2013 In Review Meme

[spryng]

1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Ran 7+ miles (albeit painfully).
Hiked 90+ miles.
Bench pressed 100#. :3
Handstand.
Watched the sunrise from atop Tumamoc Hill.
Made amazeballs gluten free baked goods.
Made cheese.
Started a tumblr.
Visited Belgium.
Crossed the Chunnel.
Properly appreciated British cuisine.
Acquired chickens.
Had a garden.



2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Aaah... not so much to the letter, but definitely to the spirit. I put a lot into my writing and querying this year and made some significant gains in weightlifting, even if I didn't hit any of my numerical goals. :3
Next year I have one goal and one only: to break down any mental barriers that are keeping me from freely querying. Namely ,fear and paralysis. I have a step-by-step plan, too, but I'll share that later.


3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! the_verb did, to a very delicious baby girl.


4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. My not-quite-father-in-law passed away a few weekends back, which was why we've been going to CA as much as we have been.

5. What countries did you visit?
We went to England and Belgium for our honeymoon in June.

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Courage to query & dare greatly.

7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Goodness. Probably June 10th, when we flew 10+ hours, took a 3 hour train ride, and then walked four hours before passing out in our hostel.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Uh. Handstands? No, probably managing to write 1k words every day for two months. That was a good habit to start and now I need to keep at it.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not managing my time and expectations better. I feel like I let myself and others down more than I should have, and I wish wish wish I had conquered my fear of querying.


10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Oh god my foot and ankle during our hike. My shin was weirdly swollen for like two or three weeks afterwards.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets. To England, and then to visit my parents in October.

12. How did you earn your keep?
Same county job, just with a little more responsibilities.

13. Where did most of your money go?
Food. Travel. Our car. :/

14. What was your best month?
Oh goodness. It depends on how you're measuring "best." June was a-maz-ing, but September/October really proved I could double down on writing when I needed to.


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The Hadrian's Wall hike. Also our friend's baby. Which is still exciting. :3


16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
The Phoenix by Fallout Boy and Mrs. Jackson by Panic! At the Disco, because I played them both ad nauseam while writing and running.


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Same.
ii. thinner or fatter? I weigh more (again), but I'm pretty sure that's all muscle mass. My clothes still fit the same, at least.
iii. richer or poorer? Ah. Hmm. Well, technically we should be richer because I make more, but that recent drain on finances via our car is not making me feel richer. :/


18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Queried more. Kept a stricter lifting schedule.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Goofing around online. Tumblr, oh tumblr, what have you done?

20. What steps will you take to actively change what you're unhappy with?
I've got some small steps in place to begin working on the query problem, and I will continue to fill my breaks and lunch periods with writing.

22. What's something you learned about yourself?
Sometimes, I'm not ready to make sacrifices. Also I'm judgmental as all hell. But I really really want a kid, and I would be perfectly happy if it was a boy.

23. What's the one thing you thought you would never do but did in 2013?
Hike Hadrian's Wall!! I still wasn't sure we'd do it until we actually booked the tickets in February, too.
That and write & self-publish erotica. And then actually sell some. Huh. Who knew?

24. What was your favorite TV program (not Doctor Who!)?
Hannibal. It was kind of surprise fave - I was so turned off by the new Hannibal at first, but he works really well, and the tumblr community is so morbidly wonderful.

25. Did you know anybody who got married?
Uh... no. Not this year.

26. What states did you visit in 2013?
California, Maryland, Virginia (finally!), and - in a few hours - Minnesota.

27. Where were you when 2013 began?
Asleep at home. I tried too late to arrange something last minute, so we just kinda pooped out instead.

28. Who were you with?
Just my wife and the cats.

29. Where will you be when 2013 ends?
Possibly the same again. I'm more looking forward to waking up early January 1st and going for a run.

30. Who will you be with when 2013 ends?
...just us chickens.

31. What was the best book you read?
*agonized wailing*
Okay. Okay. I can choose. Five.
Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (THAT MAN)
Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Bosch
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Heroes Die by Matthew Stover (ignore the title & the cover - this book is surprisingly complex)
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

32. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Lorde? Was Lorde this year?

33. What did you want and get?
Hadrian's Wall!! Promotion. Chickens? A garden!

34. What did you want and not get?
An agent.


35. What was your favorite film of this year?
...I don't think I watched any new movies at all this year. >>


36. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
This time I turned 27 - I wanted it to be super chill, so I watched the sunrise with peeps, lifted, and watched the sunset with peeps. It might have been one of my favorites.


37. Where did you go on vacation?
Northern England.


38. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Nothing different than last year. We didn't have much expendable income, so I didn't get a chance to freshen things up much. Thankfully nothing has holes. (yet)


39. What kept you sane?
Running. Writing. Good wine.


40. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Yup. Still Cumberbatch. Goodness, those cheekbones.


41. What political issue stirred you the most?
All of the budget stuff, because it was just blatant bull shit.


42. Did you have to go to the hospital?
No.


43. How many concerts did you see in 2013?
None.


44. Did you have a favorite concert in 2011?
See above.


45. Who was the best new person you met?
Our new coworkers are pretty cool.


46. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Probably, but nothing big enough to scar me.


47. What was your most embarrassing moment of 2013?
? I don't know.


48. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
You are never ready. You can never be ready. All the more reason to show up, be present, and do. Because it will always turn out better than you fear.


49. What are your plans for 2014?
Hitting all the places in Tucson and Arizona I haven't had a chance to hit yet. Writing. Querying. Lifting. Making steady, but consistent, progress. And hopefully, come end of spring, beginning the process of baby.


50. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
How about a quote for the new year instead?
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” — Theodore Roosevelt