Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Thanks, 2014. For Everything.

The year has come to a close, so here's my 2014 Year-End Meme.  

1. What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before?
Went to see the Newport Mansions.  Visited Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water - this is a man who said, "Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities."  Rode a funicular.  Went to the Arizona Biltmore resort hotel. 
  
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
 
I think after all the years of answering this question, I'm just going to have to go with, "I'm not a resolution kind of gal."

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my Uncle Bobby died and my cousin's step-father died.  

5. What countries did you visit? 
Sadly, none.

6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014? 
Tolerance.  As the years go on, I have less, so I'm hoping I might be blessed with a little bit of it in 2015.  And I don't mean tolerance in the sense of diversity - like the acceptance of other cultures, or alternative lifestyles - I mean tolerance of stupid people.  I have a realllly hard time with that.  

7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
For sure the end of January when we got stuck in the horrific ice debacle in Alabama.  I've never seen such an apocalyptic display in my life.  Our time visiting the Newport Mansions; it may not seem like such a big deal, but they were truly spectacular and I've wanted to see them for a very long time.  Doing a cross-country trek with our very good friends Marlaina and MacGyver, from Newport, Oregon to Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The ceremony to officially celebrate Ed's one million safe driving miles with the company we're leased to.  And finally visiting the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota - I've been wanting to do that for years!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Probably snowtubing without winding up at a hospital in traction.

9. What was your biggest failure? 
Again, snowtubing.  Who gets hurt rolling off an inflated tube that sits 8" off the ground?

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? 
Well, I hurt my thumb pretty bad during what is now referred to as "the snowtubing incident" - it still gives me pain - and I think I had the 24-hour flu just after Thanksgiving, which resulted in me losing my voice for a good two weeks.  Ed was in heaven.  

11. What was the best thing you bought?
The FEED bags for my cousin and best friend, our membership to The Preservation Society of Newport so we could see the Newport Mansions as many times as we desire, and this hat for Ed. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My boyfriend Ed.  He has accomplished a very extensive list of goals, personal and professional, and positioned us for a prosperous future, beginning in 2015!  

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? 
I'm leaving this answer pretty much the same as last year:  No one's behavior ever depresses me, but I'm frequently appalled at how people act. There is just an abundance of stupidity out there and it seems I encounter it several times a week.  Stupidity and ignorance is what appalls me.  

14. Where did most of your money go? 
Probably fuel, but since that's a business expense, I don't count it.  Other monies went to retirement, food, and just traveling around.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our January 2015 vacation to very snowy and very cold location.  Right now we're looking at Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

16. What song will always remind you of 2014?
I do love almost everything I hear on the TV show Nashville, but I especially loved this one.  

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
I'm pretty happy.  I'm about four pounds heavier, but it feels like twenty.  And I have way more money.  It was a good year.  A very good year.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Bike riding.  We just didn't get enough in this year.  

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Dithering.

20. How did you spend Christmas? 
At home in Arizona, with my mother, brother and his family, my brother's in-laws, my brother-in-law and his family, my friends at LWNFA.  All told, I cooked for seventeen people.  It was a big success!

21. Did you fall in love in 2014?
When I saw him in this suit, I fell all over again.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Still into NashvilleScandalGrey's, The Bridge and Downton Abbey. This year I started watching Tyrant, and I love that too.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? 
Nope.  

24. What was the best book you read? 
I only listened to one book this year - A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny.  

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? 
The soundtrack from the movie Chef.  And these two amazing young people.  

26. What did you want and get?
I got to meet The Brinsons, who are friends with Marlaina and MacGyver.  William even took a quick Instagram of us for their photo collection of guests who have visited their home.  Look at some of his photographs here.  They're insanely amazing.  

27. What did you want and not get?
The iPhone 6 and a new iPad.  But they'll be coming in January.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 47 this year and we were in Pittsburgh for the weekend.  We went to see Falling Water, rode the Duqesne Incline, went to a little local car show, took a riverboat tour, drove around the downtown area taking pictures, and admired the great view.  

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If rules and regulations we are expected to follow made sense, and the people I have to interact with in order to do my job were more....well, just read this.  

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
Same answer as last year:  When you spend a majority of your day on the road, "fashion" becomes less important as time marches on.  In the truck, I like comfort, so yoga pants and tank tops or t-shirts.  When we go out to dinner, or shopping, or visiting, I have some easy flowy tops and capri pants with little leather ballerinas - black and silver are my staples.  

32. What kept you sane?
My incredible mind. 

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Roman Mars, the host and creator of the radio show 99% Invisible.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I'm always interested in immigration reform, education, minimum wage laws (even though I don't make minimum wage), and racial inequality.  I also think we really need to pay attention to transportation funding, we must take care of the infrastructure, especially roads and bridges.  You'd think seeing one bridge collapse would have been enough.  

35. Who did you miss?
My younger self.  I've been thinking a lot about my younger life and as I'm getting older, I'm missing that old life, and me in it.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.
I think I'll leave this one up to Regina Brett.  Her wisdom is much greater than mine.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Once again, a song from the TV show Nashville.  Sung by Maisy and Lennon Stella, this song really sums up not just my year, but in just one sentence, the song tells you all you need to know:  




And my slogan for the New Year...LIBERTY.


Keep your eyes peeled for the Video Tour of 2014.  It's coming in January!  And if you missed last year's, you can see it HERE.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

2013: I Am Gonna OWN You, 2014!
2012: Wrapping Up A Year Of Making My Own Sunshine
2011: Later, 2011!
2010: That’s A Wrap!
2009: Out With The Old
2008: Another Year, Another 365 Days
2007: All Good Things Come To An End
2006: The Symphony Of A Thousand Saws
2005: Suicidal Firewood

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