Year-End Meme, 2022

[peppermintesse]

Well, hey all. Guess what? I’m still here. The end of 2021 was so tumultuous and I was so overwhelmed with everything that I just couldn’t find the bandwidth to do it. I regret it now, of course, because now everything from 2021 and 2022 are all munged together in my mind. Fair warning.

I am looking back at my 2020 list just to refresh my memory and return to things I’d mentioned in that post as warranted.

1. What did you do in 2022 that you'd never done before?
Had major surgery. In 2012 (ten MFing years ago!), I had gamma knife radiosurgery, but that was non-invasive. In 2017, I had a Morton’s neuroma removed from my right foot; invasive, but not general-anesthesia levels of invasive. For 2022, though… I mentioned in the 2020 writeup about having a pinched nerve in my neck—well, that was due to degenerative disc disease at the C-4 and C-5 vertebrae. So… I had spinal fusion and a disc-ectomy (where they remove the damaged disc). I had to wear a neck brace for two weeks, even to bed. I’m still healing more than 2 months later, but I’m doing pretty well. Squick warning: they went in through the front, pushing things aside to get to my spine and attach my cage aka spinal bling. I’m gonna tell people that’s where I got shanked in the joint.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Cue yearly rant about how resolutions are a path to self-hatred. That said, I do want to get things under control on the weight front. We do have a workout area in the new place (OH YES, we moved into a rental house in Buffalo at the end of October 2021!), but I was in so much pain from my neck issues that it became difficult to exercise. I need to start more faithfully tracking food again. I’m so mad at myself.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My eldest niece had a baby in July, making me a grand-aunt. I love it and hate it at the same time.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
A’s dad died due to being a covidiot antivaxxer complications from COVID. Her whole family are religious nut jobs. I’d never even met her dad… never met her mom or sister, for that matter. Anyway, on the death front? All things considered, I was pretty lucky, I guess.

5. What countries did you visit?
None, sadly. The border with Canada was closed for a long while during the height of the pandemic and though it’s open again (and I don’t even think you have to show vaccination status, use the ArriveCAN app, or have a quarantine plan anymore), we haven’t really had cause to go over. Maybe we’ll pop over for a pizza, lol.

6. What would you like to have in 2023 that you lacked in 2022?
I can’t believe it’s been this long, but I need to upgrade my computer. It feels like I just got this iMac, but it was in 2016, I think? This model (late 2015) year can’t even upgrade its operating system anymore.

7. What date from 2022 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
It’s funny; I looked back at 2012’s blog entry to verify that that was the year I’d had the gamma knife. I had listed 4 Dec as the date that would be etched into my memory… well, I had completely forgotten it. So much for “etched.” So I’ll just say that my fusion surgery was on 24 October. Another memorable date was 23 Dec, when the big bomb cyclone blizzard hit us here in Buffalo.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Surgical intervention leading to much less pain.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Letting my weight creep back up again. It’s not back up to what it had been, but I really have to get things under control before it does. SO MAD AT SELF.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Actually, no. I don’t count the spinal fusion as either. I have been lucky enough to work from home this whole time, and privileged enough to have grocery delivery on the regular, so I have not (knowingly) contracted COVID.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Probably furniture for the new place. New desk and file cabinet, new couch and chair, bookcases, new TV and console stand, big area rug for the living room. Phillips Hue programmable bulbs and HomePod minis. A Roomba. Oh, and AppleTV for streaming and such! Looking back at past entries wishing for greater financial stability, I’m so grateful we could afford these things now.

My old desk was woefully inadequate for my work-from-home setup. The couch and chair… well, we haven’t had a couch since we left Eugene in 2017, just had an IKEA chair and chaise while in Seattle, and didn’t need to get our own furniture while in NF. I think this is the first time I’ve had a non-thrift store or hand-me-down sofa, like, ever. I was 51.

Just wanted to follow up on 2020’s honorable mention, the Birkenstock slippers, which I am still wearing and have not destroyed yet. This is a huge deal for me. I usually kill slippers within six months.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
The Jan 6th Committee. Lock that orange-tinted tin pot wannabe dictator up, already.

I always feel like I should have a ready answer for this for someone who’s actually in my life, but I can never bring them to mind. Maybe my other brother, M, though I can’t remember if his divorce was finalized this year or last. He’s handled the whole thing so well.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Q-Anon. Continued pandemic deniers. People who are unwilling to do the bare minimum to keep others safe. It really feels like we are doomed, most days.

14. Where did most of your money go?
<Jim from The Office face>

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard. It doesn’t actually premiere until February, but holy shit, the TNG gang is back, and Beverly Fucking Crusher is front and center. I cannot fucking WAAAAAAAIT.

