Rooster to Dog.
Dec. 31st, 2017 03:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bluealoe2017 is almost over. Huh. It feels like it just started. It was a very up-and-down year, with a lot of good and a lot of bad (I'm talking about in my daily life, not larger social/political stuff. If I start talking about that I'll just start screaming.)
In no particular order, here are some things that happened this year:
-I planned and pulled off five major events at work, as well as at least 15 smaller ones. I helped with a bunch of other projects, did a birthday party, designed twelve monthly flyers, started a big project with Denali National Park, and made a ton of scavenger hunts.
-I completely cleaned and reorganized the bookshelves and activity drawers at work.
-I went through at least three lint rollers taking care of the damn caribou pelt at the museum.
-I went to Ketchikan for the first time, on my first work trip. Ketchikan was beautiful, though completely overrun with tourists.
-In June, we moved to a new apartment that is bigger, nicer, in a better location, has better neighbors, and more importantly has a washer and dryer! I can't overstate how excited I am about no longer have to scrounge for quarters or share a laundry room with a bunch of random people. I feel like I'm finally an adult.
-We met our new neighbors Chris and his dog Brogan, and Cassandra and her dog Jasper. I am loving hanging out with the dogs, but not having to feed or walk them. :)
-We went camping twice, once at Denali and once near Chena Hot Springs, and didn't get eaten by bears.
-I went to a baseball game for the first time, and had no idea what was going on most of the time.
-We were lucky enough to have an amazing view of Denali (the mountain, not the park), which is pretty rare.
-My mom stayed with us for a month in the spring and another month over the summer, and we didn't kill each other. In fact, we got along quite well.
-I started cross-country skiing again, after not having done it in over twenty years, and found I actually enjoy it.
-We went back to Syracuse to visit the in-laws, and it was actually a very nice trip, to my surprise.
-I went to my 15th high school reunion. Only a few of my classmates were there, but it was fun to walk through my old high school and see how little it's changed in fifteen years.
-Got back in touch with two of my high school teachers, both of whom were very influential in my life, and was able to tell them how important their guidance was to teenager Emily.
-I got a new phone, and have mostly figured out how to use it.
-I saw three movies in the theatre: We Breathe Again (a documentary about Alaska Natives healing from historical trauma), Cars 3 (I had very low expectations, but it was surprisingly good), and Coco (SO GOOD, but emotionally devastating).
-I wasn't able to see any of my grad school classmates all year, and I miss them like crazy.
-Had two months off from work this summer. I volunteered at two summer camps; one was okay, the other was a lot of fun (but frustrating at times).
-I very briefly had a summer job at a daycare/summer camp and quickly found out it was not a good place for me. I still feel like I failed one kid there; he was extremely argumentative and annoying, and had anger issues, but I didn't handle it in a constructive way. I doubt he even remembers me, I only had that job for two weeks, but some things linger.
-It seemed like everyone I knew had babies; three friends, three co-workers, and one cousin. So many babies!
-Rory and I had some emotional conversations, addressing some deep-seated insecurities. It was difficult, but we came out stronger on the other side and I think our relationship is even better now.
-We had our fifth anniversary in November. Five years seems like such a long time, but also no time at all.
-Got extremely angry at and disappointed in my sister-in-law for hurting people I care about.
-I was able to watch Rory make amazing progress this year. It was a hard year for him (one of his best friends died unexpectedly), but he also learned how to set boundaries with his family, tell his parents how harmful their communication patterns continue to be, stand up for himself and express his opinions with less fear, and start believing that he is a good person. It's still a work in progress, but I'm incredibly proud of him.
-Fed and petted the cat more times than I can count. She continues to be adorable and demanding and fussy and amazing, and I am so glad she is in our lives.
-Still miss Jade and Sapphire more than I can put into words.
So yeah, that was a year.
I wrote down three goals last New Year's Eve, and I think I did pretty good at them.
The first was to stay in the same house for an entire calendar year; I didn't accomplish that one, but it turned out for the best, as we moved to a better place. And we did stay in the same city all year.
The second was to get better at my job and feel more settled at the museum; I did pretty good at that. I still don't really know what I'm doing, but I feel like I'm better than when I first started, my co-workers are awesome, and I feel more secure.
The last one was to be more financially secure, and I think I met that one too. By the numbers, we don't make a ton of money, but it's enough to meet our needs and not spend all our time worrying. I can actually do things like buy a book without worrying it will wreck our budget.
Here's my list of things I'd like to do in 2018:
-Start learning fencing again.
-Do something to brush up on my Japanese (take a class, do something online, etc).
-Stay in the same apartment all year. I do NOT want to move again.
-Continue to do my best at work, particularly with the Denali project.
-Continue to work with Rory on our communication skills, and how to disagree in a healthy way.
-Go to hunting camp in September. It's been almost five years since I've been there, and it's time to go back. (Not to hunt, but it's where my dad's ashes are scattered, and it's a very important place to me.)
Time to say goodbye to the year of the Rooster, and welcome in the year of the Dog. I hope the new year treats all of you kindly.
In no particular order, here are some things that happened this year:
-I planned and pulled off five major events at work, as well as at least 15 smaller ones. I helped with a bunch of other projects, did a birthday party, designed twelve monthly flyers, started a big project with Denali National Park, and made a ton of scavenger hunts.
