2011 lookback: An embarrassment of riches

Even when I kept a paper journal, back in college, I always loved writing a “year in review” entry at the end of December. This meme, while a meme, makes it easy. Without further ado:

What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
Ran a half-marathon in two hours, stood on Cuban soil, became an aunt, took a four-week photography class, took a staycation. Went to six concerts (Iron & Wine, Mason Jennings, Death Cab for Cutie with Frightened Rabbit, Mountain Heart, Amos Lee, and the Civil Wars). Walked on Lake Shore Drive after a blizzard. Attended a mayoral debate. Kept a daily gratitude list for a month. Cheered on runners in the Chicago marathon. Named my son.

Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My 2011 resolutions were to run the half-marathon again and beat my first time (done!), become comfortable driving again (woefully not done!), continue reading at least one book per month (done), take a more in-depth photography class (done), and hang out in my neighborhood café in the winter when I feel sad about the lack of light (semi-done; I could have indulged in this more often).

2012 is going to be a year like no other. Of course, my resolutions are focused on Will—on doing the very best I can to make him feel safe and comfortable and happy in his new home. I’m going to do some intense reading on attachment this winter. I want to focus on patience and calmness. Overall, I want to start learning how to become the best parent I can. I also want to focus on keeping our marriage strong as we embark on this huge change in our life.

I am so, so excited to love my child in person.

I’d like to run my third half-marathon; I think I can do it, depending on the timing of my maternity leave. I want to write here at least once a month, and I want to keep taking ballet classes when possible.

Where did you travel in 2011?
San Francisco and Havana, Cuba! Closer to home: northern Michigan for a weeklong camping trip.

What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Obviously, Will.

What dates or images from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory?
November 10, the day I received the phone call at work that changed everything. November 13, the day we knew for sure that Will was our son.

Then, in chronological order:
--April 17, the day I held my week-old nephew for the very first time, and looked down and saw my family in the tiny, red, scrunched-up face of a newborn.
--The Friday night in late May when I stumbled across a blog post discussing the fact that Korean adoptions would be on hold for the rest of the year.
--The morning of June 22, when I wandered into the kitchen and found a small gray box waiting for me on the counter. Beautiful, beautiful diamond earrings from a husband who continues to surprise and delight me after 10 years of marriage.
--The very early morning of August 14, watching the cobalt clouds rush across the downtown skyline as I walked toward the start of the half-marathon.
--December 8, seeing the island of Cuba from the sky for the first time, the passengers clapping as we landed, my hands shaking and a little Cuban-American boy yelling excitedly to his mother, “We’re in CUBA!”
--December 10, visiting the neighborhood where my mother grew up, walking the rooms where my ancestors lived. I will never, ever forget this day and the way it made me feel.

What were your biggest achievements of the year?
As with last year, running! I had a personal best of 24:35 in a 5k, and I shaved 15 minutes off my half-marathon time. I wrote here almost every month, and I took four photo walks: two in Uptown and Edgewater after the blizzard, one in the Loop, and one in the neighborhood this fall. I celebrated 10 years of marriage, and I started taking ballet classes again after 21 years.

What was your biggest failure?
Driving more often. I really, really need to get on this.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Some illnesses here and there, but I’m so happy to be able to type that none of them was serious.

What was the best thing you bought?
New plain white dishes. An oil painting in Cuba. A flowered dress from Akira. My iPhone.

Whose behavior merited celebration?
Cuban bloggers who are brave enough to speak out against the oppression and propaganda of their country’s government. Read them. The wider their audience, the more protected they are from persecution.

Whose behavior saddened you?
I wish the Korean government would embrace an adoption policy that works better for children who need families.

Where did most of your money go?
The mortgage, Cuba, adoption fees.

What did you get really excited about?
Will. Cuba. Running. Game of Thrones. Eating at Topolobampo for our 10th wedding anniversary. Living outside on our deck in the summer. Girls’ weekend in Chicago. Our staycation. Working on Will’s nursery. My neighborhood. Lagunita’s A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale. Big Star. The Violet Hour. Watching Stella run on the beach.

What song will always remind you of 2011?
Anything by The Head and the Heart and The Civil Wars. The Beatles song “Till There Was You,” which John learned to play on his guitar.

What do you wish you’d done more of?
Photography and driving.

What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying; thinking in terms of “what ifs.”

What was your favorite TV program?
Game of Thrones, Mad Men, and Modern Family.

