Before I get into the questions, lemme set the stage a bit. Unlike the year before, December of 2013 was a very good time for me. I of course was working as a nurse and had just 7 weeks before been hired on as a state employee. The only real 'down' thing at the time was transitioning from getting paid every week, to getting paid every other week. I ended up going three weeks without a paycheck... three weeks just before Christmas!
While 2013 was all about that mid year change... getting a job... 2014 was all about celebrating my new financially viable life. The difference between the years and years of financial hardship and making more than enough money to pay all of my bills was amazing. Dare I say; Life Changing? The year I've traveled by plane for the first and second time. I've made grand purchases both for myself and for others. I've re-acquainted myself with friends from long ago, and while my closest friends have moved far away, I'd say our friendship has deepend.
Yeah... I think I can say that it was life changing. The only real 'down' thing this year has been the complete exit of Caitlyn. I still miss her and while it's not often, I do still pine for her return.
So with the table set, here are the questions and my quick answers:
1.What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?
I flew in an airplane.
2.Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No. I more or less made the resolution to get get a gym membership and start exercising on a regular basis. Beyond thinking about it, I never even got close.
3.Did anyone you know give birth?
No.
4.Did anyone you know die?
No. At least no one I knew in my personal life. Several of my patients died.
5.What countries did you visit?
None. Wait... does Texas count as another country?
6.What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
A romantic relationship.
7.What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Off the top of my head, I can't think of any one single date that made it's mark.
8.What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Going to the doctor and taking my health seriously.
9.What was your biggest failure?
Spending far to much time, thought, and energy on how wonderful my life has become instead of focusing my fortunes upon others.
10.Were you seriously ill during 2014?
Seriously ill? No, although I've had more colds this year that I've had in the past. My headaches have also gotten worse. I was diagnosed as Diabetic this year, but it's not like that was real news to me. I KNEW I was diabetic and just needed a medical doctor to give me that diagnosis.
11.What was the best thing you bought?
My Mom's 'new' car.
A close runner up would be my new computer. Top to Bottom, I didn't make any sacrifices, and it's been a long LONG time since I've been able to say that about my computer.
12.Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My older Brother R. He got a new job, and while he isn't an entirely new person he is a happy version of his former self. I was 'down' for a long time... he's been down for FAR longer.
13.Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
No one I know personally has behavior that merits being appalled and/or depressed. There are of course the 'Tea Party' republicans all over the country, but I don't think they'll ever stop specializing in douchebaggery.
14.Where did most of your money go?
Paying off my college debt. $7700 worth this year. Only 8.5 years to go!
Student Loans are obviously my biggest bills, but Fiona, my mom's car, and 'rent' also qualify. If I don't look at bills though, I spent the most money on travel. Trips to Chicago and Dallas ate up quite a bit of money.
15.What did you get excited about?
Traveling by plane. I planned out each step and read up on all the ins and outs from checking in to getting through security, to what I could and couldn't take on. I was also very excited to have my final 12 month review at work which got me up to RN 12 and almost as importatnly a pretty big raise.
BTW, I mentioned in a previous post that the raise took me up to over $28 an hour. Well it seems that no one had good information as that wasn't the right amount. I am now making $29.93 an hour!!!
!!!
16.What songs will always remind you of 2014?
Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede.
Sure, I got into the song because of the Guardians of the Galaxy trailer, but every time I heard that song I'd get into such a good groove and think of the 'feeling' of happiness that I was hooked on all year!
17.Compared to this time last year, are you:
Sadder/Happier? About the same? Maybe just a tad happier?
Thinner/Fatter? About the same? Maybe just a tad thinner?
Richer/Poorer? About the same? Maybe just a tad richer?
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Visited. Visited with friends and visited with family.
19.What do you wish you'd done less of?
Hmm.... honestly nothing comes to mind.
20.How will you be spending Christmas?
