9 years ago I participated in a year-end blog meme for the first time called Rewind 2011, with fun and interesting questions designed to get writers and readers to reflect on our lives in 2011. I did so again the following year, with my Rewind 2012.
Ever since I did this writing exercise those two years, I looked forward to the opportunity to do it again. However, the time got away from me and I hadn’t done it since, until the last two years (Rewind 2018 and Rewind 2019).
Before doing so, I read through my answers for 2011 and 2012, and was fascinated by how much had changed in my life, as well as the many things that hadn’t, over the previous 6 years.
I decided to do it again this year and as with my experiences in 2011, 2012, 2018, and 2019 answering the 35 questions listed below was both interesting and challenging for me.
That said, 2020 absolutely stands out from the other 4 times I’ve done this in light of all that happened this year, especially the global pandemic and overdue reckoning with systemic racism/the continued oppression/abuse of Black and Brown people (who also have suffered the most from the outbreak of COVID-19), as well as politics and the U.S. Presidential Election.
If you choose to participate (either on your blog, via a Facebook note or you can even send me an email with your answers), please let me know so I can read and comment on yours too.
So here goes Round Five of “Rewind 2020:”
1. What did you do in 2020 that you’d never done before? I bought my dream car, an orange (my favorite color) used 2017 Volkswagon Beetle! The kids and I decided to name it Weasley (a nod to the red headed family in the Harry Potter book/movie series). I canvased for Democratic Presidential Primary Candidate Elizabeth Warren and Illinois-03 Candidate for Congress Marie Newman (even though we live in Illinois-01). I navigated life during a global pandemic, which included wearing a face mask, practicing social/physical distancing and making a lot of difficult decisions related to how to behave, whom to interact with and what precautions were appropriate/necessary for my family and me because of COVID-19.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? As I’ve shared in previous years/Rewind posts, I stopped making New Year’s resolutions awhile back and recognize that I can make positive changes in my life at anytime and don’t have to wait for a new year, month, week or even day.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No, but an extended family member and their spouse are expecting the birth of their first child any day now. We celebrated with a drive-by baby shower in October, because of the pandemic, and have small bottles of Champagne (for me) and sparkling cider (for Abby), that were favors, in the fridge to toast when they are born.
4. Did anyone close to you die? I feel incredibly lucky that none of my closest family members or friends died of COVID-19 or any other way this year.
That said, in June a friend died unexpectedly, who I met through a MOPS group that I joined when Sean was 5, not long after Molly was born and died, and before Abby was born. My MOPS friend and I were closer back when we were both more active with that group, though we’d stayed in touch via social media off and on since. Her wake was held just as Illinois seemed to be turning the corner/things were getting better with COVID-19 and thus I was able to attend wearing a mask and with distancing. It was meaningful to meet up with old friends from MOPS and pay our respects together. This particular group of friends/women hadn’t been together like this in years and I really appreciated remembering what made each of them and our bond so special, though we were all so sad about the reason for our gathering. For those not familiar with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), it’s a faith-based group for moms of young children and having struggled with my faith in recent years, one of my most vivid memories is before we left the wake, our group stood together in the parking lot and prayed. The women who led us in prayer do so with such confidence and kindness and I found that so comforting, having not experienced that in awhile.
As I shared in this post, one of my oldest and dearest bloggy friends Kym, died of cancer in September. Though Kym’s death was somewhat expected, it hit me harder then I anticipated when I learned she was receiving hospice care and it was only a matter of time.
A LOT of loved ones lost parents and other close family members, many to COVID and some others ways, which is so sad and emphasizes all the more why our family chose to take the precautions we have, and continue to take, aimed at staying healthy and not unknowingly getting COVID and then passing it on to others, especially our parents/our kids’ grandparents.
I had two friends with young school aged children whose husbands died unexpectedly (not of COVID), which is especially heartbreaking.
Also, the usher for the section we sit in most of the time at church (pre-pandemic, when we still went in person), died. Though we didn’t know him well personally, he was a fixture in our 10:00 a.m. Sunday mass experience for many years and it is bittersweet to know he’ll never greet us when we arrive again, shake hands with us at the kiss of peace, or bring the collection basket to our pew.
