Twenty Twenty Two in Magical Realism
- Feb. 1, 2023, 7:42 p.m.
- |
- Public
I’d say I’m a day late and a dollar short with this recap but it’s…February already so guess it’s a month late and $30 short?
2022 was the year I hoped to pull myself out of pandemic slump. It didn’t quite happen but I did take some steps towards it. I resigned my insane but lucrative job in February, we moved to Australia in March, found another crazy job a few weeks after, jumped ship to a saner competitor after about a month. Bought an apartment here, bought other stuff and now own more physical possessions than I’ve had in my life. To some extent, started to get settled into a new, calmer life. And of course me being me, I struggled with that. This still doesn’t feel like my real life.
Honestly a lot of the year is a blur, I didn’t do much, just normal stuff that I’ve never really done consistently like grocery shop and take walks and watch shows (now that we have TWO televisions.) Worked, but not too much. Did drink too much wine and ate too much unhealthy food. Didn’t swim. Didn’t work out. Didn’t travel other than the trip here and then one trip back to try and take care of NYC apt stuff which didn’t really happen either. Watched a lot of sunsets and a surprising amount of sunrises. Became a wildlife watcher, trying to entice the sulphur crested cockatiels that visit my balcony. Literally just got called away from my laptop to watch flocks of bats fly past against a brilliant sunset, some crossing less than two meters/six feet from where we stood, eight stories up.
I didn’t set many goals for 2022, other than wanting to get back in shape/get healthier which did NOT happen because it was a vague wish, not an actual goal. My one resolution was to average at least a book a day for the year. I did accomplish my reading goal, probably because it was a SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely goal.
Rang in the new year watching fireworks on the balcony, at 9pm and then at midnight. It seemed a shame to go anywhere out, but we got dressed up to go to the grocery store and sit at home. I wore a black sleeveless shift with maribou trim, bare legs and black legend sandals, the ones that look like orans with a wedge heel and delicate ankle strap. We noshed on a cheese plate until just before midnight, when I seared scallops over mashed potatoes plated with a smear of beetroot puree and we ate them outside just as it turned midnight. We toasted with Veuve while we watched the second fireworks display. I don’t think we stayed up super late after that.
In early January we headed to France for my first ice swimming event in ages. I didn’t end up swimming, but I had to be there for the global board and to present the new hall of fame class with their certificates. I had been dreading it, and the travel was not easy. Australia to Dubai, then Dubai to Geneva, then a shuttle bus with the board members to a ski town in Haute-Savoie. Luckily A was with me which made the travel and constant interacting with people more bearable. It went mostly okay and I had some spots of true fun throughout. The last couple of days there was a beautiful snowfall in this picturesque little town in the midst of these stunning mountains and it really started to feel like real life again.
Then we got COVID sometime on the 33 hour trip home (I suspect it was the Dubai to Melbourne leg but honestly, who can tell) and it was so much worse than the first time I’d had it. It was a struggle to get back into work and I only started feeling better yesterday.
I have some goals for 2023 but will try and write about those in another entry. I believe I am also am free of my NDA as of this morning so should be able to write my Locked Up Abroad: Norway entry a full year and a half later. If I were smart I would have written it privately at the time while it was still fresh in my head.
Oh well…seventeen months later and roughly $500 short I guess.
Parliament ⋅ February 01, 2023
Your life sometimes doesn't feel real to me, either. :-) Happy New Year-- I hope 2023 swings back in your direction!!
CharminglyNeurotic ⋅ February 01, 2023
Did you keep a list of all those books you read?
Satine CharminglyNeurotic ⋅ February 02, 2023
Yes, I read on kindle mostly so it automatically updates to goodreads and I can view online or dump into excel.
CharminglyNeurotic Satine ⋅ February 02, 2023
What were your three favorite books from last year? Three least favorite? (Do you rate them after you read them or just keep a list?)
Satine CharminglyNeurotic ⋅ February 02, 2023
Good question! I rate each book (rating pops up automatically on kindle after I complete each book) but I have kind of an odd system. Basically I give most books 5 stars if I feel they have merit in terms of content, writing, or something positive, just in recognition of the fact that people put a lot of effort into writing a book and I know people look at their ratings and some agonize over the low ratings or bad reviews. So it's grade inflation I guess. I give some 4's if the book is really poor and 3's if I thought it was especially terrible.
Ran a pivot and I had 294 five-star ratings, 72 x fours, and 4 x threes. I see I also had one zero but looking at the title it was some sort of error where I didn't rate it or the rating went through. It would have been another 5.
0 1
3 4
4 72
5 294
CharminglyNeurotic Satine ⋅ February 02, 2023
What was your fave and least fave out of all those books?
