Happy Friday, which is National Sangria Day (red, please), and National Go Caroling Day. I WOULD DO THAT IN A HEARTBEAT. With a group of course. Not just me. How does one get to go caroling?
It was also the last day working at TNP for 2024. Some years are more challenging than others, but if you work in a field where large in-person meetings make or break your budget, it’s been a long, long, DIFFICULT 4 years. Same for my volunteer position at MASAE where I and my committee worked on trying to kick-start their in-person meeting program and it was a long, long, LONG year. (Actually year and a half because I worked on the programming committee for 2023’s December event.) I rolled off of the board this year and I’m taking some time off before volunteering again.
A long December and there’s reason to believe
Counting Crows
maybe this year will be better than the last.
We had our TNP holiday party at Top Golf, which was okay. I despise golf. But I went because I like some of my coworkers more than I hate golf. I’ll probably never go back though. I dream of an elegant holiday party with twinkly lights and a jazz band and fancy clothes and champagne but I was unfortunately born into a different era/social class.
I posted too early last Friday to scoop up the Friday 5 questions for that week. Since this week continues the “wrapped” theme, I’m doing both weeks today. Lets go!
Wrapped, part 2
- What were your favorite TV series this year?
I enjoyed Welcome to Wrexham season 3. It’s coming back for a fourth season but I think I’m finished watching it. I’m happy with where the plotlines ended up. Season 2 of Shrinking was great. Season 4 of Only Murders in the Building was good, but I miss the intimacy of the first two seasons. This year the cast was too large. Nobody Wants This was okay. And we binged 14 seasons of Archer. It was very entertaining but not a favorite. - What were your favorite movies this year?
In April I started keeping a notebook (an external brain dump) and recording the media that I watched. My favorite movie I watched this year is actually Fargo. It was my first time watching it and I loved it. I thought Twisters was a lot of fun as well. - What was the most memorable meal you had this year?
I had a fantastic steak in San Diego on the last night of TNP’s conference but I think my mind inflated it’s quality because I was so tired. - Who made you laugh most this year?
WM always makes me laugh. - When were you the farthest from home this year?
In August I was in Seattle, which is 2,800ish miles away. Second runner up was TNP’s conference in San Diego, which is 2,700ish miles away
And here are this week’s five — Wrapped Part 3 - What was especially good for your mental health this year?
Writing more. Writing here. Writing in my brain dump notebook. Writing giant, angry screeds in Notepad and immediately deleting them. And regular lunchtime walks with Murphy, which I call “Mama’s Mental Health Walks.” - What was especially good for your physical health this year?
I HATE to admit it, but exercise. In January I was hobbling up the stairs at night, relying heavily on the railing. My foot was killing me and I felt very very weak. As you know, I completed 2 rounds of PT for Achilles tendinitis and even afterwards I continued to do the exercises here and at the gym. Today I’m happy to report my foot is 99% fine. Mental health walks are great for mental health, but not fantastic for stamina or strength. Enter Supernatural and the gym. Now I spring up the stairs at night, my shoulder is thawing, and I’m barely out of breath. I hate that exercise works. - What did you learn this year?
Document everything. - As this year ends, what’s trending to make you optimistic about next year?
I’m not sure. I’m not feeling optimistic about next year. - What’s better now than it was twelve months ago?
My mental and physical health. I was a crumbling disaster in December 2024.
Tonight WM and I had a dinner date at Iron Hill Brewery and I had their Winter Warmer beer. It tastes like a Christmas candle but I love it to pieces. I’m on track to finish everything by Christmas Eve dinner, which we are hosting again this year. I miss how Christmas Eve used to be and I wish things didn’t end up the way they did, but it tickles me to pieces that I finally have a holiday.
