Dec. 31: The year in review

Seems like a good day to look back at 2013 and summarize the highlights and lowlights. Although our Christmas letter states most of this pretty clearly, I like the idea of focusing on my blog a little here. Also, our Christmas letter was full of lies.

The most-read 2013 posts

1. The post about my glass painting adventures had hundreds of visits, according to Google Analytics. Credit for all the visits goes mostly to Sherilee, I think, because she linked to the post on her blog (or Facebook, or Instagram, or somewhere) and probably paid her friends to read it because she would totally do that just to make me feel important. I like that Sherilee girl.
2. During the September 2013 Blog Challenge, I made a butter cake just so I could post a recipe. It was delicious (I followed someone else’s recipe, so I can say it was delicious without sounding like I’m all I’M THE BEST PASTRY CHEF IN THE UNIVERSE!!) 
3. My third most-read post was the story of my quasi-evil mother-in-law.  
4. My neighbor-friend has a silly kid who sends emergency (and by “emergency,” I mean “tattletale”) comments to her via Instagram. 
5. Our Christmas letter, posted on Christmas Day, was mailed to some recipients in actual cards, and emailed to others. The rest of them had to read it on the blog. Looozers.

I find it interesting that the five most popular posts of 2013 were all from the last few months of the year. I don’t know what that means. It certainly wasn’t because life got more interesting.

My favorite blog posts of 2013

It’s hard to choose, because the ones that I think are the most amusing are the ones like this, which are just silly pictures I collect. My soapbox ones (like this and this and this) are full of feelings that I feel. I like the story of how Victor and I re-met. I like the one about creating more joy for the world—which I really didn’t even write—because every time I re-read it, I remember that some of those methods are too easy NOT to keep doing every day.

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An interviewer I just made up asked me to answer these questions about 2013.

Did you learn any important lessons about life in 2013?

• It wasn’t a new lesson, but on a number of occasions, I was made aware of the fragility of life and the importance of telling people we love them EVERY DAY.
• I was reminded that I can’t please everyone and that it’s in my nature to try anyway and I HATE that about myself.
• I got a better grasp of this sentiment:

“It’s not what happens, but how you react to it, that matters.” (Epictetus)

• I learned that “your perception is your reality” is frustratingly true, especially when trying to make someone understand that they’re wrong about the things of which they accuse others. At the same time, the idea reminds me to stay more open-minded.

If your life in 2013 were a movie, how would it be categorized?

If my choices are action/adventure, drama, comedy, romance, foreign, documentary, animation, or horror, I’d have to go with none of those and say that 2013 was a dramedy, the least enjoyable movie genre of all. Living a dramedy is normal, but watching it is a big ol’ yawn, amirite?

What events stand out as highlights of the year?

We went to Disneyland for spring vacation… repurposed a room in our house to better fit our family’s current sources of entertainment… I had kidney stones… Jack finished grade school… I finished PTO…

What accomplishments in 2013 are you most proud of?

• All the PTO stuff. I didn’t do it alone, of course—I had a great group of people at my side.
• I created (what I think is) a pretty awesome grade school yearbook—a huge feat.
• I started writing my cancer memoir.
• My kids aren’t the worst kids in the whole world.
• I was able to fool Victor into staying married to me for another year. He’s so easy.

What do you look forward to in 2014?

There’s really only one thing I know for sure will happen: Katie will start high school in September, which I am both excited and nervous about.

Have you set goals for yourself or your family in 2014?

I’m not a big fan of new year’s resolutions, but off the top of my head:

• Read more books. My attention span this year has been… uh… not… good. I have a big stack of amazing books. There is no excuse!
• Set up a new office space in the house. It’ll be small and minimalistic no matter where it is, and I hope that’ll work for me.
• Work on menu plans. Trying to plan our meals is one of the most difficult things for us as a family. Too many times we’re picking up carry-out food on the way home or making trips to the grocery store nearly every day.  Our conflicting schedules just make it trickier, but I feel like there has to be a good solution for us somewhere.
• Find more work, hopefully doing something rewarding. Even though I didn’t get paid for my work on PTO, it was mostly fun, and when it was rewarding it was VERY rewarding. I hope to find that in something more reliable than the scarce work I’m doing now.
• CREATE. I want to make nice things. That’s completely vague and lofty but it’s what I want to do.
• Exercise more, lose weight, keep up with laundry, reduce clutter, walk the dog, blog more frequently, blah dee blah blah blah.

What words did you use most on your blog in 2013?

Glad you asked! Here’s a word cloud. The bigger the word, the more frequently it shows up in my 2013 posts.

