this is the thing that Roger and Kelly do most years, and I've done a couple years. So here we are again, a little sadder and older, definitely not leaner, and not really colder (and yes, I still need a little Christmas)
Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I never really make them; even in years when I tried to do "fun" ones I never seemed to follow through very long. I presume that is because I have so much stuff in my life ALREADY that I can't make room for something else, and either there's nothing I can dump (duties) or want to dump (the few things I already do for myself)
So yeah. Maybe "survive 2026" is the best resolution I can make, and even then that feels questionable.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
No. My one colleague/friend who seems to be in the position of wanting children is "done" after having three, and my other two youngish colleagues seem not to want kids, and none of my cousins had any
Did anyone close to you die?
My aunt, who had had Alzheimer's disease. I'm sad she's gone but Alzheimer's is so terrible you almost wish for an end for the person to remove the suffering from them and their families.
And my friend Jane E., who had moved away from here a few years ago, she also died. IN this case it was a lot of physical infirmity that she was dealing with, and again, it's sad, but at least she's not suffering now.
What countries did you visit?
I didn't even really travel other than to visit my mom. I think leaving the US is off the table for me for a good long while. I wouldn't want to go somewhere and get spat upon or turned away from places but I would understand Europeans or Asians not wanting us anywhere near them.
What would you like to have in 2026 that you lacked in 2025?
More hope for the future. More close friends. More motivation to take care of some stuff I need to take care of (I still have not replaced my dishwasher because wharrrrgarblll decision paralysis and the LAST appliance installation I had was a bad experience - it's hard living here, there are not a lot of options and if one business sucks, in some cases you don't have much choice). And also: for powerful people who do wrong and evil things to face some sort of consequence, so they maybe stop doing those things.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I hate this question. I never feel like I did anything much. I started two research projects, one I'm just a minor collaborator on and the other one I didn't get very far on because a drought stopped me from getting effective data. I painted a painting but that feels like it doesn't really count because it's not "official productivity" and it was also kind of formulaicly done. I mean, I juggled all my work (four classes in the fall plus an absolutely grinding committee, and being exiled from my building due to renovations in the spring) but I also feel like "that's not special, that's not an achievement"
What was your biggest failure?
Not getting more done with research or with trying to redevelop some course material.
What was the best thing you bought?
This is dumb and silly, but this:
I still have the Home Alone ("Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal") t-shirt on him but now I'm tempted to get various seasonal accoutrements (I guess valentine's day would be next) and dress him up for each upcoming holiday.
Yeah, marking the holidays even if it's a small silly way is important to me.
Whose behavior merited celebration?
Everyone who is keeping on keeping on trying to be a decent person and do good in the world in ~all this~. I try but it's too small and never enough and it's very easy to get discouraged
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Frankly, most in government at any level, and also, a lot of the lower level employees who are either enabling the bad, or are gleefully participating (I of course exempt the rank and file people at places like the EPA or OSHA who are trying to hold the line and keep things patched together; they are in the previous group of "meriting celebration")
also those who seem to be collaborating in business, with especial disdain for the AI bros who are putting that **** on everything (like the hot sauce ad tagline)
Where did most of your money go?
Honestly? groceries and utilities. I didn't buy anything so very big this year. I did give some to charity, especially my regional food bank, especially during the shutdown where I knew there might be people not really eating without others' donations of money
What did you get really excited about?
helping one of my newer colleagues with a research project she initiated. I hope we can pick it back up in the spring and gather more data and work with more students. Also the possibility of getting a new colleague (the search committee thing) partly because: new colleague, but also: being done with these committees for a while .
Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
unequivocally sadder; I think this year will be one to be endured. I hope I am proven wrong but I don't think I will be.
Thinner or fatter?
Fatter. Both post-menopausal slowdown in metabolism, plus being less active because of my stupid knee hurting some days plus stress eating (and probably more cortisol in my bloodstream). I need to work on this, probably by the low-level starvation of a calorie restricted diet because exercise seems not to work for weight loss. I hate that.
No, I am NOT considering the weight loss shots. I hate the thought of injecting myself AND I have a dodgy stomach on the best days and I know two people personally who had to quit the meds because of the horrific GI side effects they had. I'll do it if I'm FORCED but not voluntarily
Richer or poorer?
About the same but inflation does nibble at the end-of-the-month tiny surplus there once was. I need to cut back on discretionary spending.
What do you wish you’d done more of?
had fun. Though I'm not sure what that looks like for me any more. Or maybe more research if I'm not good at having fun, maybe I'm good at working more.
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying, and searching for stuff I put in a "safe place" and then forgot what that place was.
How did you spend Christmas?
With my mom. It was quiet and I never feel any more like I enjoy it as much as I should
Did you fall in love in 2024?
No.
How many one-night stands?
what do these people think, that we're all 22 year old urbanite Instagram influencers? my answer as always is "never, and I would never"
What was your favorite TV program?
I enjoyed most of the episodes of Elsbeth. Still love Bob's Burgers and Bluey (even if I've seen every episode of the latter multiple times)
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I try not to hate, I really do, but it's hard. I'll pass on answering here, thanks.
What was the best book you read?
My memory for what I read last year is poor, but I do remember enjoying "A Far Better Thing," which is a fantasy/supernatural retelling of "A Tale of Two Cities"
What was your greatest musical discovery?
More of a rediscovery, but I've really enjoyed Oscar Peterson, especially his Hymn to Freedom.
What did you want and get?
For the renovations on my building to be completed.
What did you want and not get?
For DOGE to get kicked out of having any power whatsoever in the first six minutes of its existence.
What were your favorite films of this year?
I didn't see any new movies. Mostly just rewatched things I've already seen
What did you do on your birthday?
I taught, but on the weekend went to a yarn shop.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2024?
Same as it ever was: a little bit Earth Mother, a little bit "slobby, for comfort," a little bit "bright colors because I feel like I fade into the background too often
What kept you sane?
Books. The occasional bit of decorating I do. Knitting and crochet though I didn't do nearly enough. Talking with other people
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Ugh, I don't know. Most famous people turn out to have feet of clay., Better to care about the people close to you
What political issue stirred you the most?
The sheer selfishness of some people and how all kinds of public goods, from local libraries to public health to possibly National Parks are being dismantled and privatized for people who already have more than most of us do.
Who did you miss?
I still miss my dad some times. I miss a colleague who moved to another country after retirement even if he sometimes aggravated me when we were working together. I miss some folks who are no longer part of my circle because of changes in circumstances or having moved away
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2025:
You can't fix most things. Sometimes you can't fix anything. And you have to learn to be okay with that. I still haven't.If you take selfies, post your six favorite ones:
Naw. I will be posting a lot fewer photos of ME in the future because of the fact that there are nasty people with nasty programs who could do bad things if they had nasty enough motivations. And while I doubt anyone would do that to me, it still gives me enough ick that I may only post photos of things I've made and plants forever now
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I'm bad at this. I can't really think of one. Maybe later. "Do it brokenhearted" isn't a lyric anywhere but that kind of sums up the year: keeping on going when I feel like I can't at times.
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