1. What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before?
○ I started my booktube channel!
○ I completed a round of Whole30, and proved that you CAN complete the 30 days without Instagramming a single picture of a Whole30 meal :) I say that in jest, of course, because I did find some meal ideas through IG. Overall, it was a great experience, and we'll probably do it again soon.
○ We went to a Blackhawks playoff game against the St. Louis Blues.
○ We attended our town's food truck rally, which was super fun!
○ We ate at Art Smith's restaurant Table52 in Chicago.
○ I went to a book reading with Lena Dunham (which was cool, even though I did not enjoy her book).
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
For 2013, I used a single word as my intention—story. Telling my story, listening to others' stories, asking myself if I was living a good story, etc. In many ways, this guiding word helped encourage me to do the things I've long wanted to, but in some ways I didn't do as much as planned. My blogging slowed down, and I abandoned Project Life after about April.
Besides my word for 2014, I did select four projects to work on over the year, which I talked about here. I spent the first few months of the year transitioning to natural makeup, an effort that I'd say was about half successful. As most projects go, I was gung-ho at the beginning (and spent a ton of money on natural skin care and makeup), but I sort of lost interest once I remembered that makeup isn't much more than utilitarian for me. I found a few favorites (Pai rosehip oil, Tarte mascara, Physician's Formula Organic CC cream, Shea Moisture soap, etc.) but it's something that I won't be obsessive about in the future.
Then I wanted to refine my personal style and experiment with capsule wardrobes while minimizing purchases. I definitely know what I like now, but I wouldn't say I shopped any less. I still bought several new things, especially due to travel and the need to replace worn-out clothes. But I do feel like I'm in a position to need very little this next year.
The third goal was to prioritize creative projects, especially those that combine the visual and the verbal. My efforts mostly shifted to my YouTube channel in the latter half of the year, and I eased up on everything else. However, I realize I can't do everything I want to, and I'm happy with where my attention has been lately.
Lastly, I'd wanted to do one new thing with Mark every month. This was a complete fail. With all of Mark's work trips, he was gone for a total of over 16 weeks, and we didn't get too adventurous in our down time. A sick cat contributed to that as well. All I can recall doing is taking a cooking class on my birthday, and then kayaking the Chicago river downtown in August. Oh well, we'll try again this next year.
As for 2015, I'll be picking a word (or two) for the year, which I'll share soon, and I'll probably pick a few new projects to focus on for the year as well.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not anyone particularly close, though I know there are more and more babies appearing in my social media feeds in general!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
We said goodbye to our cat Misfit this year after an almost year-long battle with cancer.
5. What countries did you visit?
During my Europe trip with my family, we toured Austria, Germany, and Switzerland over 14 days, and it an amazing whirlwind of a trip. I would have likely visited Israel to see Mark if things hadn't gotten crazy over there.
6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
Peace of mind and body. There were several events this year that were very anxiety-inducing for me, and I often felt a general sense of "unwellness" and discomfort, physically and emotionally. It was nothing I couldn't handle, but I'm already taking steps to ease some of the anxiety and tension as we move into 2015.7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
○ All of January: Also known as, the winter that killed my soul. So many days of negative temperatures, with windchill down to -48°F, and multiple feet of snow. It was ROUGH.
○ Early July: Mark left for what was supposed to be four months in Israel, only to be evacuated five days later due to the latest Israel-Palestine conflict. It was a crazy time, to say the least. He opted not to return for the full four months, but the compromise was that he had to take several shorter business trips. The entire summer he was home for two weeks, then gone for two.
○ Mid- to late-September: We had our family European trip!
○ September 28: Our 6th wedding anniversary was spent in Lucerne, Switzerland, and we had a lovely al fresco dinner at a vinothek on the river.
○ October 30: The day that we had to put Misfit to sleep. Very hard day.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Posting my first video on YouTube. It was something I'd wanted to do for almost a year, and it wasn't until Mark left for Israel (and I thought he'd be gone all summer and therefore wanted a big project to occupy my time). I'm happy I set aside my nerves enough to post for the first time, and it's really been a growth opportunity for me.
