Christmas sheeping
Dec. 25th, 2021 02:57 pm1. What did you do in 2021 that you'd never done before?
I track this stuff with my firsts tag. Looks like approximately: held a 60-second straight handstand (and more later, up to 1:18), dated Helios for real, had a nervous breakdown, got deposed in a lawsuit, got diagnosed with polyps and allergic contact dermatitis, got an endometrial ablation and stopped getting periods (yesss), transferred groups at work twice in one calendar year, took a long unpaid leave from work.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year
I didn't make any. I did have an intention of re-starting directed work toward a press handstand, which I did, and I have a few intentions for next year but no classic resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No
5. What countries did you visit?
Haha, very funny covid.
6. What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021?
A 32 hr/week job that feels sustainable and that I like, and am doing for reasons other than feeling like I have to do it for survival. A budget to match the new income. Umbrella insurance. A press handstand. A consistent writing practice.
7. What date from 2021 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
4/23, my first kiss with Helios.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
It wasn't really a year for achievement, but hitting my financial independence number was a long time in the making and that finally happened. I also think my breakup with![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
norwoodbridge went pretty well, all things considered, and all credit totally shared with him.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Hmm. My transfer at work in January sure didn't work out.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
The nervous breakdown in June was no joke, so I'm going with yes. Physically I'm fine though.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I got embarrassing levels of joy from these bookends, which make it easy to use most of a shelf for books and then have something else there too. Also this sticker that says "I kissed a squirrel and I liked it". But the real answer is probably the weight bench we got for the home gym.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Perse, for sure. She's been a lovely, generous and welcoming metamour. I've seen her go through a lot this year without becoming bitter, and she doesn't take her shit out on other people.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
My last director, who decided on (or was forced into) a really badly thought-out reorg and who doubled down on it multiple times while also putting my team on the wrong side of a line. I could also list anti-maskers here, but I'm sticking with folks I know.
14. Where did most of your money go?
I haven't done my annual financial analysis yet, but the local spot I'll call Gasoline Cafe did very well by me this year. Very. As far as single categories it was probably circus training / fitness.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Covid vaccines.
16. What song will always remind you of 2021?
Hey Pretty by Poe, and also Gasoline by Halsey, both of which were on a playlist I got last Xmas so they got most of their play in 2021.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? Happier but less self-confident
ii. Thinner or fatter? Same
iii. Richer or poorer? Richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Buying liability insurance for Zipcar trips. :P
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Entertaining brain-weasels, putting stuff on my skin that I was allergic to, writing Perf. Playing Echoes of the Eye was possibly not worth it either.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Staying indoors because there is FREEZING RAIN outside, eating chocolates from my stocking and reading books people gave me whileheisenbug and the cats are all napping.
21. Did you fall in love in 2021?
Yes? Although it started in 2020, these things take a while and there was further to fall.
22. How many one-night stands?
None (first because covid, then by preference anyway)
23. What was your favourite TV program?
The Queen's Gambit!
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, although certainly my estimation of a few people is lowered.
25. What was the best book you read?
I loved In Other Lands and also Remnant Population -- amusingly, these two books were exactly my present forapfelsingail. But 4000 Weeks was my favorite nonfiction.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Nothing great, but how about games? This questionnaire doesn't ask about games and I absolutely loved Thomas Was Alone.
27. What did you want and get?
A leave of absence from work. A relationship with Helios. A one-minute straight handstand.
28. What did you want and not get?
My press handstand, as usual. The end of the covid pandemic as vaccines rolled out.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
I'm sticking with The Queen's Gambit even though it was a series.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 44, and I went to dinner outdoors with all three of my partners and they gave me a present from my whole community. It wasn't the most stable point in time but I still appreciated all that very deeply.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
The complete eradication of coronavirus this summer
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2021?
Where punk meets athleisure.
33. What kept you sane?
I don't think I did stay sane all year.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Abortion-related bullshit in Texas. Relevant highlight from a book I read this year: Every uterus is an oil well, a valuable and disputed resource, the object of a millennia-long turf war; if you happen to be sitting on one at the moment, don’t be surprised when invading forces show up to claim it out from under you. SIGH.
36. Who did you miss?
Pass
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Perse
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2021:
Some people will be my friend but only when it's easy, not when it's difficult.
Liability insurance is a thing.
Directors at Zillian have terrible incentives.
39. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with and/or most time chatting with via Whatsapp etc?:
Helios, duh
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year
Book quotes instead, both from 4000 Weeks:
The original Latin word for “decide,” decidere, means “to cut off,” as in slicing away alternatives; it’s a close cousin of words like “homicide” and “suicide.”) Any finite life—even the best one you could possibly imagine—is therefore a matter of ceaselessly waving goodbye to possibility.
The average human lifespan is absurdly, terrifyingly, insultingly short. But that isn’t a reason for unremitting despair, or for living in an anxiety-fueled panic about making the most of your limited time. It’s a cause for relief. You get to give up on something that was always impossible—the quest to become the optimized, infinitely capable, emotionally invincible, fully independent person you’re officially supposed to be. Then you get to roll up your sleeves and start work on what’s gloriously possible instead.