As of today, 12/31/20, tragically 343,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. It is an almost unfathomable amount of loss and what I continue to struggle with is knowing that it didn’t have to be anywhere near this bad. If the President, his administration, and the Republicans (who enable them) had been honest with the American people, taken responsibility/lead by positive example, and developed a national strategy early on (when they knew what was at stake), this year could’ve been so much different/better and so many less people would’ve died. It is absolutely heartbreaking and makes me so angry when I allow myself to think about it.
5. What places did you visit? HA! 2019 Kathy had no idea when I imagined this year and all the awesome trips/travels that our family had planned that they would be cancelled and/or postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic.
In the end, we rarely left our home other than for groceries/necessities, to do outdoor activities just the four of us (such as bike riding, golfing, walking, etc.) and I also accompanied my parents to many (non-COVID related) healthcare appointments (masked and with distancing as much as possible). The few exceptions were the two opportunities we had to go to Bob’s parents’ Lake House in Michigan, just the four of us. We had a wonderful time there and it helped us cope some with not getting to spend the month of August in the UK, as we had planned (having already booked our flights, much of our lodging and even purchased tickets to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London’s West End).
I was also supposed to chaperone Sean’s high school’s Concert Choir trip to Orlando over Spring Break in April, which was to include time at both Disneyworld and Universal Studios. In July, Abby, my mom and I were going to fly to NYC for Dance the World Broadway with Dance Gallery Chicago and we had already bought tickets to see Hadestown and Jagged Little Pill on Broadway while there. We were able to get refunds for almost everything except for our plane tickets to London and NYC, which became credits that we may or may not be able to use in the future (depending on at what point the US and UK are able to get COVID-19 under control and it is safe to travel again).
I did find the opportunity to drive anywhere in Weasley (my orange VW Beetle) to be a special treat, as it makes me so happy to get to ride in such a fun car, after many years of dreaming about doing so.
6. What would you like to have in 2021 that you lacked in 2020? To be able to gather with loved ones in person safely, to travel and attend live events (such as theater productions and concerts) again, as well as to live in a country where there is a national strategy to deal with the pandemic, including an efficient vaccine distribution plan, that will help us move through the threat of COVID-19 and get to the otherside. I can’t wait to have a Presidential Administration in power that truly cares about and will act in the best interest of the American people. I also hope that Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock will both be elected on January 5th to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate, which would tip the balance of power there to the Democrats and enable President Biden and his Administration to be able to govern effectively, with Democratic majorities in both houses of congress.
7. What dates from 2020 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? March 9th,* as it was the last time I ate in a restaurant, for a belated birthday lunch with my parents. It was also the last time I was able to spend time with my parents in person, without masks and distancing. I remember discussing the little we knew about COVID-19 at that time and trying to wrap my brain around what was happening. My parents mentioned that they were being encouraged to “quarantine” proactively for two weeks in their apartment, at the retirement community they moved to in April 2019, and that concept seemed so bizzare to me. It would only take a few more days of learning about the pandemic to understand how serious it all was and begin to take precautions for my family and me. By St. Patrick’s Day on Monday, March 17th, Bob started working from home (and has ever since) and the kids attended their last day of school in person, before they began remote learning with the rest of Chicago Public School students, which has continued ever since.
*March 9th was also Sean’s childhood friend D’s 16th Birthday and the first since he died on October 1, 2018, another bittersweet milestone for his mom, dad, sisters, extended family and friends.
8. What was/were your biggest achievement(s) of the year? Staying safe at home as much as possible, helping my parents navigate difficult health challenges (not COVID), helping Bob, Sean and Abby adapt to remote learning and working from home, remaining relatively sane myself and making the best of/finding some joy in a really difficult, uncertain and painful year in the U.S./on Earth.
