2020- Year End Meme
Dec. 30th, 2020 09:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatYear-end meme that I discovered on my correspondence list:
1. What did you do in 2020 that you'd never done before?
I worked remotely from home and attended meetings/church services, etc via Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
Prior to 2020, I didn't believe it was possible to do my job at home, remotely. In fact, we used to talk about how it wasn't possible at work due to files, etc. Apparently we were all wrong - who needs files when you can do everything electronically.
Also, I started meditating every morning before work - made a world of difference.
And...I started listening to audio books. I've listened to more audio books this year than I actually read. Astonishing. I didn't think I could do that.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Yes. My resolution was very simple - "Be Kind" - also not always as easy as it looked. (There were people I wanted to smack upside the head.) It's the same this year - Be Kind. I took up loving kindness meditation to help it along. I'm adding another resolution - giving up sugar/cutting back on alcohol consumption, and on cheese - while walking more.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Pondering. No I don't think anyone close to me did.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. Thank god. I actually managed to make it through this year without anyone close to me or that I care for dying. It was touch and go there for a while this summer - but my family managed to survive.
5. What countries did you visit?
Sigh.
6. What would you like to have in 2021 that you lacked in 2020?
Ability to see my parents in Hilton Head at some point. Also to visit my brother, my niece and sis-in-law, and see my friends again in person.
7. What date from 2020 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 16-17, 2020 - the day we went into lockdown and worked remotely from home. I'll never forget March 17. It was the last day that I was on a subway without a mask. And I'll never forget March 16 - it was the last day we were all together at work, with no masks. The lockdown/pandemic really began for me the week of March 16.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I don't know - it's hard to choose. I guess figuring out how to work remotely from home on a 13 inch MacBook Air lap top. And learning how to use Zoom and Microsoft Teams without any issues. Also surviving - without going crazy. And managing to get in a walk at least three to four times a week - averaging between 1-4 miles.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn't walk quite as much as I wanted to. Some did it every day. Also my walking was down considerably from last year due to the loss of the commute.
I don't know - how does one define failure? I was working full-time, so I ignored all the trendy lockdown crap. I guess, my biggest failure might have been that I wasn't stronger for my Mom and more supportive? Or didn't quite accomplish what I intended through Nanowrimore or really get involved with volunteering for my community group - I donated to it, but I couldn't get myself to volunteer. Also, I wish I could have gotten more involved with the Black Lives Matter Movement - I feel like I failed somehow in not being able to march.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No. I'm actually feeling better this year than last year. There was the illness from 2019 that carried over into 2020, but it kind of disappeared by March. And it wasn't anything that serious apparently - since it went away completely by March.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
It's a toss-up between my coffee table/foot rest, new desk chair, and aerogarden - which grows heirloom lettuce. Although we're waiting to see how well that works. The desk chair - although it came without a wheel - did help my back tremendously. My back pain went away after I got it. And the coffee table cheered me up.
12. Where did most of your money go?
Food. Mainly. Also towards the desk chair, coffee table. But I also donated a lot of money this year to various things - Food Bank, City Harvest, God Loves We Deliver, People in Need at Church (or the Minister's Charitable Fund), Pancreatic Cancer Research, Hope Floats, Community - People in Need in my Neighborhood, Robin Hood Fund, Minnesota Freedom Fund, Greenfaith..I felt this overwhelming need to help, and was frustrated with being unable to do so. So I sent money.
13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Drawing a blank. I think I kept getting excited and disappointed, so I hedged my bets? I got excited about June Tenth being turned into a State holiday FINALLY. (This is the day the slaves obtained actual freedom in the US.) I got excited about the fact that laws were finally being passed in NY State to counter-act police brutality. I got excited that Biden won, although I won't feel truly excited and happy until the Doofus leaves the White House along with his horde of evil cronies.
14. What song will always remind you of 2020?
Fiona Apple's Relay and Jon Bon Jovie's When you can't do what you do, you do what you can...
15. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
About the same. I'm less anxious. So there's that at least. I feel this odd sense of relief - I think because last year at this time I felt impeding dread and couldn't quite shake it.
ii. thinner or fatter?
About the same - I seem to lose ten pound then gain ten pounds then lose ten pounds then gain ten pounds.
iii. richer or poorer?
Probably the same.
16. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I don't know. Walked more. I wish I'd done more walking - but I didn't have the time or energy to do more.
17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Doom scrolling. Reading the news. I've learned to scale back even more. And take breaks from it.
18. What was your favorite TV program?
The Witcher - I was the most obsessed with.
Runner's up: Queen's Gambit, Great Pottery Throw-Down, Avatar: The Last Airbender, General Hospital
19. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Do I? No, thankfully.
I was working very hard not to hate the ones I did last year. That may be another major accomplishment - ridding myself of hate or trying. It hurts no one but me.
I did change my mind about one though - I had hated Governor Cuomo last year, and the year before, but now I thank God for him and have done a complete 180 turn around. Is he annoying? Yes. Can he be an egotistical ass? Yes. A bully? Yes. But thank god he's the Governor of New York - because I adore him now. So I love someone that I hated last year.
20. What was the best book you read?
Toss-up. I'm going to go with Obama's Promised Land - the audio book, which I've not completed yet, because I'm stretching it out. I adore it.
Runner up? I was actually impressed by Dugan,Hickman, and Tishdale's X of Swords cross-over, which turned a superhero/ soap opera comic book into an epic fantasy/sci-fi contest of wills, commenting on various things in the process.
21. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Hmmm. I listen to so many. I guess John Prine, Fiona Apple, and various female folk artists.
22. What did you do on your birthday?
It was more of a birthday weekend? I went to a movie, had a flourless chocolate cake and a glass of wine with a friend in a restaurant, and got a massage. This was one week before the lockdown. I also wandered around the park and watched the birds. One week before the lockdown.
The last week before everything changed.
1. What did you do in 2020 that you'd never done before?
I worked remotely from home and attended meetings/church services, etc via Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
Prior to 2020, I didn't believe it was possible to do my job at home, remotely. In fact, we used to talk about how it wasn't possible at work due to files, etc. Apparently we were all wrong - who needs files when you can do everything electronically.
Also, I started meditating every morning before work - made a world of difference.
And...I started listening to audio books. I've listened to more audio books this year than I actually read. Astonishing. I didn't think I could do that.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Yes. My resolution was very simple - "Be Kind" - also not always as easy as it looked. (There were people I wanted to smack upside the head.) It's the same this year - Be Kind. I took up loving kindness meditation to help it along. I'm adding another resolution - giving up sugar/cutting back on alcohol consumption, and on cheese - while walking more.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Pondering. No I don't think anyone close to me did.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. Thank god. I actually managed to make it through this year without anyone close to me or that I care for dying. It was touch and go there for a while this summer - but my family managed to survive.
5. What countries did you visit?
Sigh.
6. What would you like to have in 2021 that you lacked in 2020?
Ability to see my parents in Hilton Head at some point. Also to visit my brother, my niece and sis-in-law, and see my friends again in person.
7. What date from 2020 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 16-17, 2020 - the day we went into lockdown and worked remotely from home. I'll never forget March 17. It was the last day that I was on a subway without a mask. And I'll never forget March 16 - it was the last day we were all together at work, with no masks. The lockdown/pandemic really began for me the week of March 16.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I don't know - it's hard to choose. I guess figuring out how to work remotely from home on a 13 inch MacBook Air lap top. And learning how to use Zoom and Microsoft Teams without any issues. Also surviving - without going crazy. And managing to get in a walk at least three to four times a week - averaging between 1-4 miles.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn't walk quite as much as I wanted to. Some did it every day. Also my walking was down considerably from last year due to the loss of the commute.