Umm... oops. I guess this was intended to be written before Christmas. Well... Christmas sucked as Mom was really REALLY sick with the flu and still hasn't completely gotten over it.
21.What is the one thing you would have gone back and done differently this year?
Lived up to what I intended to do and gotten onto my health in the first part of the year instead of the last part of the year.
22.Did you fall in love in 2014?
No.
23.Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
24.What was your favourite TV programme?
I watched far less 'live' TV this year. If I go with new programing I still love The Walking Dead and Person of Interest. If I go with TV programs that I caught up with on Netflix, then I'd have to go with Mad Men and Breaking Bad.
25.What was your greatest musical discovery?
I didn't really make any good musical discoveries this year. It was more about reconnecting with old loves... more alternative, more ska, more Post Modern Jukebox.
26.What was the best book you read?
I guess the best book I read was Doctor Sleep by Stephen King. It wasn't a great book, but I didn't find a 'great' book this year.
27.Are you happy with your lot?
OH. GOD. YES!
28.What did you want and get?
Continued happiness
29.What did you want and NOT get?
Romance
30.What was your favourite film of this year?
Man... much like books I can't think of anything I saw that was great. I guess Guardians of the Galaxy? And that's more because I watched it with my two best friends down in Dallas.
31.What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I'm fairly sure I worked on my birthday. I turned 40 in 2014.
32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Found a better way to intergrate Caitlyn back into my life and not left her behind.
33.How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
The same as my fashion has been for the past few years (decades?). Patterned button up shirts and Jeans. The only real difference was having new clothes.
34.What kept you sane?
Work.
There really is something to be said about working in a prison health center. No matter how down I can get (and let's face it, I haven't been that down all year), I still get to see firsthand what 'down' really is. I'm not in prison, and I'm not dying... I'm doing pretty damned good!
35.Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No celebrity or public figure really caught my interest this year.
36.What political issue stirred you the most?
No single issue got me going. This year it as more of just the Tea Party Conservatives being assholes.
37.Who did you miss?
Caitlyn. Jennifer. Simone.
38.Who were the best new people you met/got to know?
Several new nurses were hired, and while some quickly burned out, there is one that I could easily see being a good friend. Let's just call him B.
39.Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014:
Disappointment is not a naturally occurring response to success. I found success in July of 2013 and haven't come off that high yet.
40.Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Feeling my way through the darkness
Guided by a beating heart
I can't tell where the journey will end
But I know where to start
They tell me I'm too young to understand
They say I'm caught up in a dream
Well life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes
Well that's fine by me
So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself
And I didn't know I was lost
I tried carrying the weight of the world
But I only have two hands
Hope I get the chance to travel the world
But I don't have any plans
Wish that I could stay forever this young
Not afraid to close my eyes
Life's a game made for everyone
And love is the prize
I hear this song (Wake Me Up by Avicii), and it's as though I'm hearing the response to it... my response to it. Kind of like this:
I found my way through the darkness
I was guided by my own heart
I can now see where the journey will end
And I love it
They told me I was too old to get where I was going
They said I spent too long on my dream
Well life didn't pass me by when I opened my eyes
And that was fine by me
I woke up, and it wasn't all over
I'm now wiser while I"m older
All because I already knew myself
I knew I was lost, but also that I was found
I carried the weight of the world
I only had two hands
I had the chance to travel the world
And there, I made my plans
I'm so glad that I don't have to stay that young
I'm no longer afraid to close my eyes
Life isn't a game, but it IS for everyone
And life itself is the prize.
Yeah... that sums up my year.
I'm almost scared to know whats coming next. I mean, I haven't had sustained success for... well... I don't think I've ever had this level of sustained success. What goes up, must come down... that's been the rhythm of my life. So how could I possibly plan to have a good year? I've had an AMAZING 18 months. But you know what? Let's just see how long I can keep this going.
Let's see if I can keep 2015 as good as 2014!
C
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