9. What was your biggest failure? Taking my own stress and anxiety out on Bob, Sean and Abby at times. Though overall we have done really well spending so much time at home together this year, it wasn’t always easy and as someone who had gotten used to having time to myself alone here on weekdays, it definitely took some time to get used to our new reality.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Ironically, I’ve probably been healthier this year than ever, because in staying safe at home, Bob, the kids and I have managed to not only avoid COVID, but no other significant illnesses. My allergies have still flared up at times and I found myself questioning if my symptoms could actually be COVID, which I know was common. However, when testing wasn’t readily available in the Spring I always ended up feeling better and when earlier this month I started wondering again, I opted to go to a free neighborhood mobile testing site, just in case. I got negative rapid test results within an hour, which was reassuring, but I knew not definitive. It took 10 days (way too long) for me to get my PCR results, which were negative. However, my slightly questionable symptoms started to fade the day after I got tested and had I really thought there was a decent change I had COVID, I would’ve connected with a physician and gotten a PCR test at a more reliable/efficient location.
11. What were the best thing(s) you bought? My dream car, “Weasley,” a used orange 2017 Volkswagon Beetle!!!
We bought/ordered four canvases with some of my favorites photos that I took on our family vacation in August 2019 to Hilton Head Island (HHI), South Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. We hung two from one of our hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains in the stairwell going from our first to second floor. We hung one from sunrise on the beach and one sunset in Harbour Town on HHI in Bob and my bedroom. Getting to look at them daily has helped me to remember special times we experienced while traveling together as a family and reminds me that we’ll hopefully get to do so again someday.
Also, the new Valente 1 Drawer 2 Door Accent Cabinet by Foundry Select that we ordered from Wayfair and Bob assembled, making my corner of our family room more functional and cozy. Since Bob started working remotely in March from our home office, I haven’t really had a space of my own (other than the kitchen table) and this helps to remedy that.
Lastly, I got Bob and I portable cassette players for Christmas, enabling us to listen to old mix tapes, which I’ve already been really enjoying over the last week!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Essential workers, first responders, teachers and those who serve in healthcare, as well as all the parents/guardians who had to balance their jobs with having children at home doing remote learning. Also, all those who took the pandemic seriously, were very cautious, even/especially when fatigue from it all set in, wore masks and distanced, didn’t gather at holidays and for other special events when it wasn’t safe, and encouraged those who did the same. I count Bob, the kids and I in this group and am so proud of us. It wasn’t easy to do this for the last 9 months, but it was worth it, and we are far from the finish line in navigating life in the time of this global pandemic. I know we can and will continue to stay the course, as daunting as it can feel, one day, one step, one next right thing at a time.
Locally, a number of community members came together to form a mutual aid group, which started a weekly Free Store to distribute essential non-food items for those who needed them, as well as to donate to/support existing organizations, such as our neighborhood’s food pantry, in effort to serve people who are homeless and/or food insecure.
Also, all those who continue to stand up, speak out, and work for equity in human/civil rights, including being actively anti-racist, during an even more difficult year for Black and Brown Americans, as well as immigrants and refugees. Sean, Abby and I stood with neighbors/community members for many evenings at a local intersection back in June at demonstration in support/affirmation of how very much Black Lives Matter.
Lastly, everyone who worked to elect Biden/Harris to be our next U.S. President/Vice President, as well as to get out the vote in swing states to help keep Democratic control of the House and try to flip the Senate. I wrote and sent 200 postcards to South Carolina as part of the Postcards to Swing States movement.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Trump, his administration and Republican lawmakers who continue to obstruct justice and not being accountable for their actions and/or holding others accountable, as well as fellow Americans who support their actions, instead of condemning them and demanding their representatives be/hold them accountable.
Those who haven’t taken this pandemic seriously. As I’ve already shared in my answers to previous questions, it didn’t have to be like this/so bad. Some of the most difficult experiences for me and my family this year has been having to deal with those in our lives, including some loved ones, who are not doing all they can to be cautious and bring the pandemic to an end sooner.