I track this stuff with my firsts tag. Looks like approximately: held a 60-second straight handstand (and more later, up to 1:18), dated Helios for real, had a nervous breakdown, got deposed in a lawsuit, got diagnosed with polyps and allergic contact dermatitis, got an endometrial ablation and stopped getting periods (yesss), transferred groups at work twice in one calendar year, took a long unpaid leave from work.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year
I didn't make any. I did have an intention of re-starting directed work toward a press handstand, which I did, and I have a few intentions for next year but no classic resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No
5. What countries did you visit?
Haha, very funny covid.
6. What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021?
A 32 hr/week job that feels sustainable and that I like, and am doing for reasons other than feeling like I have to do it for survival. A budget to match the new income. Umbrella insurance. A press handstand. A consistent writing practice.
7. What date from 2021 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
4/23, my first kiss with Helios.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
It wasn't really a year for achievement, but hitting my financial independence number was a long time in the making and that finally happened. I also think my breakup with
norwoodbridge went pretty well, all things considered, and all credit totally shared with him.9. What was your biggest failure?
Hmm. My transfer at work in January sure didn't work out.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
The nervous breakdown in June was no joke, so I'm going with yes. Physically I'm fine though.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I got embarrassing levels of joy from these bookends, which make it easy to use most of a shelf for books and then have something else there too. Also this sticker that says "I kissed a squirrel and I liked it". But the real answer is probably the weight bench we got for the home gym.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Perse, for sure. She's been a lovely, generous and welcoming metamour. I've seen her go through a lot this year without becoming bitter, and she doesn't take her shit out on other people.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
My last director, who decided on (or was forced into) a really badly thought-out reorg and who doubled down on it multiple times while also putting my team on the wrong side of a line. I could also list anti-maskers here, but I'm sticking with folks I know.
14. Where did most of your money go?
I haven't done my annual financial analysis yet, but the local spot I'll call Gasoline Cafe did very well by me this year. Very. As far as single categories it was probably circus training / fitness.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Covid vaccines.
16. What song will always remind you of 2021?
Hey Pretty by Poe, and also Gasoline by Halsey, both of which were on a playlist I got last Xmas so they got most of their play in 2021.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? Happier but less self-confident
ii. Thinner or fatter? Same
iii. Richer or poorer? Richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Buying liability insurance for Zipcar trips. :P
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Entertaining brain-weasels, putting stuff on my skin that I was allergic to, writing Perf. Playing Echoes of the Eye was possibly not worth it either.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Staying indoors because there is FREEZING RAIN outside, eating chocolates from my stocking and reading books people gave me while
heisenbug and the cats are all napping.21. Did you fall in love in 2021?
Yes? Although it started in 2020, these things take a while and there was further to fall.
22. How many one-night stands?
None (first because covid, then by preference anyway)
23. What was your favourite TV program?
The Queen's Gambit!
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, although certainly my estimation of a few people is lowered.
25. What was the best book you read?
I loved In Other Lands and also Remnant Population -- amusingly, these two books were exactly my present for
apfelsingail. But 4000 Weeks was my favorite nonfiction.26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Nothing great, but how about games? This questionnaire doesn't ask about games and I absolutely loved Thomas Was Alone.
27. What did you want and get?
A leave of absence from work. A relationship with Helios. A one-minute straight handstand.
28. What did you want and not get?
My press handstand, as usual. The end of the covid pandemic as vaccines rolled out.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
I'm sticking with The Queen's Gambit even though it was a series.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 44, and I went to dinner outdoors with all three of my partners and they gave me a present from my whole community. It wasn't the most stable point in time but I still appreciated all that very deeply.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
The complete eradication of coronavirus this summer
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2021?
Where punk meets athleisure.
33. What kept you sane?
I don't think I did stay sane all year.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Abortion-related bullshit in Texas. Relevant highlight from a book I read this year: Every uterus is an oil well, a valuable and disputed resource, the object of a millennia-long turf war; if you happen to be sitting on one at the moment, don’t be surprised when invading forces show up to claim it out from under you. SIGH.
36. Who did you miss?
Pass
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Perse
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2021:
Some people will be my friend but only when it's easy, not when it's difficult.
Liability insurance is a thing.
Directors at Zillian have terrible incentives.
39. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with and/or most time chatting with via Whatsapp etc?:
Helios, duh
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year
Book quotes instead, both from 4000 Weeks:
The original Latin word for “decide,” decidere, means “to cut off,” as in slicing away alternatives; it’s a close cousin of words like “homicide” and “suicide.”) Any finite life—even the best one you could possibly imagine—is therefore a matter of ceaselessly waving goodbye to possibility.
The average human lifespan is absurdly, terrifyingly, insultingly short. But that isn’t a reason for unremitting despair, or for living in an anxiety-fueled panic about making the most of your limited time. It’s a cause for relief. You get to give up on something that was always impossible—the quest to become the optimized, infinitely capable, emotionally invincible, fully independent person you’re officially supposed to be. Then you get to roll up your sleeves and start work on what’s gloriously possible instead.