What was the best book you read?
I read 12 books this year—three less than last year, but four of them were giant books in the Game of Thrones series. The New Yorker continues to take up a lot of my reading time! The GoT books and Freedom by Jonathan Franzen were my favorites.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Civil Wars

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
I finally tried on a pair of skinny jeans and felt sad that I’d waited so long. Also, I happily wore lots of dresses and skirts in the summer.

What political issue stirred you the most?
Gay rights and health care… same as last year.

What kept you sane?
Late Sunday afternoons with a glass of wine and InStyle magazine, preferably on the deck. Summertime camping. Any stretch of a few days where I didn’t touch a computer. (Mind you, these are exactly the same as 2009 and 2010.)

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
Our family and friends provide us with an embarrassment of riches. I can run faster than I’d ever imagine possible. Also: What you think about the reflection in the mirror isn’t the point; just put on the leotard and go.

2010 lookback: In which I mention the word "deck" a lot

Even when I kept a paper journal, back in college, I always loved writing a “year in review” entry at the end of December. This meme, while a meme, makes it easy. I think I’ve only done it twice before, in January 2008 and 2010, and in looking at those old entries I see I’ve been resolving to write more for awhile. Maybe 2011 is the Year of Writing Regularly! Ahem.

What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
Ran more than four miles (in fact, I ran 13!), took a photography class, visited the Amalfi Coast, got fingerprinted and tested for TB (those were for the adoption), bought a toddler-sized T-shirt, colored my grays, and hosted a big outdoor party on our deck.

Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My 2010 resolutions were to run the Chicago half-marathon, make time to read more books, do more photo walks, write online, and make the most of our new neighborhood. I’m pretty proud that I accomplished most of these—I could’ve done more photography and writing, but I did some, and that counts.

Resolutions for 2011: Run the half-marathon again and beat my first time, become comfortable driving again (it’s been nine years since I regularly drove a car, and I’m woefully rusty and somewhat fearful), continue reading at least one book per month, take a more in-depth photography class, and hang out in my neighborhood café in the winter when I feel particularly sad about the lack of light and warmth.

Where did you travel?
Italy! Closer to home: Washington DC, Michigan, Wisconsin.

What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
My child. I’ll at least know his face in 2011, but I might not meet him until early 2012.

What dates or images from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory?
Several from our September/October trip to Italy: Dinner on our final night at that little neighborhood restaurant we stumbled upon near the Colosseum… complimentary glasses of prosecco while we waited, an amazing bottle of reserve Chianti, sitting outside near the fountain, feeling like we blended in just a little. Weaving through the Tuscan hills in our little Fiat Panda, the unreal landscape unfurling around us—green and brown hills, pointed cypress trees marching in straight lines, centuries-old farmhouses brooding over it all. The first time we opened the terrace doors of our hotel in Positano and saw the town spilling down the cliff to the glittering sea. I will never, ever forget that.

August 12, a screening of Once at an intimate concert space in Lincoln Park, followed by a five-song show by Glen and Marketa. They played one of the suggestions I called out (“You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere”). Before the show, while we were eating dinner at a nearby restaurant, seated near the window, Marketa walked by outside and we smiled at each other.

August 22, what was hopefully our First Annual Rooftop Deck Party. Seeing so many of our friends gathered in one place and having a blast. Feeling grateful for them and for the life we’ve made here in Chicago.

September 12, gliding along Lakeshore Drive, a thin glowing band of sunrise on the water’s horizon, my first half-marathon just two hours away. The pure adrenaline and excitement of running that race, strong, and meeting my goal time of 2:15.

December 9, when I checked my email at work and finally saw the message from our social worker that our homestudy had been sent to Korea.

What were your biggest achievements of the year?
Running! Realizing what I can do if I work hard enough at it—it’s still kind of mind-boggling to me. I ran my first 8k, 10k, and half-marathon. I did training runs of 11, 12, 13 miles. I had a personal best of 26:24 in a 5k.

With John, I completed the homestudy for our adoption. That’s no small feat.

I also bought my first DSLR camera, took a one-day boot-camp photography class, and began to gain a faint understanding of things like aperture and shutter speed. I’m proud of the photos I took in Italy.

What was your biggest failure?
I’m glad I did some writing here, but I could have and should have done more.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
I think this may be the first year I did not miss one day of work because of sickness. Of course, after typing that, it will probably be the last.

What was the best thing you bought?
I love the colorful painted tile that I bought in Positano and the sideboard we found for the dining room. The geraniums, impatiens, and petunias that we bought for our first summer having a deck were greatly enjoyed as well. And my trusty Garmin watch was a constant companion during my training.