14. Where did most of your money go? Once it became clear that our family trips/travels and live theater/concerts were not going to happen this year, we turned our attention to some long overdue home improvements, including: getting new roofs on our house and garage, new landscaping in the front of our house, the wood trim around our outside windows was replaced and painted, we had some painting done inside our house, we bought some small pieces of new furniture to help make our home more comfortable for remote work and learning, and got a gas fire pit and outdoor lights to make our backyard patio cozier. We also had some unexpected homeowner challenges, when our basement flooded, which required some plumbing work, and our 9-year old refrigerator stopped working and wasn’t an easy fix, so we bought a new one.
We also donated more than we ever have in the past to local charitable organizations (including our neighborhood food pantry) helping those who are struggling with homelessness and food insecurity, especially due to the pandemic.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The first time I got to see my mom and dad, outside their retirement community, with masks and distancing, after having gone over 3 1/2 months without being together in person! Though we’d spoken over the phone or Facetimed/Zoomed almost every day at that point during the pandemic, it was the second longest stretch of time my parents and I had been apart in my lifetime. The longest was a little over 4 months, when I studied abroad in London, during the spring semester of my Junior year of college in 1996.
The release of the film of the musical Hamilton with the Original Broadway Cast on Disney+ and getting to watch it many times!
Also, The Crown Season 4! We ended up watching all 10 episodes on the day they dropped via Netflix (Sunday, November 15th) in our jammies/comfy clothes, while enjoying yummy food and drinks (including mimosas for Bob and me)!
It’s definitely been a year for simple pleasures, which for our family has included a lot of binge-watching TV series, movies and spending more time than even hanging out in our backyard, eating dinner and playing Euchre.
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2020? “Orpheus” by Sara Bareilles, the Hadestown Original Broadway Cast Recording and all of the songs on Taylor Swift’s albums “Folklore” and “Evermore.”
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? sadder (it’s been a really hard year, however I am still able to find joy and happiness in my life)
b) thinner or fatter? fatter (though we’ve continued to stay active and workout every morning, I’ve definitely turned to treats, beer and other types of comfort food as part of coping since the pandemic hit and give myself grace in knowing that’s okay)
c) richer or poorer? about the same (which I recognize makes us very lucky while living through this global pandemic, that has had such a negative impact on much of the U.S. and Global economy and led to many more people being out of work, living in poverty, being homeless and/or food insecure)
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I’ve been anticipating answering this question, as last year I said, “purging stuff from our home, managing my time more effectively and developing healthy boundaries with loved ones and others in my life sooner.”
That has been a common theme, along with not over programming our family’s social life/engagements, when reflecting on past years and making plans for the future. However, the last 9 months of navigating the global pandemic has led us to stay home so much that we’ve focused a lot on purging, slowing down, and having healthy boundaries with loved ones.
Of course, there’s always room for improvement. That said, I have taken to heart the advice from those who have said we should give ourselves grace this year. Being productive in times like these is extremely difficult and we don’t need to hold ourselves to unrealistic standards.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? I can’t think of anything. Being able to survive this year, without completely losing my sanity, is huge. Though I could say there were times and days when I spent too much time not being productive enough, I know that more often than not, that down time/me time allowed me to remain emotionally stable and gave me the strength to help support, Bob, the kids, my parents and other loved ones cope and navigate this extremely difficult, uncertain and painful year.
20. How did you spend Christmas in 2020? Christmas was really different this year, as was Thanksgiving, Easter, the 4th of July, loved ones’ birthdays, and so many other special milestones (including graduations). I am so proud of Bob, the kids and I for recognizing the need for this and adapting accordingly, when so many in the U.S. did not, which is part of why things are still so bad with the pandemic.
On Christmas Eve Eve, we drove around and dropped off gifts at Bob’s parents’ and siblings’ families’ homes. The plan had been to leave the presents we had gotten for them, pick up theirs’ for us and then do a Zoom exchange on Christmas Eve, when we celebrate with Bob’s family most years. However, the weather ended up being unseasonably warm/nice, albeit very windy, and decided spur of the moment to exchange with Bob’s parents and one of his sibling’s family outside with masks and distancing. It started raining when we were at one of Bob’s siblings’ homes and so we improvised by leaving their front door open, with us standing in the entryway and their family staying distant inside their home. We hadn’t been together like that in person for a while and it was really nice. We did end up Zooming with Bob’s other sibling and their family on Christmas Day, as due to Bob and his sibling’s work schedule that day, we didn’t have time, in spite of the nicer weather.