Satine CharminglyNeurotic ⋅ February 02, 2023
The three star ratings:
Willing Scott Spencer - this one was creepy, about a guy who gets dumped by his gf and goes on a luxury international sex tourism tour under the pretense of writing about it to "expose" it. On top of the bizarre premise it was like, trying to be literary and introspective and stuff which was just...gross.
Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir Jenny Lawson - this one just ann - a blogger memoir, trying to be funny I guess but just poorly done and annoying
Access All Areas: Stories from a Hard Rock Life Scott Ian - Memoir by a member of the metal band Anthrax...I think this was his second autobiography and all the good stories were probably in the first one. Also he comes off as a tool and the writing is annoying.
Devils, Lusts and Strange Desires: The Life of Patricia Highsmith - Richard Bradford - this could have been so good, Highsmith had such an interesting life and admittedly was not a good person but this came off as a pseudo thesis or something on why she a terrible human being...she's been dead a long time but the biographer just kept harping on his weird vendetta against her! I read another bio of Highsmith around the same time that just kept to the facts without commentary and it was exponentially better.
Satine CharminglyNeurotic ⋅ February 02, 2023
Here are the ones I marked as favorites:
Maestra L.S. Hilton
Looking for Trouble: The Classic Memoir of a Trailblazing War Correspondent Virginia Cowles
The Island of Sea Women Lisa See
The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron Bethany McLean
My Body Emily Ratajkowski
Whistleblower: My Journey to Silicon Valley and Fight for Justice at Uber Susan Rigetti
Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City Andrea Elliott
Carrie Soto Is Back Taylor Jenkins Reid
Bully Market: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs Jamie Fiore Higgins
Searching for Sylvie Lee Jean Kwok
The Chelsea Girls Fiona Davis
Fly Girl: A Memoir Ann Hood
The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles
My Sweet Girl Amanda Jayatissa
Codename Villanelle (Killing Eve, #1) Luke Jennings
The Signature of All Things Elizabeth Gilbert
City of Girls Elizabeth Gilbert
Girl in Translation Jean Kwok
The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983-1992 Tina Brown
Rules of Civility Amor Towles
Dilettante: True Tales of Excess, Triumph, and Disaster Dana Brown
The World Cannot Give Tara Isabella Burton
Ashes of Fiery Weather Kathleen Donohoe
Cover Story Susan Rigetti
Nowhere Girl: A Memoir of a Fugitive Childhood Cheryl Diamond
Fake Erica Katz
740 Park: The Story of the World's Richest Apartment Building Michael Gross
The Museum of Extraordinary Things Alice Hoffman
Great Circle Maggie Shipstead
All In: An Autobiography Billie Jean King
The Orphan Master's Son Adam Johnson
Unprotected: A Memoir Billy Porter
The Book of Magic (Practical Magic, #2) Alice Hoffman
The Boys' Club Erica Katz
The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay, and Disaster Sarah Krasnostein
Mambo in Chinatown Jean Kwok
CharminglyNeurotic Satine ⋅ February 02, 2023
THIS IS GREAT! Almost all non-fiction too!!! Thanks!
Satine CharminglyNeurotic ⋅ February 02, 2023 (edited February 02, 2023)
Edited
If I had to do a top few would probably be these, in this order
Great Circle Maggie Shipstead
All In: An Autobiography Billie Jean King
The Island of Sea Women Lisa See
The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles
I think you would really like
740 Park: The Story of the World's Richest Apartment Building Michael Gross if you haven't read it already too, it's older but I do like his books a lot and the topic seems very up your alley
and then these 2:
Dilettante: True Tales of Excess, Triumph, and Disaster Dana Brown
The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983-1992 Tina Brown
I should have just written you an email but maybe someone else will find interesting if they see this
CharminglyNeurotic Satine ⋅ February 02, 2023
I've read 740 Park - I actually interviewed him years ago for Brickunderground
Satine CharminglyNeurotic ⋅ February 02, 2023
I should have known that! I am 95% sure I would have read your article at the time!
Bluesea ⋅ February 02, 2023
I always enjoy hearing from you.
Red ⋅ February 02, 2023
Can't wait to hear about your locked up abroad saga!!!
Athena ⋅ February 02, 2023
I am sorry you got COVID again. It was so brutal when I had it that I never want anyone to have it -- not even people I dislike. I am sitting on the edge of my seat for Locked Up!
sarahbaby. ⋅ February 02, 2023
You had an NDA which has expired??? Omg I cannot wait to read this story
Calicakes ⋅ February 04, 2023
We come back from an 8 day trip abroad and I feel out of sorts. I can't imagine how you feel with all your changes. We're going to Australia in 2024, but alas, won't be in Melbourne.
rhizome ⋅ February 05, 2023
tell us the whole locked up abroad story!!! omg!!
also: how do you read so much, seriously. i'm feeling accomplished for having finished 2 books so far this year.