[I originally wrote this post the 24-25 of Dec. Then when I tried to publish it, I noticed that copying and pasting it somehow ended up with weird formatting. It's now Dec 28th and it just took me several hours to sort it out. And this is one of the reasons why I dont blog. How does text get formatted as black and small when it was never those things in the first place? I just dont get it.]
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Successfully worked from home, taught myself to use Adobe Illustrator and InDesign from tutorials on the internet, wrote and published a Book, carved linoleum and made prints, hosted a masquerade party, opened my own business (on Etsy).
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Well it appears as though I didnt really have resolutions last year, but I did accomplish everything that I set out to. So that was a win.
For next year I want to get serious again about exercising (like I used to in the States 4-6 days a week). I also want to work on the 3 R's: reduce, reuse, recycle. Try to buy less; buy secondhand when possible, or buy handmade to support small artisans. Create less rubbish. Decrease our footprint.
My friend Cat from Boston had a baby boy and my cousin had a baby girl.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
This year was a surprisingly death-free year in terms of family. However, a collaborator of our group in Haarlem who was a very close friend to my professor was diagnosed with kidney cancer and it turned out to be inoperable due to having already metastisized. He died pretty quickly. Also both of Jamie's parents were diagnosed with cancer this year (I Know, Both! ugh) and were unable to make it to my promotion (defense/graduation) which was really sad. But they are doing well now so that is good.
5. What cities/countries did you visit?
No new countries for us this year :( But we did take my parents to Amsterdam, drove to Brussels, drove to Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-vallee, France and then drove back to Paris.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Better health. Still not doing very well with the insomnia and migraines.
7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched in your memory, and why?
October 29 - the day I defended my thesis and was awarded my PhD.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I had 3 major achievements that all tie together: finished writing my PhD thesis, turned it into a book in a short amount of time, and defended my thesis which all led to the bestowment of the PhD degree. I'm a doctor!
Hmmm, I had a pretty good year this year so I would have to say all the typos, mistakes, and forgotten sentences in my book. I was so sleep deprived by the time I turned it in I suppose it's a wonder I managed to spell the title and my name properly.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Somewhere in the spring I had an insane bought of some horrible stomach virus, but other than that I did pretty well this year. My bad ankle has been hurting a lot though in the rainy weather. It's probably arthritis (ugh).
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My Olympus Pen E-P3 camera! Loving the mirorless! Now I just need to learn how to use it optimally.
My paranymphs for helping with the promotion and making an awesome video, and all the people near and far who participated in the video.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
My siblings for never saying any sort of congrats to me for my PhD (only the biggest and most important accomplishment of my life). Esp my sister who is apparently not speaking to me and wont tell me why she's mad. She is however behaving like a petty child and complaining to my parents that I'm a horrible person for not mentioning her in my thesis. What the what??
Also the estate agents in Birmingham were pretty much jerks and made me cry.
Publishing my book, the reception after my promotion, the dinner for my promotion, the party for my promotion, flights for interviews, my visa to the UK, moving costs.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Becoming a Dr; getting interviews; getting a post-doctoral position; going to Disneyland!
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2013?
It's a small world. hahahaha sad but true
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier, fatter, way way poorer. (How can I be fatter every year and not be all that huge? Well, every winter I manage to gain lots of weight, and it seems to be a bit more every year. Then in spring/summer I lose some weight. Ugh vicious cycle).
Exercise and sleep.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Lose sleep over stress.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
In Utrecht with the cat packing boxes. First time ever I will be alone and not amongst either my family or Jamie's for Christmas. Kind of sad but I'm also super stressed over the move.
21. Did you fall in love?
I stayed in love.
22. no question?
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Well we still love the same ones we loved last year. As for a new favorite, it would have to be Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word. I might consider removing this question in the coming years.
25. What was the best book you read?
I'm not sure if I read a book or not this year (edit - I completely forgot that I read the entire Dark Tower Series this summer! Book 3 was the best). I was too busy writing and doing the layout for my own book. Ohh but I did read part of a book for my review article (that was published by the Lancet Respiratory Medicine woohoo!) and my PhD supervisors managed to find a copy to gift to me when I promoted. The book is: Pneumonia: With special reference to pneumococcus lobar pneumonia by Roderick Heffron, MD. Originally published in 1939, but the copy that I have is the Harvard Commonwealth second printing in 1979.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I'm pretty sure I didn't discover anything musically this year.
27. What did you want and get?
A first author publication (2 acceptances this year!), a PhD, a post-doctoral position in England.
28. What did you want and not get?
A post-doctoral position in a coastal city; the university to cover my visa application fees; a smooth and easy move to England; a sale on Etsy.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Umm the only movie I can remember watching this year was Despicable Me 2. And we didnt even see it in the theatre.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 31 and invited friends over for a BBQ. It was cold, windy, and rainy, but gosh darnit I BBQ'd. Even did some smoking of meat which was tasty. And made my own BBQ sauce. --With blackstrap molasses, of course.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less migraines. Kind and supportive siblings. Definitely knowing that we are approved to rent the house we applied to rent in Birmingham.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Damask patterns! It was everywhere this year. So I bought a couple things.
33. What kept you sane?
Knowing that the PhD had a very definite end in October.
34. Which public figure did you admire the most?
Well it was the 100 yrs anniversary of the death of Alfred Russel Wallace, so I suppose I learned about a person I should have known about.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
No surprises here: Immigration rights and environmentalism.
36. Who did you miss?
My grandparents. And Jamie's parents. I wish they could have all been at my promotion.
37. Who was the best new person you met? Why?
My new boss! Because he hired me, of course.
38. Biggest discoveries for 2013 (vague on purpose)
That I really enjoy printmaking. That I love wearing hand-knitted socks, but hate knitting them. That homemade pickles are delicious (esp from home grown cukes!). That spring onions are surprisingly easy to grow in small containers.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.
Well I knew this one already but was painfully reminded of it: You don't get to choose your family. Or how they behave.
40. A quote or song lyric that sums up your year.
I really like all the quotes I used in my book. I'll re-post them here:
"Though my soul may set in darkness,
it will rise in perfect light.
I have loved the stars too fondly
to be fearful of the night."
~Sarah Williams
"Nature composes some of her loveliest poems for the microscope and telescope"
~Theodore Roszak
"And to our health we drank a thousand times, it's time, to ramble on"
~Led Zeppelin
