2018

Celebrated New Year’s Eve in downtown Reno with A&N

Taught the School at Work class, swore that would be the last year

Attended the Women’s March with a whole mess of friends

Got regular massages. This angel comes to my home.

Watched The Dark Crystal in the theater with Sarah who had never even seen this movie

Went roller skating with Lena and did not fall down

Flew (?) to San Diego to help Dad after treatment for Dupuytren’s contracture in his hands and made a mental note to do lots of yoga to prevent this from happening to me, then failed to do yoga more than twice.

Watched UFC fights at Alonso’s, including the crazy one with Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov

Made glass beads with Sarah

Went to France with Tracy! We hung out in Bordeaux with Mom and Marty for a few days and visited Arcachon, saw cathedrals and wandered downtown in Bordeaux, got tipsy on the views and the wine at Bordeaux chateaus, walked through a medieval town, ate gelato, went to Paris with Tracy where we got pickpocketed in the Metro station, tour bussed around, saw a ballet at the opera house that inspired The Phantom of the Opera, walked through Père Lachaise, ate baguette sammiches, walked up 6 flights of stairs at least twice a day, had an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower from our Airbnb, ate Ladurée macarons, shopped, saw Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle, argued only a little bit, ate steak frites, toured Musée d’Orsay, saw an immersive Klimt exhibit, and overall had an amazing time.

Wing Fest with Sarah and family

Watched a lot of doggos for friends

Got paid to do editing

Participated in the Biggest Little Treasure Hunt again and came in second! We won a cash prize and felt vindicated after coming really close last year. #teamwrongway

Got lots of veterinary care for Gus and Solo. Gus has nonstop stomach problems on top of diabetes, so I found a new vet that specializes in nutrition. He is currently baffling her. Solo is 13 and has thyroid problems, but her medication is good now so she barfs less often, which is helping my sanity tremendously. Gus' health continues to waver, but that does not slow him down in the slightest.

Climbed to the top of an indoor rock wall while petrified. This was also with Sarah, but Sarah was not petrified.

Had regular dinners with Ant. He just turned 20. Can you believe that?

Took a mini road trip to Concord to do the orientation for Dogs4Diabetics. It would be mostly free to get a service dog through this program, but they require a lot of volunteering and follow up from the people that go through it. They really work hard to make the matches successful and I can respect that, but I was a bit turned off by the requirement to be heavily involved in the program and the diabetic community before and after a dog is assigned. Maybe it’s just not the right time, or maybe I am too antisocial. It would also regularly involve a four hour drive, so it seems fair to put this idea on pause. Everyone was giggling that what I actually need is a service dog for Gus. It was worth the trip though, because the whole day was one of the most beautiful drives I have ever taken. It was increasingly striking on the way to Concord, and on the way back there was a sunset and storms and the biggest lightning bolt I have ever seen. I saw it from the top of 80 and saw smoke in Reno soon after. It sounds bad and I did not have a home in the way, but all the contrast and dark, brewing storms and rich colors stunned me. It was gorgeous.

Game night at C&K's

Saw Macbeth with A&N at the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. We went swimming late in the day and ate a picnic dinner before the show. This is right on the water at Sand Harbor and I spend so much time watching the scenery- it is just gorgeous and pictures do not do anything close to justice. If anyone is looking for a good time to visit, late summer is wonderful.

Was a volunteer beer girl at a golf fundraiser for the Nevada Humane Society. I did a good job drinking the beer.

Helped friends pack and move. :(

Tried Tai chi, and I really enjoyed it, but my trial ended and dude wanted an insane amount of money AND a very long commitment. thank u, next

Went on a hot air balloon ride for 40^th birthday. This was so beautiful and amazing. I’m so glad I went and while it always terrifies me to be high up in the air, the pilot made everyone feel safe. He was exactly what you’d hope for- very professional but welcoming, warm, and full of stories and cheesy tour guide jokes. We launched from and landed on what is legitimately the world’s smallest aircraft carrier and the day was just perfect. Loved, loved, loved this.

Drove to San Diego and stopped in Fresno to see A&N, had a mini GGM with Nik at Dana Point where we talked a lot, saw seals out partying, found a swing set on the beach, and got pedicures. I brought Gus along and he was so good. It was his first road trip with me, and Dad even remarked about what a quiet, well-behaved Chihuahua he is.

Stepped in short notice to play kickball game for a young team that was short on girls. They put me at shortstop and I played the best game of my whole life.

Took Ant to see MFKZ, an anime presentation of a French comic, and we both really enjoyed that.

Played Risk for the first time ever, and was horrified when we just stopped after 5 hours. The game wasn't over yet!!!

Started going to Zumba again and I am starting to get “where were you” from the instructors, so that is helping me show up consistently.

Went to see The Wedding Singer at TMCC with Maria, which was great, as all their productions are.

Went with Sarah to the Zombie Crawl, but I went as a confused person who was just sitting on their couch and got swept along in the madness- an accidental survivor.

Got a dogwalker for Gus, which immediately resolved some terrible behavior problems. Here’s a special scoff for all the dog trainers I read or talked to who insisted that dogs will not pee in their beds, and definitely not out of spite. You are wrong, wrong, wrong.

Voted for people who are not trying to ruin the world

Tried a loosely guided dance class with Sarah and actually… really loved it. We haven’t been back, but holidays be crazy. It’s on my list.

Met with financial planner and made a couple small investments. I made some very conservative (the only time you’ll ever see me say that) choices but also eagerly review my updates in the hopes of a sudden small fortune. It will be best to mostly forget about these.

Read 30 books

Saw Night of the Living Dead in theater with Sarah and Erik, which was really good. This was through Fathom, which is always playing classics or operas or other fun things like Dark Crystal. I’m glad I’m going to these. Makes me happy.

Went to Apple Hill to meet up with A&N and take obligatory fall pictures. This is where people go for fall pictures (and tons of apples) around here.

Went to the Fall Dance Festival with Maria and the girls, and they seemed to enjoy it. This is the end of semester performance for dance majors at UNR, and I love to go see it.

Went recliner shopping with Mike, then went back after about a month after he didn’t like it to pick out a new one for him. Do you know the pressure of trying to pick a recliner for someone else, especially when they are going to sleep in it?

Hosted a coloring party

Visited Daniel in Boyfriendland, Iowa! He has been gone for almost a year now, but he got to do a really short work trip and I went to meet him. It was so good to see each other. You would think this last couple months before he returns would be easy now, but... it still sucks.

Went to an ugly Christmas sweater party/game tournament at C&K's

It was not easy to spend almost the whole year apart from my sweetheart and this political disaster is hell on ice skates, but I got to do some really fun, interesting things with people I love. I feel pretty lucky.