You’ll have to click the image to see a larger, legible version. Here’s what surprised me about my word cloud:

• “Cancer” is teeny-tiny. I love that.
• Neither “booze” nor “alcohol” show up in the cloud. Shocking, eh?
• “PTO” didn’t show up either. Weird.
• I like that most of the big words are positive, or things that I like (besides the obvious, “home,” “made,” and “think” made me smile).

 

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Stolen from Dana’s FB wall:

And from somewhere on Pinterest:

And from Emily McDowell’s shop:

I hope your 2013 was a good one, and that your 2014 shapes up to be something you might enjoy.

Dec. 26: 2011 in review

I used to enjoy Plinky, but then the site was sold to someone who thinks “What’s your favorite number?” is an interesting question. A Plinky prompt from last week, though, I can do:

Summarize your 2011 with one sentence for each month this year.

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January: There’s nothing quite like being happy and feeling loved; visits with friends are the perfect pick-me-ups!

February: It’s a busy month of celebrations, with Katie’s birthday, Valentine’s Day, and our anniversary, but still so fun because, y’know, CAKE.

March: Sunshine and I met Curly Girl!

April: How can it already be 25 years since my high school graduation?

May: After giving us 14 years of unconditional love, sweet Scout, our baby beagle girl, died.

June: My first six-month follow-up after chemo assured us there was no new cancer.

July: Relay for Life was a day (and night) full of friends, love, and life.

August: A family trip to the coast was just the change of scenery I didn’t know I needed.

September: School started but my PTO duties kept me from enjoying quiet days with the kids out of the house--grrrr.

October: It’s hard to remember anything other than Jogathon in October.

November: How lovely is it that Vic’s sister and her family are just a few hours’ drive away, instead of on the other side of the world?

December: Puppy!

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Feel free to play along in a comment or your own blog.

Dec. 31: 2009 in review

It’s time for an end of the year meme.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
   Shaved my head.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
   I didn’t make any 2009 resolutions, and probably won’t make any for 2010 either.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
   Several friends.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
   No.
5. What countries did you visit?
   This year, just the one in which I live.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
   A good vacation. A real one, I mean.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
   Lots. The big one, though, will be the date of my cancer diagnosis: Nov. 27.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
   Not killing anyone.
9. What was your biggest failure?
   Apparently, walking upright without tripping and landing on my face.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
    Ha! You’re new here, arentcha?
11. What was the best thing you bought?
    Probably my iPhone.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
    Mine. Remember, I didn’t kill anyone this year.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
    My doctor’s.
14. Where did most of your money go?
    iPhone accessories and apps.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
    Seeing David Sedaris TWICE. Seeing Wicked TWICE. Seeing Topol in Fiddler on the Roof.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
    “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it)” by Beyonce.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
    a. Happier. Always happier.
    b. Thinner, but only a little bit.
    c. Neither.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
    Traveling.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
    Staying home.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
    With family. It was lovely.
21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
    Not with anyone new.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
    Probably 30 Rock.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
    My doctor.
24. What was the best book you read?
    Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    Duh! My nephew’s band, The Rouge. Their CD came out in June. They’ve got a big signing with a big record company coming up, and BELIEVE ME, you’re gonna get tired of hearing about them.
26. What did you want and get?
    An answer to the reason for my back pain.
27. What did you want and not get?
    An answer to the reason for my back pain that will not potentially kill me.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
    Up
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
    I turned 41 on September 18. Worked a little, met Random Sunshine™ for coffee where she showered me with treasures, spent the evening chasing a drunk friend down in the dark. Laughed a LOT.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
    A vacation. Probably not getting cancer too.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
    “Keep the ugliest parts covered.”
32. What kept you sane?
    Aforementioned family and friends.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
    It’s a tie between Justin Timberlake, Alec Baldwin, David Letterman, and George Clooney.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
    Don’t get me started.
35. Who did you miss?
    My dad. Always.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
    Random Sunshine™!
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
    Listen to your body, no matter what your doctor says.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
    The Beatles’ Let it Be.
    
    

    When I find myself in times of trouble
    Mother Mary comes to me
    Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
    And in my hour of darkness
    She is standing right in front of me
    Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
    

    (Thanks, Mom!)

Dec. 31: It’s been real, 2008.

Oh, you. You people coming here looking for something interesting or amusing or informative. You’re silly. I have nothing interesting or amusing or informative to say. I have no year-end review. I have no resolutions to share. I do, however, have a disgusting cough and am on the verge of hacking up some semi-important organs. That very real concern is keeping me from doing much of anything else this evening.

