2019- the year I played with a rhino! in Life

What did you do in 2019 that you’d never done before?
As the title suggests, I played with a rhino at the local zoo for my birthday adventure. He likes to be pet and brushed and it was so neat to see a rhino up close. Such amazing animals!
I also did a runDisney race for the first time! (With my second race being 2020) I walked it but people tell me that still counts ;)

Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make any last year. This year I want to make peace with being alone (and therefore be ready to move on and have a kid the following year or start the process in 2021), be a bit more active, and put up a gallery well at my house. I also want to put my sea glass necklaces up on etsy and see if i do better with that, than with my other art which only sold one piece ever!

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Couple coworkers, college roommate (but I didn’t know until recently haha)

Did anyone close to you die?
My grandmother- don’t know if I’d say we were close though. Eddie, one of my hs friends, died of pancreatic cancer on new years day, but we had lost touch. Putting this here so I can think of him next year when I read this, if I do :(

What countries did you visit?
Just here this year. But a lot of countries on trips to Epcot in February, May and November!

What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?
More social connection. Everyone has their own families now and I live far. I barely see any of my friends. :( I really want to find love also but ALSO my goal is to be happy alone so I don’t know. One of these two things would be nice. haha

What date(s) from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
None really.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I really don’t have anything big. It was another year of doing well at work and helping others I guess. I had a really big day of rescuing horseshoe crabs too?

What was your biggest failure?
None

Did you suffer any illness or injury?
I ended up in the ER with high heart rate one time. It turned out to be just because I was sick and dehydrated!

What was the best thing you bought?
Probably disney stuff (minnie ears) and OMG i forgot I bought a new car, I guess that’s it. hahaha

Whose behavior merited celebration?
???

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Trump

Where did most of your money go?
disney trips and disney stuff! no regrets!

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Disney trips for sure!

What song will always remind you of 2019? Lizzo!

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? same
ii. thinner or fatter? same
iii. richer or poorer? poorer but i got new appliances and a new car!

What do you wish you’d done more of in 2019?
travel somewhere other than Disney

What do you wish you’d done less of?
being alone

How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas eve with my parents, Lauren and the kids and Pop Pop. Christmas breakfast with the same crew, and Kristen brought the kids over after they all left.

Did you fall in love in 2019?
Certainly not :(

How many one-night stands?
1 unintentionally, just lived far away and it didn’t work out.

What was your favorite TV program?
Below Deck! (but this is hard because i love southern charm, all the 90 day fiances, rhony, rhonj, rhobh)

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
nope, life’s too short for that

What was the best book you read?
Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame from Top Chef, but I read 60 books this year and so many other great ones! It was a great year for reading. And I had a video about Dominicana played on GMA for their book club after they sought me out because of my bookstagram post.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
I wouldn’t say discovery but I listened to Gregory Alan Isakov and Lizzo a lot more this year.

What did you want and get?
a new car, but i’m paying for it

What did you want and not get?
a cricut machine, i’m getting this somehow in 2020!

What was your favorite film of this year?
Frozen 2 I guess, but I think it might be the only movie I saw in theaters haha

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 35. Went out for the night to Ott’s with K (birthday buddy), her husband, John, Sam and her boyfriend, Brittany, Kristin’s friends, Kristin’s mom. It was a nice time. Then, beach day with Meghan and John and this guy I was dating, but it was crazy windy and cold. Weird times. And dinner with my parents and Kev too.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Finding love/a partner. Or having a kid. I just want a family, always have.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019?
Went pretty hard on Modcloth vintagely and novelty print clothing, and continued with lularoe novelty print clothes. Comfy stuff too.

What kept you sane?
I would say my coworkers because work was the only time I felt like losing it. haha

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Scott Avett, mmmm

What political issues stirred you the most?
immigrant camps, environmental issues with the wall and other regulations being pulled back, abortion rights, gay rights. EVERYTHING

Who did you miss?
My aunt as always. Still missing Topher, my one ex that never really played out the way I expected it to- think about him a lot.

Who was the best new person you met in 2019?
Whitney from the zoo, Meghan’s friend. I knew of her before and met her before but I definitely feel like I met her more this year and I hope that we’ll become better friends in 2020.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019.
2019 was the year that my one nephew kinda stopped being interested in other things besides his tablet. I think it’s been up and down and our last trip was good, but it’s been something that’s been weighing on my mind with the students I work with and in terms of children I may have in the future, that this is a fine balance and they can’t do without the technology but that it makes it difficult for them to experience life sometimes.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“you slipped through my hands
like i did through my Dad’s
like a river that passes
the rocks that it’s on
I’m bracing for loneliness
I know it’s comin’
Who will I hold when you’re gone?”
avett brothers