Our Christmas Eve, spent at home, just the four of us, was low key and wonderful! We joked that it was like a Montessori Christmas Eve, as we did what we wanted, when we wanted, including starting to exchanging gifts at sporadic and slow pace mid-morning and every hour or two we’d open more! We ate a lot of yummy treats, Bob and I enjoyed some great beer from one of our local brew pubs, and we watched a lot of fun things on TV, including The Mandalorian and It’s a Wonderful Life (one of my all-time favorite movies, not just at Christmastime). We also ordered pizza for dinner (which was one of my Axe family’s childhood traditions) from one of our fav neighborhoods pizza places/restaurants. Then we live streamed our parish church St. Barnabas’s 7:00 p.m. Christmas Eve mass, mirroring my laptop to the big screen TV in our family room. Christmas Eve Mass was another of my family’s childhood traditions, so that was kind of nostalgic too, though not being at mass in person definitely felt different, as has been the case all year for us (at least since the pandemic took hold in March). Though we missed being with Bob’s family, as we are most years on Christmas Eve, we really did have a lovely and relaxing day together safe at home.
Christmas Day, also spent at home, we also went with the flow for the most part. Abby set an alarm for 6:00 a.m., after we encouraged the kids to sleep in (because they stayed up late the night before). Sean kept her from waking us up until 6:30 a.m., which we’d said was the earliest we’d be willing to go downstairs with them to see what Santa brought. The kids really enjoyed the Legos and other things they got from Santa and had kept a few of their gifts from us to open on Christmas Day. We made a nice brunch, that included Cinnamon Rolls (which we all love). We Zoomed in the early afternoon with one of Bob’s siblings and their family, which included a virtual present exchange with the kids/cousins. After that we Zoomed with my parents, my sister and her family and close family friends (who we often celebrate Christmas with), which included a virtual present exchange (we’d shipped gifts to/from Wisconsin, where my sister’s family lives) and traditional “12 Days of Christmas” sing-a-long (which was extra amusing attempted via Zoom)! Then we made and enjoyed a nice family Christmas dinner, including Beef Tenderloin, french style green beans and rolls. Bob did a great job preparing the beef and I set the table, using my maternal Great Grammy Hunt’s Haviland China. I also made a bearnaise sauce that turned out well, but I am pretty sure I got confused as to what it is and actually didn’t really care for the flavor. I was overtired, from all the things I (and many moms) do in effort to make Christmas magical for our families (which sometimes involves staying up later than usual/getting less sleep), and was moody/got frustrated at times. Bob and the kids were kind and patient with me and it was still a great day for our family overall.
21. Did you fall in love in 2020? With Dr. Fauci (who has helped to lead us through the pandemic) and “Baby Yoda” (Grogu/The Child in the Mandalorian TV series)! And my love for Bob, the kids, my parents and some other close family members and friends, as well as myself, deepened.
22. What was/were your favorite TV program(s)? Ted Lasso, Cobra Kai, This is Us, The Good Doctor, Grey’s Anatomy, Emily in Paris, The Connors, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Saturday Night Live, The Crown (Season 4), The Mandalorian, World On Fire, The Rachel Maddow Show, and Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. We’ve watched so much TV this year, while staying safe at home, I’m sure I’ve forgotten some.
23. What did you do for your birthday in 2020? I wrote this post, which I am really proud of, in celebration of my milestone 45th birthday. It is bittersweet to revisit now, as there was so much I was looking forward to this year that didn’t end up happening, including all the trips/travels we had planned and live events (theater and concerts). That said, I do feel I grew and learned so much this year, even if it didn’t happen at all how I anticipated. On Friday, March 6th, my actual birthday, Bob, the kids and I went out to dinner at a new (to us) restaurant in a nearby suburb, and that would end up being the last time the four of us (who used to love to going out to eat before the pandemic) would eat inside at a restaurant this year. It was a fun evening, with delicious food and drink. One of our extended family members has a niece and nephew that work there, who we got to see that night. I also got a gift card from the restaurant, as part of my birthday celebration that night, and assumed it wouldn’t be too long before we’d return and use it.
