I’ve taken this last week off to read, sleep in and get caught up with my thinking. My work weeks are really busy now as I’ve taken a new position in the disabilities field that allows me precious time away from my phone (I’ve been on call for the past decade).  It’s been great for life work balance but I still work about 50 hours a week and, well, I’m getting old. Writing isn’t hard for me but I need the headspace, man.

This was an unprecedented year for me personally. It’s been two years since I’ve been living without my disabled daughter or any of my kids in my house which has enabled me to budget my time all for myself, something that I haven’t been able to do for almost 25 years. Here are some highlights for me this year:

1. Travel: This year I visited New Orleans for the Krew of Chewbaccus parade.  Stupid fun. I also went to NYC to see the David Wojnarowicz Exhibition which hit hard as I spent the better part of March- May watching and re-watching  American Crime Story the Assassination of Gianni Versace.   Forget your 80’s nights…that decade sucked. I also traveled to the Omega Institute in upstate NY to do a workshop with the ultra cool Lynda Barry who did make the 80’s tolerable for meo and author Dan Choan. Her workshop was so good for me. I will definitely do one again. In September I went to Liverpool, England. Yes, I did many of the Beatles tours, it was fantastic. The people in Liverpool were jovial and fun.  I liked it more than London! I also accompanied my husband to the Midlands for one of his boooring pop music conferences. (just kidding, they aren’t really boring). Fun to be in the first class train car with the drunkest young guys who kept trying (badly) to whisper “really, mate…be honest…what did ya think of me when we first met”. Their wine bottles kept rolling back to us, we would hand them to the drunk guys through the arm rest in the seat and within  5 minutes, they were on the floor rolling back to us.
2. Work: I was able to put together a 1/2 way good presentation about being both raised by and raising a person with a disability.  I presented it at one of the VSA Conferences in Columbus, OH.  I have always been a descent speaker but I need to work on the presentation a bit, I’m confident that I can give it again. It’s the first year in memory that I haven’t interviewed a comedian or an author for our local online arts and entertainment mag and I’m just totally fine with that. I did submit some short stories. Got about 6 rejection letters. I have a new regular job’ish.  I’m no longer managing people or doing any direct service. I took a contracting gig which means I work mostly from home on assessments. I like it a lot. I make a little less money but not having a phone that may ring 24/7 is lovely.
3. Spiritual development: Because I’m fairly certain that Donald Trump was elected for the sole reason of making me crazy, I decided to look a bit to my Celtic roots and have been reading up on Wicca. Posting memes is fantastically fun but it’s not helping. I’ve had no luck in engaging my conservative family or friends in conversation and I’m pretty certain that no one is able to listen anymore so time to manifest something. I have no idea what I need to manifest but I did make some kick ass oregano oil. So there’s that.
4. Fun Stuff: I loved watching the above mentioned American Crime Story on FX and Victoria on PBS (mostly for the extra foxy Tom Hughes), and most recently Deutschland 83 on Hulu. My go to TV show is mostly South Park or Bob’s Burgers, because I am an adult. I saw precious few shows this year but I saw the amazing singer/songwriter Kelly Willis who told some great stories and made us all fall in love with that voice, I also saw The Feelies (hey I’m old) and St. Vincent (not THAT old) and a handful of other folks I can’t recall. Sadly enough, I saw most of my movies at home. I spent some time watching Film Struck (RIP) getting caught up with the many, many films made before I was born. My pick for the best film of 2018 is Sorry to Bother You.  Spent a lot of time listening to Courtney Barnett and whatever weird album my record collector husband had found. For Christmas I got him the 50th anniversary edition of the Beatles  White Album and he bought me the 25 anniversary edition of the Talking Heads True Stories.  I had a lot of fun at home just listening to the Generic Male DJ’s mixes on You Tube.
5. Animal Sightings: I live in a part of the world that I can only describe as grizzled, maybe skanky or stanky…no matter, I live in a weird part of a weird town.  I live where the ocean meets the sea and suffice it to say occasionally things drift ashore that don’t need to be there.  Two weeks ago I saved the life of a sea turtle, I consider that to be the most auspicious event of 2018 for me. It was really weird and personal. Because I spent most of the year working 2nd shift and staying up sometimes until the sun rose, I was able to see two urban coyotes for the first time in my life and one of them waked down the street right in from of my house! EEEEPPPP!! I saw about three bald eagles, many pelicans, a few dolphins, and met and petted many dogs and cats.
6. In 2019: I’m going to the 3rd annual Women’s March in Washington DC. The misogynistic bullshit has to end with someone. I’m going to Seattle for the 1st time in March, I hope to see the MoPop museum and drink a lot of coffee. I am then saving my coins for Berlin where I want to revel in the Christmas markets and with any luck take a few Bowie tours.
7. IF YOU’VE READ THIS FAR: Get a life! Seriously, how many blogs are out there? tons. People are doing really interesting things, I’m just living a weird life. Having said that, I am every so glad for the occasional feedback and good feels that people send my way. Kisses and Cuddles for 2019!