And, of course, I couldn't miss out on the annual year-end meme!
1. What did you do in 2025 that you’d never done before?I had a lot of “firsts” this year, many of them negative, so I’ll focus on a positive one: I went to New Zealand.
2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?Ha ha, no. Will try again this year. (My TKD grandmaster requires us to come up with at least 5 every year.)
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?I don’t think so? I was going to say that I discovered at the annual family Christmas Eve gathering that one of my cousins had a new baby boy I’d never met, but IIRC, he’d *just* turned one, so that means he was born in Dec 2024, not this past year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?I realize my posting game this year has absolutely SUCKED but I’m pretty sure I mentioned that both of my parents died this year.
5. What countries did you visit?New Zealand <3 <3 <3
6. What would you like to have in 2026 that you lacked in 2025?
A different President.
7. What date from 2025 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?Feb 26 (Dad) and May 11 (Mom).
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?Survival. :-P But, ok, I also earned my 3rd degree black belt in taekwondo in Sept.
9. What was your biggest failure?Finishing the quilt I started over the summer. Chasing after documents to file my dad’s back taxes. I’d also say, “Landing a permanent job” but given everything else that happened, it’s honestly just as well that I had flexible part-time sub work this year.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?Tiny tear in my left shoulder rotator cuff that I’ll fix ... someday. Both knees chronically hate me now, but that seems to just be age.
11. What was the best thing you bought?Boat tour tickets to see the NaPali Coast on Kauai.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration this year?Two finally seems to be getting the hang of driving. Hopefully he’ll pass his test in 2026.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?The President and his MAGA toadies. What else is new? :-P
14. Where did most of your money go?Travel: NZ, HI (although airfare to/from the islands was mostly covered through points), and Disney. Plus – and I kid you not – SEVEN other trips to the west coast (one to Oregon, six to CA).
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?Not to keep harping on it but: New Zealand. I was soooo excited, and it did not disappoint.
16. What song will always remind you of 2025?I’m drawing a blank. Maybe something from The Great Gatsby musical? Saw it twice with Two this year.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Blank-er. I feel like I really shut down emotionally this year.
ii. thinner or fatter? The scale says I’m about the same or slightly lighter, but I’ve also lost a lot of muscle mass in the last year or two, so I’d say that the net effect is probably “slightly fatter”.
iii. richer or poorer?Thanks to my parents, richer. Yay?
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?Sleeping, reading, and crafting. And going through my parents’ stuff. Most of it is still in boxes.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?Doomscrolling social media. Being appalled by the government. (I mean, I SHOULD be appalled, but I wish I hadn’t HAD to be.)
20. How will you be spending Christmas?We spent Christmas in CA. The day itself was low-key but cozy and we were happy how it turned out. My extended family’s annual Christmas Eve gathering was really nice.
21. How will you be spending New Year’s?The usual – hanging out at home, maybe watching a movie, then watching the ball drop on TV.
22. Did you fall in love in 2025?Stayed in love for the 29th year.
23. How many one-night stands? Zero.
24. What was your favorite TV program(s)?I don’t watch much TV these days. My husband made me watch the series “Renegade Nell” and it was cute. I’ve seen about 40 mins of “Heated Rivalry.”
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?Copying last year’s answer: Nope, I think I hate MAGA nation, anti-trans politicians, and abortion-blocking politicians as much as last year.
26. What was the best book you read?When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelly
Salt by Mark Kurlansky
Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest
In Gad We Trust by Josh Gad
The Ragpicker King by Cassie Clare
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch
Twenty-Four Seconds From Now by Jason Reynolds
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?Well, a friend literally JUST sent me the link to a song about a miniature T-rex, sung to the tune of “Modern Major General,” and it’s AWESOME.
28. What did you want and get?Travel. Stuff on my wishlist.
29. What did you want and not get?For someone else to deal with all my parents’ red tape. :-P
30. What was your favorite film of this year?Both halves of Wicked. Zootopia 2.
31. What did you do on your birthday?I ... honestly don’t remember anymore. Dinner out, probably. But I do remember that MiniPlu TOTALLY surprised me by driving down the night before, so she could spend my birthday with me. <3
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?Literally almost anyone else as President. Also, if I could have sold my parents’ homes to a family that intended to live there, and not been essentially forced to accept a house-flipper in both cases.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2025?Same as always: Comfortable.
34. What kept you sane?Husband.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?Not a big celeb watcher.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?Same as the past two years: Anti-trans bills, especially those targeting children. Book banning attempts. Anything involving any mention of The Cheeto or his bootlickers. Genocide of Palestinians.
37. Who did you miss?I miss sharing things with my mom that I know she would have liked. Many times, she’s the only other person I know who would have appreciated something.
38. Who was the best new person you met?Can’t think of anyone.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2025:1) Put all your worldly goods (house, bank accounts, etc) in a trust. Makes it SO much easier for the executor to have access to what they need once you’re gone.
2) Most of us have way too much junk in our homes.
3) If you can afford to pre-pay for your casket/burial plot or cremation, do it. Again, it will make life much easier for your survivors, especially if they don’t live near you.
4) Share the stories. Good ones. Bad ones. Big moments in your life. Funny little moments. Don’t let family history disappear if you think someone down the line might want to know.
And now for the books:
2024 books2023 books2022 books2021 books2020 books2019 books2018 books2017 books2016 books2015 books2014 books2013 books2012 books2011 books2010 books2009 books2008 books2007 books2006 books2005 books( 2025 books )I don't feel like it's as many books as I've managed the past couple of years, but it isn't terrible, either. I really need to read more books in print/Kindle form, and not doomscrolling's so much. :-P
Since I didn't do reviews of any books this year, feel free to ask about anything on the list.
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