-I completely cleaned and reorganized the bookshelves and activity drawers at work.
-I went through at least three lint rollers taking care of the damn caribou pelt at the museum.
-I went to Ketchikan for the first time, on my first work trip. Ketchikan was beautiful, though completely overrun with tourists.
-In June, we moved to a new apartment that is bigger, nicer, in a better location, has better neighbors, and more importantly has a washer and dryer! I can't overstate how excited I am about no longer have to scrounge for quarters or share a laundry room with a bunch of random people. I feel like I'm finally an adult.
-We met our new neighbors Chris and his dog Brogan, and Cassandra and her dog Jasper. I am loving hanging out with the dogs, but not having to feed or walk them. :)
-We went camping twice, once at Denali and once near Chena Hot Springs, and didn't get eaten by bears.
-I went to a baseball game for the first time, and had no idea what was going on most of the time.
-We were lucky enough to have an amazing view of Denali (the mountain, not the park), which is pretty rare.
-My mom stayed with us for a month in the spring and another month over the summer, and we didn't kill each other. In fact, we got along quite well.
-I started cross-country skiing again, after not having done it in over twenty years, and found I actually enjoy it.
-We went back to Syracuse to visit the in-laws, and it was actually a very nice trip, to my surprise.
-I went to my 15th high school reunion. Only a few of my classmates were there, but it was fun to walk through my old high school and see how little it's changed in fifteen years.
-Got back in touch with two of my high school teachers, both of whom were very influential in my life, and was able to tell them how important their guidance was to teenager Emily.
-I got a new phone, and have mostly figured out how to use it.
-I saw three movies in the theatre: We Breathe Again (a documentary about Alaska Natives healing from historical trauma), Cars 3 (I had very low expectations, but it was surprisingly good), and Coco (SO GOOD, but emotionally devastating).
-I wasn't able to see any of my grad school classmates all year, and I miss them like crazy.
-Had two months off from work this summer. I volunteered at two summer camps; one was okay, the other was a lot of fun (but frustrating at times).
-I very briefly had a summer job at a daycare/summer camp and quickly found out it was not a good place for me. I still feel like I failed one kid there; he was extremely argumentative and annoying, and had anger issues, but I didn't handle it in a constructive way. I doubt he even remembers me, I only had that job for two weeks, but some things linger.
-It seemed like everyone I knew had babies; three friends, three co-workers, and one cousin. So many babies!
-Rory and I had some emotional conversations, addressing some deep-seated insecurities. It was difficult, but we came out stronger on the other side and I think our relationship is even better now.
-We had our fifth anniversary in November. Five years seems like such a long time, but also no time at all.
-Got extremely angry at and disappointed in my sister-in-law for hurting people I care about.
-I was able to watch Rory make amazing progress this year. It was a hard year for him (one of his best friends died unexpectedly), but he also learned how to set boundaries with his family, tell his parents how harmful their communication patterns continue to be, stand up for himself and express his opinions with less fear, and start believing that he is a good person. It's still a work in progress, but I'm incredibly proud of him.
-Fed and petted the cat more times than I can count. She continues to be adorable and demanding and fussy and amazing, and I am so glad she is in our lives.
-Still miss Jade and Sapphire more than I can put into words.
So yeah, that was a year.
I wrote down three goals last New Year's Eve, and I think I did pretty good at them.
The first was to stay in the same house for an entire calendar year; I didn't accomplish that one, but it turned out for the best, as we moved to a better place. And we did stay in the same city all year.
The second was to get better at my job and feel more settled at the museum; I did pretty good at that. I still don't really know what I'm doing, but I feel like I'm better than when I first started, my co-workers are awesome, and I feel more secure.
The last one was to be more financially secure, and I think I met that one too. By the numbers, we don't make a ton of money, but it's enough to meet our needs and not spend all our time worrying. I can actually do things like buy a book without worrying it will wreck our budget.
Here's my list of things I'd like to do in 2018:
-Start learning fencing again.
-Do something to brush up on my Japanese (take a class, do something online, etc).
-Stay in the same apartment all year. I do NOT want to move again.
-Continue to do my best at work, particularly with the Denali project.
-Continue to work with Rory on our communication skills, and how to disagree in a healthy way.
-Go to hunting camp in September. It's been almost five years since I've been there, and it's time to go back. (Not to hunt, but it's where my dad's ashes are scattered, and it's a very important place to me.)
Time to say goodbye to the year of the Rooster, and welcome in the year of the Dog. I hope the new year treats all of you kindly.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-01 10:13 am (UTC)Having washer/dryer in your place of residence is truly fantastic. No going outside with wet/dirty laundry too!
Happy anniversary :)
no subject
Date: 2018-01-01 10:55 pm (UTC)It's been six months, and I'm STILL excited about the washer and dryer. Not going outside with laundry is a definite advantage; in our last apartment, the door to the laundry room would always stick, and I'd be stuck outside with a basket of laundry.
I hope the new year is good to you!
no subject
Date: 2018-01-02 12:35 am (UTC)There are always improvements that are needed but I'm glad things are going well :)
*hugs* So far, it's going well! :D