9. What was your biggest failure?
It wasn't a failure on our part, but the biggest disappointment we faced was when Mark came thisclose to a job offer in Boulder, which fell through when the company lost two projects just prior to sending Mark an offer. At the same time, I'd also been excited to apply for a publications position at University of Colorado at Boulder, but I had to abandon my application since we really need Mark to have a job in place for us to be able to relocate.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I continued to deal with sciatica issues and knee pain in my left leg, and a seemingly permanent knot in my left shoulder. I think I had a cold or two mixed in there too, but nothing serious.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I'm really happy with an external ring light I bought for my camera to help with filming videos, especially as the winter light has proven to be challenging. I also bought a 2015 planner from Inkwell Press that I'm quite excited about, but I'm too nervous to write in yet.
12. Where did most of your money go?
To the veterinarian, no joke (aside from the mortgage, obviously). Misfit's two surgeries, a bout with another illness, a tooth extraction, two other vet consultations after we got the cancer diagnosis, and boarding to take care of her while we were gone on our trip. But we had to do it, and we were glad to have had another year with her.
13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Is it bad that I can't remember? I'm not a really, really, really excitable person in general, for better or worse. Though I should have been super excited about Europe and I was thrilled to go, I was so worried about leaving Misfit that I wasn't able to be in the moment leading up to the trip.
I was very happy when I hit 300 subscribers on my YouTube channel, as that felt like such a huge number to me. I'm almost double that now, and it shocks me every time I see the numbers climb. I'm grateful for every person who is along for the journey with me :)
14. What songs will always remind you of 2014?
Anything Hozier, especially Take Me To Church.
15. Did you make any new friendships?
If you count the friends I've made through booktube (which I do, because they're some good people!), then yes. But I didn't do a very good job making any new friends locally.
16. Did you go on vacation?
Yes, twice! In April, Mark and I went to Phoenix and Albuquerque to visit his family for eight or so days, and then in mid-September we took our Europe trip.
17. What do you wish you had done (more and less) of?
○ More: Spontaneity. Writing. Family. Movement. Outdoor time. Yoga. Reflection. Gratitude. Honesty. Coffee shops. Long talks.
○ Less: Worry. Sadness. Doubt. Internetting. Being lazy. Saying "no."
18. How did you spend the holidays?
Thanksgiving was with Mark's family at his uncle's new house. It was nice because he moved to a northern suburb and it saves us from having to drive up to Wisconsin (to Mark's mom's house) whenever he hosts. Christmas Eve was spent at his uncle's house again, since we were going to be with my family on Christmas day. Christmas morning was at my mom's—we had quiche and bacon for breakfast and opened presents before going to my grandma's for Christmas dinner. It felt like it'd been YEARS since I was able to be there with my whole family on Christmas, and I was really happy to be there. We also stopped at my step-grandma's house to drop off presents and chat for an hour. Overall, it was a low-key, low-stress Christmas—a welcome change from normal!
19. What new food did you discover?
PACZKI! This year marked my first time trying the traditional Polish pastry, sold and eaten all over Chicago on Fat Tuesday. Mark brought me one home from his office, and I LOVED IT. And I don't normally like donuts.
Though they weren't all new to me, I did think it was cool to have weiner sausage and apfel strudel in Vienna, fondue in Switzerland, and Leberkäse and pretzels in Germany. I love having local dishes when I travel!
As for recipes, we had a great year of cooking; I can't recall any major recipe duds. Many of the ones we tried and liked are listed on this Pinterest board. We especially loved this salad (with Israeli couscous instead of wheat berries), this soup (with lots of added veggies like spinach and carrots), and this stir fry.
20. What was your favorite TV program?
Anthony Bourdain - Parts Unknown was my personal favorite thanks to Netflix, but together, Mark and I really liked The Newsroom's final season. We also had fun marathoning American Horror Story, though I wouldn't call it a favorite.
21. What was one of your favorite experiences of the year?
Nothing will top our Europe trip, which you can see recapped in photos and video. It was the first time my family and I traveled overseas together, and it was really amazing, and I am so grateful to my mom and step-dad for wanting to take us. A few top moments from the trip: Sitting in a Viennese cafe with Mark that made us feel like we were in the movie Before Sunrise, tearing up at the sight of the mountains as we climbed the cog railway in Zermatt, Switzerland, the entire tour bus singing us "Happy Anniversary" and calling themselves the von Crapp singers. So many good moments though.