Whose behavior merited celebration?
Stella’s! This dog has come such a long way from the fearful girl who was literally afraid of her walks. I’m not sure if she just needed time or if perhaps the new neighborhood made a difference, but she’s regularly taking long strolls now and pausing to sniff everything in her path. She enjoys meeting other dogs, isn’t afraid of trash cans or street signs, and even has a dogwalker. She’s still timid about some things, but the change is remarkable. I’m so proud of her.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Republicans in the Senate and Congress, especially toward the end of the year.

Where did most of your money go?
The mortgage, Italy, adoption fees.

What did you get really excited about?
Running. Italy. Living outside on our deck in the summer. Girls’ weekend in DC. My neighborhood. Meeting a great group of fun, generous, local parents who have adopted from Korea. Finally watching Mad Men. David Gray/Ray Lamontagne, Swell Season, and The Frames concerts. Half Acre’s Daisy Cutter beer. Watching Stella run on the beach and in the snow.

What song will always remind you of 2010?
I can’t think of a particular song, but probably something by Frightened Rabbit, Mason Jennings, Mumford and Sons, or the Avett Brothers.

What do you wish you’d done more of?
Photography and writing.

What do you wish you’d done less of?
Being sad in the wintertime because it’s so dark. Worrying about the possibility of a running injury. Being snarky when it’s really not called for.

What was your favorite TV program?
Mad Men, with Modern Family as runner-up

What was the best book you read?
I read 15 books this year, two more than last year. The New Yorker takes up a lot of my reading time! I liked The Road and The History of Love best.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Frightened Rabbit

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
I dress pretty conservatively for work, I put on stretchy pants as soon as I get home, and I love getting dressed to go out on the weekends—heels, slim jeans, a fun top, and always interesting jewelry, especially long necklaces, bangle bracelets, and big rings (not all at the same time). I tend to buy too many coats.

What political issue stirred you the most?
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell—really, anything to do with gay rights. Health care is still a biggie, too.

What kept you sane?
Late Sunday afternoons with a glass of wine and InStyle magazine, preferably on the deck. Summertime camping. Any stretch of a few days where I didn’t touch a computer. (Mind you, these are exactly the same as 2009.)

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
If I try hard enough, I can do something I never, ever thought I could.

So this is what it takes for me to write online again

A meme. And the same one I did this time two years ago, no less. But here I am, regardless, and I want to be here more often. I'm resolving to post twice a month to this online journal (can I still call it that? Must it be a blog?) this year. I started "The Purple of Life" back in 2002, and it brought me a lot of joy, and I so treasure my entries from those early years in Chicago... well, the ones that weren't swallowed up by Diary-X. There's no excuse to not keep doing this. So...

What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Sold a condo. Ran more than four miles without stopping. Reached the point where I really, truly wanted to become a parent. Spent lots of fun hours at the dog park and dog beach. Did a photo walk. Went to Lollapalooza. Rode a bike around downtown Amsterdam.

Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Somewhat. I did want to run more. But I didn’t focus too much on improving my photography, which is kind of inexcusable. (I think I tend toward laziness in some areas of my life.) I’m definitely making resolutions for 2010, the main one being that I want to run the Chicago half-marathon in September. I want to make time to read more books. I also want to do more photo walks and write online again, at least twice a month to start. And I want to really make the most of our new neighborhood and patronize its shops, bars, restaurants, and events.

What countries did you visit?
France and the Netherlands. Trips closer to home: Michigan, Wisconsin, and New York.

What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
The ability to run 13 miles, and a dog who isn’t so afraid of things and truly enjoys her walks. Poor Stella—I’m not sure that’ll ever fully come to be.

What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory?
Probably the Friday evening in May when we sat on the Pont des Arts in Paris watching twilight fall over the river, drinking a bottle of wine surrounded by hordes of young, cool Parisians. And then the next night, a Saturday date night in Paris: wandering the narrow cobblestoned streets of the Marais, stopping at two cafes for drinks. Then an amazingly perfect dinner at Chez Janou, then gelato on the Ile Saint-Louis, overlooking the Seine… sigh. I still think about that night often.

Also the Friday afternoon in May that we spent cruising the Amsterdam canals with our Dutch friends in their little boat. A few hours in which we felt like we really lived in that dear, dear city…

And, of course, the September day that we moved into our new condo—the moment right after the movers left when John and I looked at each other and realized it was real. We really lived here!

