It's been a bit since my mid-year review. Well, here is the follow-up; this is what I've been doing since August. Plus a few pictures since I've been neglecting Wordless Wednesday!
SEPTEMBER
We went to NYC for a wedding and enjoyed exploring the city with friends and eating far too much.
OCTOBER
I was accepted for Dîner En Blanc which ended up being a bit of a let down. We spent the two weeks prior to the event buying clothes and dinnerware with packages from Amazon arriving almost daily.
NOVEMBER
Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, shopping, birthdays, seeing Annie Leibovitz!
Finally, DECEMBER
Shopping for Christmas presents, parties, planning for Egypt. It doesn't sound like a lot, but it has been keeping me busy.
2018: OVERVIEW
1. What did you do in 2018 that you’d never done before? Travel to California! Dîner En Blanc!
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions and will you make more for next year? I didn't make any last year. I meant to, but I never got around to it.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? SIL, cousin Brooke and Jordan
4. Did anyone close to you die? no
5. What countries did you visit? Egypt (as of the end of December), France
6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018? I'm not sure. I pretty much got everything I needed or wanted. Maybe world peace? Or, more realistically a mirrorless camera.
7. What date, from 2018, will remain etched upon your memory, and why? None? There was no one date that stood out.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Making a difference in children's lives. <3.
9. What was your biggest failure? Spending. Eating.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Only minimal, thank goodness.
11. What was the best thing you bought? A trip to California. Because of that trip we were invited to Egypt. Also I learned to enjoy wine while we were in Napa. Basically, California was unforgettable.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? This is an odd question. Any time the children I watch behaved, I thought their behavior merited celebration.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Anytime the kids I watch didn't behave… The government, people in my family…
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going to Paris for Christmas. It's one of my favorite times of year to go.
16. What song will always remind you of 2018? I have no idea. The kids I watch don't really listen to music, so nothing stands out like it has in other years.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: Happier or sadder? sadder
Thinner or fatter? fatter
Richer or poorer? mixed? Probably richer. Car loans and student loans are closer to being paid off but our credit cards don't look too good.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? paid off more debt.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Shopping. Eating.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? in an airplane headed to Paris.
21. How will you be spending New Year? not? I don't think they celebrate in Egypt.
22. What was your favorite TV program? none. I didn't watch tv.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Hate is a strong word. I'm not sure I know enough people to hate a new person every year!
24. What was the best book you read? How to Get Dressed was the most life-changing. Like the realization that I ought to care for and that I can care for my clothing to keep it long term. The Secret Magic of Tidying Up was also a reminder that it's ok to get rid of things that don't bring me joy even if I paid a lot for those items or they were given to me as a gift.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? No music discoveries this year. I just didn't do music too much this year.
26. What did you want and get? A DROBO! And a new laptop.
27. What did you want and not get? Lower debt.
28. What was your favorite film of this year? Deadpool 2. I didn't really see many movies this year for whatever reason.
29. What did you do on your birthday? We went to Laguna Beach, Florida for my birthday and ate at a swanky Italian place. We also had the most amazing chocolate cake of my life from Modica Market, eggs cochon from The Ruby Slipper Café, and some yummy ice cream from Thomas Donut. It was a delicious way to celebrate.
30.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Paying off more debt.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018? Free People all the way.
32. What kept you sane? the husband. To a lesser extent (sorry!) my blogger friends, Anne, and Tony. It's always nice to have someone to rant to.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Honestly I would have considered having Ellen Degeneres's babies after I saw the Michelle Obama Costco book signing. That was so funny and exactly what I needed to see shared when I needed a distraction.
34. What political issue stirred you the most? I don't even know. So many.
35. Who did you miss? No one? My life has been confusing as all heck and missing people would complicate things.
36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.
You do you.
Don't wait for other people to change. If you don't like something, you change. What can you do to make that aspect of your life better?
And TALK! If the people you are angry with don't know you are angry, they definitely won't change.
37. Quote that sums up your year. "All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt." – Charles Schultz
Did any aspects of 2018 stand out for you? Was 2018 a good year? Are you going into 2019 with any regrets? What about hopes?