22. What was the best book you read?
The Goldfinch by Donna Tarte. It had such great writing, characterization, and I loved following the journey that spanned the book. It took forever for me to read though.
23. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Yuna, Hozier, Ben Howard's new album, MØ, Banks, Sylvan Esso.
24. What was your favorite film of this year?
I didn't see too many memorable movies, so I'm going to go with Boyhood.
25. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 31 on January 21st this year. Mark and I celebrated by taking a French sauces cooking class together, which was fun.
26. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
Casual, comfortable and minimal. As you can see from my summer and fall capsule wardrobes, my clothes are very simple, neutral, and always comfortable. And any day at home I can be found in yoga pants and a t-shirt.
27. What kept you sane?
Nesting. Life had its ups and downs this year, and through everything, I found myself counting on my home as my constant, safe place, and I worked hard to keep it peaceful and comfortable. I probably spent more time than is healthy at home, but I AM a homebody, and home is the best place to throw myself into my various projects. After Misfit was gone, I spent several days cleaning and rearranging furniture to freshen things up, and I realized how I cope with grief by cleaning compulsively. Could be worse.
28. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I'd been obsessed with Lena Dunham up until I read her book, which I unfortunately did not enjoy. Now, my obsessions are Jessica Williams of The Daily Show (she is fantastic and I can't wait for her to have her own show someday) and Emma Watson, for her all-around beauty and beliefs. I also had moments with Lana del Rey and Anna Kendrick this year as well.
29. What political issue stirred you the most?
Domestically, I have been torn up over the far-too-numerous killings black men by police in this country, and I'm constantly distressed over how to handle the (often underhanded) racist attitudes that crop up in the people around me. I have no idea how to approach that conversation or promote healing and understanding.
Internationally, I was affected most closely by the Israel-Palestine conflict, given that my husband was taking trips to Israel all summer long. My understanding of the history and relationships in the region is extremely limited, but I felt uncomfortable with the extremely aggressive approach Israel took towards Gaza, and the killing of hundreds of innocent civilians was atrocious. However, I understand the country's desire to protect itself (and obviously, I had a personal interest in the country remaining a secure place). But that doesn't make the violence justified, if that makes sense.
30. Who did you miss?
I miss some of my old friends. Though it makes little sense to me given our social media-connected world, it is very hard to keep in touch with some of the people from my past. Unfortunately, many of my old friends are just not into Twitter, IG, FB (which I quit in February anyways), or even returning texts. So some relationships have faded over time, though I admittedly could do more to try and keep in touch.
31. Who was the best new person you met?
Am I allowed to pick a feline person for this? My mom got a new cat this year, and he is so wonderful. His name is Emmett, and he is a beautiful white cat with a gray helmet head and dipstick tail, and is one of the most amiable, chill cats you ever did meet. He'll make fast friends with anyone, and does not discriminate against any available laps to lie in.
32. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.
○ I've become more accepting of the idea that I am a work in progress, rather than someone who has everything figured out.○ I've learned that momentum is real. Ideas in motion stay in motion, and ideas at rest stay at rest. Any time I stopped recording videos for a long time, I had a much harder time jumping back into a routine, and I know I veered off course from Project Life when I went on vacation in April. I never recovered after that because I lost my routine.
○ I've come to believe that while progress is always better than the inaction caused by perfectionism, there is NOTHING wrong with holding yourself to a standard of excellence. I'm going to write a more articulate post in the future, but I think that quality and progress do not have to be mutually exclusive. Sometimes high standards and a focus on the details both sets you apart and makes you proud of your own work in a way that would not be possible if you were just pushing to complete tasks.
33. Share a quote or song lyric that sums up your year.
"Allow beauty to shatter you regularly. The loveliest people are the ones who have been burnt and broken and torn at the seams, yet still send their open hearts into the world to mend with love again, and again, and again. You must allow yourself to feel your life when you're in it." - Victoria Erickson
{Survey via Becoming Jolie and Leia Bryn}