We’re less than two hours away from 2009. I had a busy and exhausting day and I’m not sure I’ll be able to stay awake until midnight. This makes me feel old; I don’t think I’ve missed ringing in the new year since I was 10 years old. Le sigh.

We’ve got tickets to The Color Purple tomorrow night. It’s one of the big shows of the Broadway in Portland season this year and I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully my cough won’t piss off the performers.

It’s anticlimactic, yes, but it’s my last post of 2008. See you next year.

Dec. 9: 2007 in review

If you received a Christmas card from us, you probably also received a letter. I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that it was full of lies and exaggerations. This is the real and very boring story of our actual 2007.

Visits/vacations

Kathy visited for a couple weeks in January and split her time between Portland, Walla Walla and Salem. She got me interested in beading again, and I spent the rest of the year making jewelry and other beaded items for myself and gifts. I did some research in gemstone therapy and learned interesting things about the metaphysical properties of different gemstones. It’s definitely given a bit of purpose to my beading projects.

Vic and I spent a few days in Disney World and went on a week-long Disney Cruise in the western Caribbean in February/March. Ports of call were Key West (fun, dirty, chicken-y), Grand Cayman (hot, beautiful, hot), and Cozumel (hot, filthy, stinky). It was a much different experience than our cruise in 2003 (in which the kids were along) and we felt frequent guilt, knowing how much Katie and Jack would love being there with us. Our dining companions were absolutely delightful; we were often among the last tables to clear out of the restaurant each night. Overall Vic and I had a lovely, relaxing time and enjoyed ourselves immensely. It was the perfect way to celebrate ten years of marriage.

My mom retired from WWC and moved to Medford in June. We made several trips there during the summer to visit with Mom and help her get settled into her new home. She is very, very happy there.

All Vic’s siblings visited at different times over the summer. Katie and Jack loved having their cousins around so much. We loved spending time with their parents too.

I went to Boise in July to visit with my girlfriends from high school, Deanna and Debi.

Debi, April and I had our semi-occasional Girls’ Weekend in Ashland in July. We met in Portland and set off on a road trip adventure with stops along the way (OK, pretty much just the one stop in Woodburn). We stayed at Mary’s B&B in Medford but spent most of our days at the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. We saw The Tempest in the Elizabethan theater and The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged) and went to the movie musical Hairspray. Lots of shopping, fun restaurants, great companionship... just what a girls’ weekend is supposed to be.

Vic took a week off at the end of the summer and we headed to Medford again. We took a day to drive up to Crater Lake and back. The weather was perfect—clear and sunny—and the kids were fascinated by the scenery.

Entertainment and celebrations

Katie had her seventh birthday party at Build-a-Bear Workshop. Jack’s sixth birthday was at JJ Jump, an indoor “bounce house” arena, the newest big thing in Clackamas. I’ve decided I like having the kids’ birthday parties away from home; no clean-up before OR after the parties! And, as mentioned above, Victor and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary.

Victor and I are subscribers to the Broadway in Portland series again this year. Shows we saw in 2007: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (surprisingly funny and full of charm), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (silly, loved the music), Spamalot (hilarious), Camelot (Wellington went in my place). There were a couple other shows for which we gave our tickets away. This is a fabulous deal, and if you don’t subscribe in your city, look into it at Broadway Across America. It’s a great excuse for date night and there are some wonderful shows to see!

We also spent an evening with Jim Gaffigan, one of the most hilarious stand-up comedians working today. Katie and I saw the very magical Disney on Ice Princess Wishes in November.

Other celebrations were held to honor a new Manullang cousin (Ted and Jocelyn welcomed Adeline in April), and friends’ new daughters Brooke (Alisa & Tom Gillett’s youngest) and Sage (Lisa & Cam Nicholson’s first).

Sadness

Ralph Forrest Knudson, my friend April’s dad, died May 26. Besides bringing back a lot of memories of losing my own dad, it was horrible to see April’s family deal with this unexpected loss. He is greatly missed. My friend Nelda lost her son, who was my age, in June. Alec and Erika, Katie and Jack’s classmates, lost their dad in February.

Family Stuff

Katie and Jack had a very active year.