On Saturday, March 7th, we went out to dinner with good friends, at another restaurant (with a large beer selection on tap), to celebrate my birthday along with one of our good friend’s birthdays, whose is close to mine. It was a really fun night out and ended up being the last time we were inside at a restaurant or bar/pub with friends.
On Sunday, March 8th, we were together in person with Bob’s extended family for an event we call “Ham Day.” I’ve been working on this “Rewind 2020” blog post for too long and my brain is fried, so I’m not going to share a lot more detail about this, other than it was the last time we were together inside and in person with much of Bob’s family this year, and we continue to be grateful for having fun memories of that gathering so close to when we stopped doing things like that, due the pandemic.
And, as I already shared in my answer for #7, my belated birthday lunch on Monday, March 9th with my parents at Horse Thief Hollow, including my mom and I splitting a fun flight of beers (I drank most of them and she had sips), was especially memorable and timely, being the last time I ate in a restaurant and was with them in person/inside without masks and distancing.
24. What was/were the best book(s) you read? I read/listened to 22 books this year, primarily audiobooks. Initially I listened via Audible and then switched to Libro.fm, after I made the switch (to support our neighborhood independent bookstore). I love listening to books (and podcasts, which I want to add a category in a future Rewind post for, as there are so many I get so much out of and have for many years), while on the go and getting things done around the house. My favorites for fiction this year were The Book of Two Ways and Leaving Time, both by Jodi Picoult. My favorites for non-fiction this year were: Untamed by Glennon Doyle (so much that after I finished listening to the audiobook, my family and I read the hard copy, one chapter at a time after dinner, which made for some awesome discussions), Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson, and Troop 6000 by Nikita Stewart.
25. What did you want and get? Biden/Harris winning the Presidential Election, more seats in Congress and hopefully after the run off on January 5th, a Democratic majority in the Senate (in addition to the House). More time with Bob and the kids, with less plans, is something I’ve often spoke of wanting and yet, in recent years hadn’t take much action to make happen. This year in many ways forced that upon us and we are definitely closer as a family for it. For all that was horrible about this year, one of the incredible bright spots/silver linings/sources of joy is how well our family of four has been able to navigate this pandemic, while mostly staying safe at home, together. Of course we’ve had our moments and challenges, but overall we’ve handled it so well.
26. What did you want and not get? All the travel plans we had (especially our epic trip, that we’d planned and were so excited for, to the UK), tickets to live events (plays, musical theater and concerts) and getting to spend time with loved ones in person, beyond our household was rare. Also, as I’ve already written a lot about here, for the President and his administration, as well as many Republican leaders, to take the pandemic more seriously. It didn’t have to be this bad and with they way they approached it, with all the lies and disinformation, they actually managed to make it worse.
27. What was/were your favorite film(s) of this year? ?
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (I think that was the last movie my family and I saw in a theater) and the Hamilton movie made of the musical with the Original Broadway Cast (which we have gotten so much joy and comfort out of watching here at home)
28. Did you make some new friends this year? Because of the pandemic, making any new friends is more difficult and I wasn’t particularly motivated to do so. I may’ve connected with a few via social media. There is one woman who I connected with via Instagram in England, who feels like a friend, though we’ve had very little direct interaction, other than commenting on each others posts a few times. I do look forward to her posts and appreciate when she likes or comments on mine. She seems like someone I’d be friends with in person, if we lived closer.
