Everyone has their holiday obligations. At least I brought this one on myself. Sixteen years ago, I found this questionnaire, and I’ve been filling it out every December since. 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003. Five years ago, I decided I was going to add a few new questions every year from now on. I’m not really doing that anymore. But the ones I added are still marked with an *asterisk
2019 was a strange one. I got a skin cancer, so that sucked. And then it sort of overshadowed everything once it happened. It tripled my baseline anxiety level, and I used it as an excuse to break every good fitness habit I started in 2018. Yet, I somehow managed to keep everything together. All three businesses are flourishing, and we just opened a coffee shop. How I manage to do everything I do is beyond me, but I just keep wanting to do more.
Anyway, here’s my year in review.
What did you do in 2019 that you’d never done before? Skated in a holiday ice show, December 6.
Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn’t make any. My entire life is comprised of lists that this point. I would say I make resolutions daily, so annual ones…don’t really matter. 🙂
Did anyone close to you give birth? No.
Did anyone close to you die? No.
What countries did you visit? None — I hardly did any traveling at all this year. But I did spent a few days in New Orleans, a few days in Durham, and a few days in Newport Rhode Island.
What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019? A new car!
What date from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory? April 9.
What was your biggest achievement of the year? Opening a coffee shop.
What was your biggest failure? Losing focus on exercising every day.
Did you suffer illness or injury? Let’s see. I had vertigo for several weeks in February. I was diagnosed with a stage 1A melanoma in March. I broke my toe by dropping a full bottle of rum on my foot in August (while I had a terrible sinus infection). I burnt the shit out of my hand on the stove Labor Day weekend. I’m currently an issue with my feet because my ice skates were too small, and I’m nursing a nasty bruisy bump on one knee from a recent skating fall. So…yeah. Bang-up year.
What was the best thing you bought? Fetco batch brewer, Mahlkoenig grinder, three Room phone booths, and a fleece-lined figure skating dress. Oh, and two pairs of Birkenstocks for all my foot injuries. #hippieshoes
Whose behavior merited celebration? Lauren’s for driving me to my surgery, and sticking around the entire time I was waiting to get started. Meagan’s for picking me up and taking me to get a donut after. And everyone else’s who listened to me freak out about melanoma for the weeks leading up to my surgery and every day ever since. Alyssa’s and Lucia’s for all their hard work on Port & Starboard projects this year. Jeff’s for being a really supportive business partner. And the rest of our team’s for doing a great job every day.
Where did most of your money go? Same as last year — payroll, coffee beans, furniture, rent. Oh, and a few thousand to medical bills.
What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going for the first donut run of the season!
What song will always remind you of 2019? “Healing” by Rebelution
Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder? Sadder
Thinner or fatter? Fatter
Richer or poorer? I feel poorer because I’ve spent so much money, but maybe richer because our companies are probably worth more than last year…
What do you wish you’d done more of? Traveling.
What do you wish you’d done less of? Worrying.
How will you be spending Christmas? I headed up to New Jersey for Christmas, but a little earlier than usual. The Bassani family gathered for grandma’s birthday/early Christmas Eve on Saturday. Sunday, Joelle, Aunt Angel, Uncle Cricket, my parents, Stephen, Emily and I went into NYC for the day. I skated at Bryant Park! We shopped around, saw the tree, and had dinner at Vincent’s in Little Italy. We went to Aunt Gail and Uncle Bobby’s for Christmas Eve. Christmas Day was pretty low key — opened presents in the morning. Dinner late afternoon with my grandparents. Took my parents to see Star Wars that night. Then I left early Thursday, picked up Jeff, and headed back.
Did you fall in love in 2019? No.
Who were your best friends? In alphabetical order: Kristy, Jeff, John, Vince
What thing did you do that was meaningful to others? Taught everyone about the best sunscreens?
What was your favorite TV program? Game of Thrones, I guess. I watched all the seasons leading up to the last one.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No.
What was the best book you read? I reread The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi one afternoon. And it was amazing.
What was your greatest musical discovery? “Good Time” by Ocean Park Standoff.
*What was your favorite meal? Lunch. Or maybe the night Drew and I wandered around New Orleans and ate and drank a little of something at a few different places.
What did you want and get? A coffee shop.
What did you want and not get? A new car.
What was your favorite film of this year? The Rise of Skywalker.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 38. I was recovering from surgery. I went to work. I went to dinner at Il Giardino with Amie. My parents came to town over the weekend, and we went to Beachside Social for shuffleboard, then to Pacifica for dinner.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Not getting a stupid skin cancer.
What kept you sane? Ice skating, UPF 50 clothing, sunscreen, beach umbrella.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I have no idea.
What political issue stirred you the most? I give up on political issues.
*What mystery from 2019 was never solved? What’s our next door neighbor doing in his backyard?
Who did you miss? The sun.
Who was the best new person you met this year? Lucia Labella, our Salesforce Admin/BA at Port & Starboard.
*Did you start any new traditions this year? This is probably more of a habit than a tradition, but in September, I started using a notebook to keep track of my days again. Writing things down (instead of just typing them) makes it so much easier for me to keep track of things. I’m on my 47th page of my second notebook so far since then!
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019: Worrying doesn’t usually change the outcome of a situation.
Quote that sums up your year: “You know?”