• They both had their training wheels taken off their bikes and now zip up and down our street with the neighbor kids.
• Katie graduated from first grade and Jack graduated from preschool.
• Jack attended a two-week program on safety during the summer.
• Both kids had a week on their own at Grandma Mary’s and got to ride horses at Lainie’s, swim at Auntie Donna’s, play at Lithia Park, and check out the children’s museums and city parks in Medford—all things I did as a kid in the early 70’s!
• Jack didn’t want to do swimming lessons this summer—he still has a thing about forcibly getting his face wet—but we made a deal that he couldn’t go to Safety Town if he didn’t take at least one session of swimming lessons. He went, and he did surprisingly well, but he opted not to continue to the next level. I guess we need to come up with a deal that will encourage him to stay in lessons longer next summer.
• We couldn’t keep Katie out of the pool, and she passed all three levels she attended. She’s already determined to be a swim instructor when she gets older.
• Just before school started, Jack attended a week-long Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten class, in which he learned about the structure of a typical kindergarten environment. It’s quite a bit different from preschool, but he has adapted well this year and made a lot of friends. He loves to ride the school bus, and waits with four other boys (and their five protective moms) at the stop each day. The kids are all so funny together—Vic and I call them The Bus Stop Boys.
• Jack also played on a soccer team this fall. On the way home after every game he’d talk about how much he didn’t like soccer, but during the games he had a blast. He actually did well and was a more aggressive player than Katie ever was, but we’re still not sure if he’ll play again next year. Right now he can’t stop talking about karate, which we’re planning to enroll him in after Christmas break.
• Katie is doing well in her piano lessons and loves duets with her teacher. She proudly entertains us on a regular basis playing Christmas carols and Für Elise.
• She’s enjoying second grade.
• Jack lost his first tooth while in Medford this summer and is just about to lose his second.

Katie has a great love for most animals. She likes reading but hates when Jack listens in. I’m excited for her to read the Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume books she’s getting for Christmas. High School Musical, anything on the Disney Channel, Littlest Pet Shop, and Disney princesses—especially Ariel—are her big favorites these days.

Jack is still a huge Pirates of the Caribbean fan. He’s also fascinated by Star Wars since his cousin Jacob told him all about it this past summer. He likes anything to do with bad guys and reminds us constantly that he wants to be one when he grows up. Why wait? He’s definitely inherited some artistic talents from Auntie Sonya—he draws the most detailed pirate ships! After our trip to Crater Lake he started drawing amazing volcano landscapes.

Vic is still working at AMC. He got to go on some of the kids’ school field trips this past year and is already looking forward to Jack joining him at the auto show in February. He loves having his little Mini-Me at his side to watch movies and work in the yard.

I worked quite a bit this year teaching and designing databases and web sites. I also am a co-room parent for Katie’s class and help out once a week in the classroom. I’m having a great time getting to know Katie’s friends, teacher, and Commodore Puddles II (the classroom hamster). I still try to do scrapbooking when I have the chance, and I work a lot on beading projects too. I try to keep my blog up to date as much as possible.

Ze Dogs

Scout is more than ten years old now and is definitely showing signs of her age. Besides moving a little slower these days, she’s also getting quite cranky! We thought she was losing her hearing but now are pretty sure she’s just stubborn.

Casey has been with us more than two years now, and has finally settled in to our routine. She still gets irritated with Scout and would prefer to be the only dog in the house, but loves attention from the kids and neighbors.

Holidays

Well, 2007 marks a huge change in our holiday celebrations: we got an artificial tree. I already hate it. Actually, the tree itself is quite nice and looks surprisingly realistic. But it smells like plastic and that’s just wrong! It’s the most practical way to decorate when we’re not going to be home much for the holidays, though. As for celebrations, there’s a big Manullang family thing planned for a few days before Christmas this year. All Vic’s siblings, their spouses and kids will be together at Darlene and Wellington’s for the first time ever. We’re visiting a photographer that day to document the event. There’s a big Saltmarsh thing at my mom’s on Christmas—Kathy and her family will be there, as well as my grandma and uncle. We’ll be attending the Saltmarsh family Christmas Eve gathering, which we haven’t done since I was in junior high. It’ll be a fun time, I’m sure.

2008

As of right now, we don’t have any big vacations planned for next year. We’ll probably end up going to San Francisco at some point, though, as we had hoped to go last summer and never made it that far south. The kids are excited to see the city. Katie’s planning her eighth birthday party in February; as of today (it changes regularly) it will be at JJ Jump. Jack is excited to start karate. Vic is looking forward to researching a new car purchase, which will happen sometime this spring. But as far as I’m concerned, the biggest event in 2008 is in September, when I will be turning 40! April (who turns 40 a few days after I do) and I are planning a big celebration for ourselves and anyone else born in 1968. Check your mailbox for details.

I think I’ve covered just about everything, so I sign off the absolutely true story of our 2007 adventures with our wishes for you:

May this holiday be a happy one for you and those you love, and may 2008 be a year filled with unexpected pleasures, as well as cherished moments of peace and reflection. Have yourself a merry little Christmas and a fabulous new year!