29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? As I said last year, President Trump and other corrupt politicians/government officials being removed from office and held accountable for their actions. Also, having more people recognize the reality of systematic racism and discrimination (especially in our education and criminal justice systems) and actively working to dismantle these systems that hold marginalized people back. This year I would add, as I’ve already said over and over again in the post, more people, especially the U.S. President and his administration, as well as other leaders and even some of our loved ones, taking the pandemic more seriously. It is baffling and so sad to me how some people cannot be bothered to wear masks or distance or stay home (if they aren’t essential workers) if not to save themselves to save others.
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2020?
Comfort, braless, rarely wore makeup or got dressed up after early March… A lot of Prana clothes (one of my main dealers for retail therapy) and social justice wear (including in support of candidates that I supported running for office).
31. What kept you sane? Telehealth appointments with my therapist, many Instagram accounts of therapists and other inspiring people (many who are artists/creatives/graphic designers) who help me to cope/make sense of life (especially in these times), listening to music that calms/comforts me while watching the Amazon FireStick screensaver in our basement show me breathtaking scenes and vistas from around the world (a handful of the places I have been and many others I dream of visiting someday, which is especially meaningful to me during a year when we can’t travel as we’d been so looking forward to), as well as talking with Bob, my mom, and other loved ones (especially one dear friend) and Zooming with family and friends.
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Heather Cox Richardson (I am so grateful for her daily newsletter/Facebook posts, that have helped me and so many sift through the noise in the news and social media to understand what is really happening this year), Soledad O’Brien (is still one of my favorite journalists and I really appreciate her perspective on current and past events in the news), Rachel Maddow (another journalist who helps me to cope and understand what is happening during these difficult and uncertain times), the Indigo Girls (I loved their livestream performances during the pandemic and how they use their celebrity to help raise money for charities and try to impact social justice/change), and Deborah Copaken (who I first learned of through the Modern Love TV series on Amazon Prime in Episode Two: When Cupid is a Prying Journalist and then found out more about her real life story/experience that she initially shared with the New York Times Modern Love column, which has also been featured on their Modern Love podcast, and then I started following her on social media. She has a new book coming out in 2021 and also co-created/helped to write the Netflix series Emily in Paris).
33. What political issue(s) stirred you the most? People who didn’t take the pandemic seriously, Trump and his supporters/enablers, MAGA, White Supremacists, the denial of systemic racism and white male privilege in America, though it is not unique to the U.S.
34. Who did you miss? Those we planned to see on our travels, our loved ones whom we haven’t been able to see in person much (if at all) without being outside with masks and distancing, our baby girl Molly (who would’ve turned 12 in April) and so many other loved ones who also left this world too soon and are always in our hearts.
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2020.
“Doing the right thing doesn’t always feel good.” ~ A wise man, anti-racist and awesome writer
That man, anti-racist and awesome writer is also a neighborhood friend. He wrote/shared that in a letter/blog post with advice to his school age daughter. Those words became a mantra that I returned to often when I knew what the right thing to do was and yet struggled to take action this year. It was helpful to remind myself it’s okay and understandable to feel that way, however that doesn’t absolve me of the responsibility for doing the right thing. The mantra helped to me face my fears and gave me the courage to do what I knew was right, which often included standing up and speaking out for what I believe in, as well as developing and maintaining boundaries, as needed.
This post took me way longer to write and finish than I recall in the past, but I suppose it has been a year that was going to be a lot to process here and I do appreciate having this outlet.
The below picture is of one of the most thoughtful, creative and special gifts I/our family have ever received. A dear neighborhood friend cross stitched it for us. Our friend/their family knows us so well, if you look closely and see the attention to detail/how they captured each of our personalities/interests. From Sean wearing a Pokeball t-shirt and holding a Nintendo Switch, to my glasses and grey hair, as well as Bob and I toasting with pints of beer and our clothing styles, and Abby dancing with glasses that are the exact same color as hers! We decided to hang it by the light switch in our kitchen, so we can all see it up close often. We are so grateful to our friend for this incredible homemade gift and so thankful for them and their family!
I wish you and yours a very Happy New Year! Thank you for being a part of my life in 2020!
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Hi! Its been a while since I’ve read your blog. I loved reading through these answers. I too love the Mandalorian and I see a lot of books and references in here to check out!