Hello, dear reader!
As I approach the New Year here in America, I want to look back on all the fun and fantastic things I did this year. As always, this year went by pretty fast. It doesn’t seem real that we’re already going to enter a new millennium. It all feels quite strange. I’m excited and a little nervous about the new decade to begin, but I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling this way.
In any case, I’m looking forward to a new decade, where I want bigger and better changes to happen in our world.
Without further ado, here are 19 things that I enjoyed from 2019!
1. Going to Canada with my family and family friends
We got to hike, see wildlife (like bears!), play an Escape the Room, and tour museums. I loved being in Canada and would definitely go there again.
2. Getting a new car!
I’m leasing my new Impreza Subaru, and I love it so far! I really needed a new car, because my old one was having issues. (It was probably something electrical; whatever it was, it kept killing my battery, especially when it got even a tiny bit cold outside.) There are fantastic safety features, which makes me feel even safer while driving. I love driving to my boyfriend’s house in it. I can even plug in my phone and play music, or listen to an audiobook, which is so much fun!
3. Knitting an afghan
I’m so proud of myself for actually following a pattern for once. In the past, I would just knit one row, then purl a row, always making scarves. This was a pattern I knew I could do well because I’ve had lots of practice with knitting and purling over the years. Fun fact: I was the only girl in my Girl Scout troupe to take up knitting after one of my friends demonstrated how to knit. I love how my afghan is turning out!
4. Reading more books on my bookshelf
I’ve read 43 books this year, according to my Goodreads account. (The count is a little off because I somehow added a couple books one too many times.) This is probably the most I’ve read in a long time because I’d been struggling with my depression and anxiety for the past few years. I’m doing much better now.
Some of my favorite books have been the A Charm of Magpie trilogy, Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology, Northern Lights by Raymond Strom, Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, Jordan L. Hawk’s Hexworld series, Gmorning, Gnight by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and finally reading Brendan Wolf by Brian Malloy. I’ve had that one on my shelf since I bought it in college at one of the literary readings we had in the spring.
5. Writing a new book
I’ve been working on a fantasy sci-fi book for a while now. I honestly can’t tell you when I started it, but I know that I’ve been working on it on and off this year. I occasionally get stuck, but then I take a break, and more ideas come to me. The premise is what if aliens were the good guys and wanted to help rebuild our planet, to help save us from destroying our homeland like they ended up destroying their own world? There’s magical tattoos, humanoid-looking aliens, queer characters, and plenty of action. I’m so happy that this idea that popped into my head has worked so far! I’m 200-odd pages into it, handwritten.
6. Better mental health
I’ve found a medication that is really helping me. I love not waking up tired in the morning. I can actually get up early for once and am much better all around. The only thing I don’t like is trying to manage weight gain. But other than that, I’m so much happier than I was a year ago.
7. A new friend
I’ve recently made friends with one of the women I work with, whose name is also Megan. She’s turning out to be a great friend, someone I can watch movies or TV shows with, play games with, and go out to eat with–within reason. She’s a polite, funny, kind person. I’m so glad I decided to ask her to hang out with me.
8. Christmas with my grandparents
I love Christmastime. I’m always so grateful for my grandparent’s good health–they are both in their late 80’s and are doing really well. My Gramma Joan makes some of the best cookies and pies I’ve ever eaten, although I might be a little biased. My Gramma and Grandpa always decorate their house with familiar, lovely things. They give some of the most meaningful, heartfelt gifts. I’m lucky to have them around. I love them so much.
9. Christmas with my family
Lately, in recent years, we’ve been doing our own little Christmas before heading to my grandparents. It’s fun to have our own little party before we go to see my Gramma and Grandpa.
10. A new phone
I desperately needed a new phone and hadn’t expected to get one until my birthday. My old phone was getting a little slow, but other than that, it worked pretty well. I’d just gone a long time with having a small, older phone.
11. Watching The Witcher
I’m really enjoying Netflix’s The Witcher series. It’s a fun, dark, funny, and adventurous show. I like Geralt of Rivia, and Yenneffer is interesting as well.
12. Blue October’s new music
I’m excited to listen to the latest live album from Manchester. Any live album that they produce as a band comes out sounding really well.
13. Spending time in the bookstore in Victoria
I love going to bookstores because they are magical places. I really liked the bookstore in Victoria, Canada. They had everything on the shelves, and I loved perusing the many volumes until I found The Wolf and the Watchman and Trickster’s Son.
14. Having my sister come home from Spain
My sister Abbie and I really close, and I was pumped to have her come home from abroad. She went skydiving in Spain–without telling us first. She said it was a lot of fun, and that the fall from 15,000 feet went by really fast.
15. Finding a new band: Rammstein
I found that I really enjoy listening to Rammstein, a German metal band. Their music is full of rousing, catchy lyrics that would wake you up from a deep slumber.
16. Trying new things: food
I tried Naan bread for the first time and fell in love. I also tried yakisoba, after learning about it in an anime Rory and I watched. I’m just a little jealous that Abbie will get to try Japanese cuisine in January.
17. Buying a Moleskin notebook
I don’t think I’ve ever owned a Moleskin notebook, and plan on using it for a current or future novel I’ll be writing. I love the feel and the quality that Moleskin notebooks possess, and I am excited to use it.
18. Wireless headphones
In addition to my Skull Candy wireless earbuds, I purchased a pair of wireless headphones from Target. (I work there as a cashier, so I get to know the lay of the store pretty well.)
19. New yarn
I’ve got back into knitting recently, and have loved purchasing new yarn. I bought two skeins of blue and grey yarn, and am now onto the blue and white skeins of yarn for my afghan. I’m so glad I get to knit and read again, just like I did as a teenager.
I would like to give a shoutout to my family, my sister, and my boyfriend Rory for making this such a wonderful, special year. I’ve enjoyed going to see my boyfriend in my new car, and have loved going to see The Rise of Skywalker with Abbie. I loved going on vacation to Canada with my parents, my sister, and our friends from the cities. I loved having High Tea, going to see a film about dogs with jobs–we all cried happy tears, going to museums, and getting back into Game of Thrones with Rory. I loved the Escape the Room with Sophie, Abbie, Mara and her husband Carl.
I want this next year to be full of fun surprises, and exciting moments. I’m looking forward to the new year.
See you all next year,
Meghan
The Nerdy Nook 