I don't know - how does one define failure? I was working full-time, so I ignored all the trendy lockdown crap. I guess, my biggest failure might have been that I wasn't stronger for my Mom and more supportive? Or didn't quite accomplish what I intended through Nanowrimore or really get involved with volunteering for my community group - I donated to it, but I couldn't get myself to volunteer. Also, I wish I could have gotten more involved with the Black Lives Matter Movement - I feel like I failed somehow in not being able to march.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No. I'm actually feeling better this year than last year. There was the illness from 2019 that carried over into 2020, but it kind of disappeared by March. And it wasn't anything that serious apparently - since it went away completely by March.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
It's a toss-up between my coffee table/foot rest, new desk chair, and aerogarden - which grows heirloom lettuce. Although we're waiting to see how well that works. The desk chair - although it came without a wheel - did help my back tremendously. My back pain went away after I got it. And the coffee table cheered me up.
12. Where did most of your money go?
Food. Mainly. Also towards the desk chair, coffee table. But I also donated a lot of money this year to various things - Food Bank, City Harvest, God Loves We Deliver, People in Need at Church (or the Minister's Charitable Fund), Pancreatic Cancer Research, Hope Floats, Community - People in Need in my Neighborhood, Robin Hood Fund, Minnesota Freedom Fund, Greenfaith..I felt this overwhelming need to help, and was frustrated with being unable to do so. So I sent money.
13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Drawing a blank. I think I kept getting excited and disappointed, so I hedged my bets? I got excited about June Tenth being turned into a State holiday FINALLY. (This is the day the slaves obtained actual freedom in the US.) I got excited about the fact that laws were finally being passed in NY State to counter-act police brutality. I got excited that Biden won, although I won't feel truly excited and happy until the Doofus leaves the White House along with his horde of evil cronies.
14. What song will always remind you of 2020?
Fiona Apple's Relay and Jon Bon Jovie's When you can't do what you do, you do what you can...
15. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
About the same. I'm less anxious. So there's that at least. I feel this odd sense of relief - I think because last year at this time I felt impeding dread and couldn't quite shake it.
ii. thinner or fatter?
About the same - I seem to lose ten pound then gain ten pounds then lose ten pounds then gain ten pounds.
iii. richer or poorer?
Probably the same.
16. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I don't know. Walked more. I wish I'd done more walking - but I didn't have the time or energy to do more.
17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Doom scrolling. Reading the news. I've learned to scale back even more. And take breaks from it.
18. What was your favorite TV program?
The Witcher - I was the most obsessed with.
Runner's up: Queen's Gambit, Great Pottery Throw-Down, Avatar: The Last Airbender, General Hospital
19. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Do I? No, thankfully.
I was working very hard not to hate the ones I did last year. That may be another major accomplishment - ridding myself of hate or trying. It hurts no one but me.
I did change my mind about one though - I had hated Governor Cuomo last year, and the year before, but now I thank God for him and have done a complete 180 turn around. Is he annoying? Yes. Can he be an egotistical ass? Yes. A bully? Yes. But thank god he's the Governor of New York - because I adore him now. So I love someone that I hated last year.
20. What was the best book you read?
Toss-up. I'm going to go with Obama's Promised Land - the audio book, which I've not completed yet, because I'm stretching it out. I adore it.
Runner up? I was actually impressed by Dugan,Hickman, and Tishdale's X of Swords cross-over, which turned a superhero/ soap opera comic book into an epic fantasy/sci-fi contest of wills, commenting on various things in the process.
21. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Hmmm. I listen to so many. I guess John Prine, Fiona Apple, and various female folk artists.
22. What did you do on your birthday?
It was more of a birthday weekend? I went to a movie, had a flourless chocolate cake and a glass of wine with a friend in a restaurant, and got a massage. This was one week before the lockdown. I also wandered around the park and watched the birds. One week before the lockdown.
The last week before everything changed.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-31 09:00 pm (UTC)I read about the idiots in charge of our federal government and I want to put my fist through a wall. Over time, I'm becoming somewhat resigned, and skimming over it.