What were your biggest achievements of the year?
Selling the condo, buying the dream place, making a firm decision about parenthood, spearheading various online-editing projects at work, and running farther and faster than I’ve run before. (I had a personal best of 26:37 in a 5k.)

What was your biggest failure?
Not taking more photos or seeking out opportunities to improve my photography skills. Not writing creatively at all, really.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, besides a few colds. I did pull a back/hip muscle while moving that hurt for about a week. I discovered that I get really pissed off when I can’t exercise.

What was the best thing you bought?
This is getting repetitive, but our new place. I also snagged a gorgeous pair of gray/green suede wedge booties. In Paris, I found a dishcloth with the Metro map printed on it, which makes me happy. And when we were in New York City, we bought four John Derian coasters at his shop in the East Village. I love them.

Whose behavior merited celebration?
Obama, of course. I still clearly remember watching his inauguration at work last January. I really admire his wisdom, his nuance, and the time he takes to think things through.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The people who run Chicago and Cook County. Chicagoans, get out and vote this February!

Where did most of your money go?
The mortgage, savings, travel, and various real-estate buying-and-selling expenses.

What did you get really excited about?
Moving into our dream neighborhood. Having more living space, a huge deck, and myriad shops and restaurants just a few steps away. No longer seeing beer cans and other trash littering the ground while walking the dog, or having the opportunity to buy drugs at the corner.

What song will always remind you of 2009?
I can’t think of a particular song, but probably something by Rocky Votolato, Bon Iver, Heartless Bastards, or the Swell Season’s new album.

Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? Happier, I think.
– thinner or fatter? Thinner, a little. I definitely have more muscle.
– richer or poorer? Pretty much the same.

What do you wish you’d done more of?
Photography and writing.

What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying about the dog.

What was your favorite TV program?
Big Love

What was the best book you read?
Thanks to goodreads.com, I see that I read only 13 books this year. The New Yorker takes up a lot of my reading time! I think I liked The Inner Circle and The Abstinence Teacher best.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Heartless Bastards and Bon Iver

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Hmm… I dress fairly conservatively for work, but I like color. I love reading about fashion, and I love dressing up to go out on the weekend—slim jeans, black or gray boots, a fun top. I am a huge sucker for handbags, coats, and interesting pieces of jewelry, especially long necklaces and big cocktail rings. This year I started wearing more bracelets—gold bangles and a brown plastic cuff that I just bought. I also bought more long sweaters and embellished T’s. Isn’t this exciting to read??

What kept you sane?
Late Sunday afternoons with a glass of wine and InStyle magazine, preferably on the deck. Summertime camping. Any stretch of a few days where I didn’t touch a computer.

What political issue stirred you the most?
Health care reform, definitely. The whole thing just makes me angry… I’m sick of people treating health care like it’s an option, a luxury, a commodity to be shopped around for. Everyone deserves cancer screenings. No one should go bankrupt because they get sick.

Who did you miss?
As always, my college girlfriends, none of whom live in Chicago. But I saw them more often than in past years, and I hope to repeat that in 2010!

Yes, it's a meme

But it got me to write, so I’m not going to knock it. I omitted the questions that seemed repetitive and/or dumb.

I also wanted to say here (and in doing so, hold myself accountable) that during a few months of this year—including January—I’m going to take at least one photo a day and post it on Flickr. So if you’re interested, head on over to view snapshots of my daily life. I’m not promising anything other than frequency.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before? Got promoted to a managerial position, and started learning how to make big decisions by myself and manage people. Real, live, breathing people. It’s an ongoing challenge, but I’m loving it. I also ran five 5k’s—I’ve ran them before, but never five in one year. My best time was 28:44, which I feel pretty great about.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? My big resolution for this year was, boringly, to work out more, scale back on portions, and lose a few pounds. Actually, I’ve been pretty successful in this regard. I’m working out regularly five days a week, and as I type this, I’m wearing pants that I almost threw away last year because they pinched my internal organs. They feel great!

As for next year, my resolutions are focused on photography (doing more of it) and running (I’d like to run an 8k).

3. What countries did you visit? We stuck around the U.S., mostly: St. Augustine, Florida; Sonoma and San Francisco, California; and northern Michigan. We did go to the Bahamas’ Abaco Islands, which, excitingly, requires a passport.

4. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? More confidence in my new role at work. A more zen attitude about possible parenthood. A slightly thinner waist would be nice, too.

5. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Same as #1—running and working. A lesser achievement was getting out and doing more Chicago things during the summer, which was a goal of mine. I went to the Renegade Craft Fair, the Randolph Street Flea Market, a free symphony concert at Millennium Park, the Taste of Chicago, the Police concert at Wrigley Field, the Freedom Museum, several architecture tours, and the Greek Festival.

6. What was your biggest failure? Writing. I blew it off in a big way, both in this journal and in my free-time creative projects. I really want to do better this year.

7. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nope.

8. Whose behavior merited celebration? My good friend Rachael, who, along with her husband, bought a boat, sold their house, and embarked on a year-long sailing adventure. She is incredibly inspiring to me.

9. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? George W. Bush’s—nothing new there.

10. Where did most of your money go? Mortgage and savings. And to paying off my college loans—which we finally did, no small feat!

11. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Seeing Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova in concert at the Vic in Chicago. Wow. That’s about all I can say about that.

12. What song will always remind you of 2007? Anything from the Once soundtrack: “Falling Slowly,” “Say It to Me Now,” “Leave,” “When Your Mind’s Made Up,” etc. Runners-up would be “I Turn My Camera On” and “You Got Yr Cherry Bomb” by Spoon and “End of the Night” by the Traveling Wilburys. And I shouldn't leave out the Weepies or Death Cab for Cutie, either.

13. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer? Just as happy, a bit thinner, and making more money.

14. What do you wish you’d done more of? Writing, taking pictures

15. What do you wish you’d done less of? Obsessing about having a baby

16. How did you spend Christmas? The usual—in Michigan, ping-ponging between our parents’ houses at an alarming rate. It’s wonderful to see everyone, but the jam-packed schedule leaves something to be desired. Still, I enjoyed helping my mom prepare the traditional Cuban Noche Buena meal. I received some excellent presents, including a 1979 edition of the Lonely Planet travel guide to the Netherlands—very cool. I drank heaps of beer with John’s family as we played raucous versions of Taboo and bingo. I ate and talked a lot.

17. Did you fall in love in 2007? Being married is a funny thing. Sometimes I cannot be in the same room with John because he’s annoying me so greatly. But then it’s Christmas night and I look across the crowded living room at his parents’ house and see him, and I feel such a surge of love I can barely suppress it.

18. What was your favorite TV program? I just started watching and enjoying Project Runway. But I’m going to have to say The Sopranos, which very sadly ended this year. Runner-up is Big Love.

19. What was the best book you read? Ooh, tough one. I think I’ll have to go with The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje. The writing blew me away.

20. What was your greatest musical discovery? I know this is repetitive, but Glen Hansard.

21. What did you want and get? A few beautiful pieces of clothing from J. Crew and Anthropologie. Getting promoted enabled me to not feel guilty about buying them. I also splurged on a really expensive pair of jeans, and they were worth every penny.

22. What did you want and not get? Not sure about this one. I honestly feel like, at least materially speaking, I have everything I want. I'm trying to work on not wanting a lot (this isn't easy). I suppose a big back deck would be nice.

23. What was your favorite film of this year? Once, Paris je t’aime, Sicko. I don’t really see a lot of movies.

24. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 31 last January. It was a snowy Saturday, and I spent a few hours reading magazines at my neighborhood coffee shop. John and I went out for tapas downtown, then we met up with some of his coworkers at a bar/club and I danced as if I thought I was 24. Not a bad birthday at all.

26. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? This is a weird question. I dress fairly conservatively for work, but I like color and I’m not afraid to wear it. I love dressing up to go out on the weekend—slim jeans, black or gray boots, a fun top. I am a huge sucker for handbags and interesting pieces of jewelry. This year I really got into wearing long necklaces, and I’ve always had a soft spot for big cocktail rings.

27. What kept you sane? Making time to read InStyle magazine while drinking a glass or two of wine. And, as always, Moose.

28. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? This year I discovered the sharp, smart, and talented Keith Olbermann, and he has been added to my Secret Boyfriend List. He deserves a mention in this meme, so there it is. (Don’t worry, Stephen Colbert, I still fancy you too.)

29. What political issue stirred you the most? The appalling number of Americans who don’t have health care, or don’t have enough health care to keep them from going bankrupt if they become seriously ill. It makes me embarrassed for my country.

30. Who did you miss? My college girlfriends—I don’t get to see them often, although this year was better than most in terms of getting together with them.

31. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. I’m capable of more than I think I am.