Kissing 2012 goodbye in style at Karen and Annette’s, 31 December 2012

1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
Ran 750+ miles (just barely), moved to Chicago, ate at several Michelin starred restaurants, almost walked to Mexico.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
9 out of 12 ain’t bad. More on this later.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I have a new niece! She is a chublet and I adore her.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My uncle passed unexpectedly in January, but we weren’t close.

5. What countries (or new places) did you visit?
No new countries or cities as far as I recall. I spent far too much time on the 405.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
A better budget, and the dedication to stick to it.

7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Shane and I decided to separate on February 25.
I left Ann Arbor on March 27.
I broke my arm on July 4.
Those are the defining features of this year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Keeping my head above water and in doing so, finding a life for myself that is impossibly richer than I ever imagined possible.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Sobriety, weight loss, protecting my skin, protecting my heart, being financially responsible. My body also said FUCK NO to an IUD twice.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I spent half the summer in a cast.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I bought a lot of fantastic vintage clothes this year.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I am constantly amazed by the people on the lakefront path. Every time I run or bike there, I spend part of my workout composing a post about how motivating and inspirational they all are.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
A close friend is going though something appalling and inexcusable.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Food and drink and dresses.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Nicolas Jaar

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Happier

ii. thinner or fatter?
About the same, unfortunately.

iii. richer or poorer?
Financially poorer, but richer in nearly every way.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
More running. More time at the beach. More naps. More coffee dates. More reading. More sex. More live music. More miles on Orange. More travel.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Crying.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my family in Rockford

21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
I fell balls deep in love with Chicago, and was pretty dang smitten as well.

22. How many one-night stands?
A lady never tells.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
I didn’t watch much TV this year, honestly. I’m rewatching Fringe.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Yes.

25. What was the best book you read?
The Wild Palms and Bluets

26. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
Nicolas Jaar

27. What did you want and get?
A whole new life.

28. What did you want and not get?
Love.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I saw Skyfall in the theaters three times, but The Fall was the best new-to-me film of 2012.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Drank way too much in Carlsbad the night before, slept it off in the car, waited an inordinate amount of time at Port Pizza with Pop, tried to walk to Mexico with Michael, fell in the Tijuana Estuary, watched The Fall, went to bed early.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Nothing. I can think of lots of things that would have made this year easier, but nothing that would make it more satisfying.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Vintage-inspired.

33. What kept you sane?
My girls.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
The entire cast of Skyfall, please and thank you.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I’ll be honest and remorseful when I say that I didn’t have the energy for politics this year.

36. Who did you miss?
Shane.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Karen, and all the great people I’ve met through her.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
As I wrote in July after breaking my arm, “love isn’t binary, that family isn’t defined by blood, that community isn’t bounded by physical space, and that what you put out into the world will be repaid tenfold if only you’re brave enough to let it.”

See also: 2011