best Thing About Me" by U2

2. "You Don't Know How It Feels" by Tom Petty

1. "Lights of Home" by U2

And the concert list for this year (short but great): 

Young the Giant (2.4.17 at the Complex)
U2 with Mumford & Sons (5.14.17 at CenturyLink Field)
Depeche Mode (8.23.17 at USANA)
Offspring/Sublime with Rome (9.30.17 at USANA)

I had tickets to see Foo Fighters, but ended up selling them. I'm such an idiot.

I should really add my top Podcasts of the year, since that's become a thing:
10. The Park Hoppers
9. Rolling Stone Music Now
8. S-Town
7. Gregg's Guide to New Music/Ticked (tied)
6. Radio Ronin
5. This American Life
4. Baconsale
3. Life on the Rocks, Please
2. Awesome with Alison
1. Heavyweight

Compared to this time last year, are you:

   Happier or sadder? Not sure at the moment. It depends on the day and how much sleep I've had.

   Thinner or fatter? Don't ask.

   Richer or poorer?  We just got back from Disneyland. I'm feeling very poor at the moment.

What do you wish you’d done more of?  

Exercising.  Spending time with my boy.

What do you wish you’d done less of?  

Staying up too late, saying yes when I really want to say no.

How will you be spending Christmas? 

Honestly, I'm not sure

Did you fall in love in 2017?

Not so much

Who were your best friends?

Peggy, Heather. My sisters.

What thing did you do that was meaningful to others?

I spent LOTS of time taking and editing pictures this year (and several of these sessions were free of charge); I hope they are meaningful to others, or what the hell am I doing?
I also worked really hard on the Christmas Program for my ward/choir (I'm the ward choir director), and coordinating and practicing with all of the groups, getting them to participate, writing, copying, etc., etc. It was rough, but I think it turned out well, and I hope it was a nice and meaningful meeting for everyone involved.

What were your favorite TV programs?

The Mindy Project, Madam Secretary, Designated Survivor, This Is Us, Mr. Robot, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Not really. There are people who I really looked up to in the past, for whom the shine has dulled a bit. 

What was the best book you read in 2017?

I did not read a lot this year. The best book I read was "Origin" by Dan Brown, with "Artemis" by Andy Weir coming in a very close second. They were both excellent. I keep thinking I'm going to read more once I get caught up, but I'm never caught up anymore.

What was your greatest musical discovery?

How good the Offspring still sound! They were rocking! Subime--not so much.

What did you want and get?

Disneyland for Christmas. Yay! (And never again!!)

What did you want but did NOT get?

A Kindle. Good lord--this has been on my list for like 5 years now.

What was your favorite film of this year?

I actually liked Star Wars Episode VIII, though it's getting a lot of flack. I LOVED Baby Driver (which I got to see in a critic's screening with Kenny D) and Wonder Woman, but Dunkirk was AMAZING. Best film of the year, hands down. 

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

No idea. I turned 38. Gads, I'm getting old.

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

More sleep. And a lot more sex.

What kept you sane?

Friends. Good people at work and church and in my life.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I'm currently crushing on Adam Driver, a.k.a., Kylo Ren, a.k.a., Darth Tall Jew. I don't know what it is, but I'm hooked.

What political issue stirred you the most?

I've been following Seth Abramson, an Attorney and Criminal Law/journalism professor on Twitter. He has been following and analyzing the "Trump-Russia Thing" for months now. He uses a lot of different reputable sources, and he explains things in such a clear, fascinating way. It's SO MUCH to take in that it hurts my brain sometimes, but I feel like I'm watching Watergate unfold before my eyes. Can I just say--Bob Mueller is THE MAN.  

Who did you miss?

I don't get to see Peggy often enough, but she tries to make time for me. I miss DeLayna, who is currently living in Germany. And, of course, Joyce, Susan, Brittany, Todd, and the others who decided I wasn't worth their time.

Who was the best new person you met this year?

Make it two: Lara & Erin. The LOTRP ladies are so awesome. I adore them.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017.

Invest in people who invest in you. (Thank you, Alison!)

Quote that sums up your year:

Allison had so many tasty nuggets, and I learned a lot from working with my friend Daniel Blomberg on his brain consulting stuff, but I worked a lot on my handwriting/lettering this year, and I wrote this so many times it has stuck. The words are so beautiful, and the music makes me cry. This is what it's all about.

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,

To make music from the heart.
--Howard Thurman/Dan Forrest

So there it is. I'm glad I was able to get this done today (another thing off my to-do list!). I want to know how your year went. Please comment or message me or whatever. If you're reading this, I can pretty much guarantee I have thought about you recently, so let me know how you are. 

LOVE YA.