And I was fucking jazzed to see Howard Jones with Midge Ure in concert (indoor venue, but wore mask) this last July. I saw these two the last time they toured together in, like, 1987.

16. What song will always remind you of 2022?
Oddly enough, “Sway” by Bic Runga. See question 27.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

I. Happier or sadder?
Happier, I think.

II. Thinner or fatter?
Sigh. Fatter.

III. Richer or poorer?
The same as last year, though slightly richer, I think, than 2020. Though not rich-rich, obvs, as we’re still renting and probably will be forever and ever, amen.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Traveling. We almost went to Trekonderoga because Gates McFadden was there, but it was outrageously expensive, and we did not want to leave our elderly cat alone overnight (IIRC it would have been like a 6 hour drive).

Being creative—I haven’t felt inspired to write or draw over the last couple of years, though I am starting to feel that thawing.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Self-doubting and worrying. Eating shit I shouldn’t have.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
(Since I always do this list after Christmas, I just finally gave up and past-tensed this question.)
We spent Christmas (just the two of us, with the cats) with the house being battered by gale-force winds and a fuckton of snow falling sideways. It was not fun. (Something like 39 people in the area died.)

21. What, if any, insight did you gain about yourself in 2022?
If I don’t track my food, I will overeat.

22. What games did you play in 2022?
(I am officially subbing out “Did you fall in love in xxxx?” because this is not a new occurrence since probably 1995.)

• On my Mac: The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe (remaster, rerelease), which I loved. Rainswept was OK, though not great. I can’t remember if I played Papetura this year or last, but it’s delightful, though I haven’t finished it because I’ve hit a very frustrating task to complete.
• On Apple Arcade: Jenny LeClue, Detectivú was terrific; can’t wait for more from this publisher. Discolored also stands out. (I actually have a gaming controller!)
• On my iPad: I really enjoyed Roterra.

23. What podcasts got you through 2022?
The ones that always get bumped to the front of the queue when they come out: Bananas. My Favorite Murder. Unresolved. The Trail Went Cold / The Path Went Chilly. Proof. True Crime Bullshit. The Unsolved Mysteries podcast. The full list of podcasts I listen to is a long one.

24. What was your favourite TV program?
Really loved Star Trek: Strange New Worlds! Also enjoyed the new Quantum Leap reboot. Haven’t watched it all, but loved what we saw of Star Trek: Lower Decks. I did enjoy season 2 of Picard but I feel like it was really hampered by the limitations of filming in a pandemic. I enjoyed the new eps of Unsolved Mysteries, too. And don’t judge me, but I thought the Beavis and Butt-Head reboot was hilarious. (See what I did there? Judge? Mike Judge? …sorry, I’ll show myself out.)

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Still despise the same anti-science, anti-intelligence, racist, transphobic, homophobic, Christo-fascist assholes I always have.

26. What was the best book you read?
I’ve got my books read list coming soon, really—and this one will have 2021 and 2022’s books on it—but I’d have to say probably The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall. It is the weirdest, most interesting, most delightful and clever Sherlock Holmes pastiche I’ve ever read.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
This is probably not the sort of answer the creator of this meme-thing had in mind, but I learned the name and artist of a song I had always liked but never knew who’d done it: “Sway” by Bic Runga (1997). I can’t for the life of me figure out where I would have heard this song, or how I knew it, but when I heard it again, I could sing along to the chorus and the melody was instantly recognizable. I’m baffled.

28. What did you want and get?
My bivalent booster, baby.

29. What did you want and not get?
A new computer, and I’d like to upgrade my watch too, but you know… I’m pretty lucky if this is the worst complaint I have.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Probably since it was the last one I watched, but, Glass Onion. Also liked The Last of Sheila from 1973, which I randomly encountered and intrigued by, and which apparently inspired Rian Johnson for Glass Onion. (At the time I watched it, I didn’t know this.)

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Not much, since I was just a few weeks into recovering from surgery. A. made me tiramisu and we had Dinosaur BBQ for dinner. I turned 52.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
COVID disappearing from the face of the earth.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2022?
Pajama bottom casual.

34. What kept you sane?
Aside from A.? My Italian friend C, and my Discord server buddies.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
There’s always the old standby (Mr Firth), but man, I can’t think of anyone that really pops into mind as grabbing my attention and making my jaw go slack. Maybe Pike’s hair on Strange New Worlds? Ha ha.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Oh, JFC, where do I start?

37. Who did you miss?
My parents, my brother, and (living) family and friends I haven’t seen in far too long because I really don’t want COVID.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
My new hairdresser, Karen.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2022.
You can’t make other people happy at the expense of making yourself miserable. It is just not a viable life path.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
“Same as it ever was / same as it ever was”

—“Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads