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2018 Credits

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Let ’em roll!

This year was kind of all over the place, but ended up balanced. It was full of both unprecedented happiness and frustration. Many of my goals saw success and the frustrations illuminated new areas for me to work on. And I’m setting up my 2019 to tackle those things head on.

But let’s look back at the highlights of 2018 first!

Themes of the year
Black and gold – almost everything I was drawn to or purchased held these colors. My DnD dice. My guitar. My wardrobe. The Indoraptor in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. My Kate Spade phone case. My wedding cake.

What I did // Saw Wicked on Broadway! Met some rad penguins (Currently trying to figure out how to get an emotional support penguin.) Got in shape. Celebrated the Eagles’ first Super Bowl win. Took a hand-lettering class. Started the Action Book Club with Glux where we read a book and then do an activity on theme with that book! Took my mom to see Mean Girls on Broadway. Achieved a new PR in skeeball. Saw Waitress on Broadway. Climbed to the crown of the Statue of Liberty. GOT MARRIED WOAH. Permanently inked my bond with my sister. Got my stripper license. Experienced the brilliant David Bowie exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum.

Most-played albums // Bush*Black and White Rainbows + all the other albums, of course / Gorillaz*Humanz / Band of Skulls*By Default / The Dead Deads*Rainbeau + For Your Obliteration / Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds*Who Built the Moon / The Orwells*Disgraceland + Terrible Human Beings / ZZ Ward*The Storm / A Perfect Circle*Eat The Elephant / Beck*Colors

Most-loved shows & films // Black Mirror. The Commuter. The Good Place. The Handmaid’s Tale. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (it grew on me). Glow S2. Jane The Virgin. Nailed It. Orange is the New Black. Disenchantment. American Vandal S2 (hilarious). The Haunting of Hill House đŸ˜± Dexter. Breaking Bad.

Places I traveled // Las Vegas for #Think2018. Philly for my 5th Hot Chocolate 15k (4th consecutive in Philly). Los Angeles for E3. San Jose (and checked out the Winchester Mystery House). New Orleans.

Live shows I attended // Noel Gallagher (finally!). The Dandy Warhols. The Smashing Pumpkins! Depeche Mode. ZZ Ward at Think! Bon Jovi. Beck. Ben Folds and Cake.

Breweries Visited // Big aLICe (LIC) / Transmitter (LIC) / LIC Beer Project (LIC) / Coney Island Brewery (Brooklyn) / Departed Soles (Jersey City) / Flagship (Staten Island) / Killsboro (Staten Island) / Mudhen (Wildwood NJ) / Interboro (Brooklyn) / Grimm’s Artisan Ales (Brooklyn) / Hapas Brewing Co (San Jose, CA) / KCBC (Brooklyn) / Other Half (Brooklyn) / Evil Twin (Philly) / Circa (Brooklyn) / Strong Rope (Brooklyn) / Banger Brewery (Las Vegas) / Brieux Carre (New Orleans) / Braven Brewing (Brooklyn)

Top purchases // My Passion Planner. MealPal. The Eight Coins Tattoo Tarot (signed edition) – the Eight Coins was my eighth deck and I’m an 8 in numerology – what a powerful sign! An Amazon Fire 8 tablet – sure cuts down the clutter of all the books I’ve been reading! This Pokemon tarot deck for Glux’s birthday. A new vacuum (so adult). Backing BOI: Four Souls card game. New renegade cooling system – I upgraded my AC and bought a vornado for the bedroom to circulate the air. My money manifesting wallet. This super cute little radio – It’s been YEARS since I listened to FM radio (it has bluetooth too. Mixing modern and vintage đŸ“»). Moleskine x Nintendo rolltop backpack. Wedding bands!

Goals achieved // Saved $5000 (and THEN some)! Sister tattoos. Hit a 6 figure salary WOOOOOOO!

Style obsessions // Ponchos (so cozy!). New York Black – I created a work uniform that consists of 5 black dresses in different styles that I can change up with funky jewelry, leggings and various accessories – paired with gold – lots of gold! Carnival flavored lip glosses (a la my middle school Lip Smackers days) like cotton candy. Mirrored cat eye sunnies. Handbags that look like cartoon snacks (thanks Betsey Johnson and TokiDoki). Barbie Pink pedis. Makeup made from crystals.

Books read // Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (for the FIRST time! I KNOW, WHAT?!). Shoe Dog – Memoir of the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight. The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur. Heart Talk by Cleo Wade. Bossypants by Tina Fey. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff (ugh). The Whiskey Sea by Ann Howard Creel. Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar. IT by Stephen King. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Captive of the Labyrinth by Mary Jo Ignoffo. Player of Games by Iain M. Banks. Super Chill by Adam Ellis. The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo. My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite.

Best things I did for myself // Took vitamins (almost) every day. Cut back on sugar, alcohol and caffeine. Canceled cable (sorry not sorry, Ryan). #NoSpendFeb! Took a pole dancing class in Vegas. Started learning guitar. Crystal bed therapy. Meditation.

Top games // Splatoon 2 (Switch). Bayonetta + Bayonetta 2 (Switch). South Park: The Fractured But Whole (Switch). Octopath Traveler – I mained Primrose the badass stripper (Switch). Pokemon Go (mobile). Jurassic World: Alive (mobile). Salt and Sanctuary (Switch). Shadow of the Tomb Raider (PS4). Jurassic World: Evolution (PS4). Hollow Knight (Switch). Fallout 76 (PS4). Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4). Animal Crossing Pocket Camp (mobile). Super Smash Bros (Switch).

Favorite gaming moments // This team wipe and a half in Clam Blitz. This ridiculously badass scene from Bayonetta. This ghostly super-lag induced demise. Attending the exclusive grand opening of the Las Vegas Esports Arena.

100% completed Shantae 1/2 Genie Hero!. That time my mom went viral over The Binding of Isaac. When my octoling completed every Octo Expansion challenge IN HEELS. 100% completing Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Beating my BIL in Smash Ultimate.

What were your biggest highlights of the year?


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2017 Credits

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Let ’em roll!

2017 was the fastest year I think I’ve ever experienced. That’s probably a good thing. I did a lot of great things and fought through a lot of not so great things. Trying to navigate this weird new reality around me and find my center every day. It was a year I spent trying to distract myself FROM everything WITH everything. My depression got REALLY bad as a result. Kind of a mess, but this bull is ready to lock horns with 2018 and make some magic every damn day.

What I did // Got a sneak peak at the Nintendo Switch in January. Became an IBMer and landed my dream job! Ran my 5th 15k. Had a kick ass time in NOLA for my sister’s bachelorette weekend. And then served as Maid of Honor in her gorgeous wedding! Saw Shakespeare in the Park. Lost $200 and felt horribly out of place at the Belmont Stakes. Stuffed my face at Donutfest with Gluxbox. Spent a magical 4th of July at Coney Island with all my freakshow friends. Checked out the INCREDIBLE Jim Henson Exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image. Saw so many concerts I started a new section here dedicated to Live Shows. Was completely underwhelmed by NYCC. Experienced one of the greatest Penn State Football games of all time vs Michigan and was part of a record-breaking crowd over #110kStrong. Went fly fishing and caught the most monstrous brown trout ever. Checked out a lot of cool new breweries.

Most-played albums // Bush*Black and White Rainbows + all the other albums, of course / Gorillaz*Humanz / Band of Skulls*By Default / The Dead Deads*Rainbeau + For Your Obliteration / Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds*Who Built the Moon / The Orwells*Disgraceland + Terrible Human Beings

Most-loved shows & films // Master of None. Game Of Thrones. Rick and Morty. 13 Reasons Why (even though watching it made me relive a lot of horrible shit). GLOW. Blade Runner 2049. American Vandal. Stranger Things 2. The Lure – a horror-musical mermaid Polish film. Love (more like hate-watching this one). Easy. Salem. Black Mirror

Places I Traveled // Austin, TX (not as weird as advertised), NOLA (If you need recommendations, I have them all!), Atlanta, GA to the Coca-Cola HQ. Philly. Monterrey, Mexico.

Live Shows I Attended // Paul Gilbert. Morgan James. The Gin Blossoms (and caught a pick!). Garbage x Blondie. Bush x 3!!! Paul McCartney (and Bruce Springsteen came out for the encore!). Brian Wilson. A Perfect Circle.

Top purchases // Nintendo Switch! Neon Yellow joycons for said Switch. Velociraptor socks at The Strand. Oliver Hibert’s Tarot and Secret Arcana. SNES Classic. Gold boots (they make me feel like a goddess and I get TONS of compliments every time I wear them). Apple Watch Series 3 – lifechanging. Passion Planner so I can make goals and break them down into tasks to ensure I’m staying centered, practicing gratitude and moving forward/upward.

Style obsessions // Gamer bounding (sometimes accidentally). So much black. Bomber jackets. Biker boots. Leopard and suede. Pins (all of the pins). Metallics. Trucker hats (I somehow amassed a collection as if it’s 2002…). Vintage t-shirts. Black and white leggings with psychedelic patterns.

Best things I did for myself // Started a Bullet Journal. Created a daily tarot ritual. Crystal bed therapy- I had some insane visions and left feeling both balanced/relaxed AND more powerful than ever! Ramped up my side hustle on Rover.com – I made over $3,000 to hang out with so many awesome dogs! Got an Equinox membership- it’s sweaty, eucalyptus scented bliss and the most motivating gym I’ve ever been to. Tried a spin class and got addicted to the bike. Stopped being ashamed of my depression and learned to ask for help when I need it.

Top games // The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch). Shantae: Half Genie Hero (PS4). Ever Oasis (3DS). Splatoon 2 (Switch). Stardew Valley (Switch). Super Mario Odyssey (Switch). Night in the Woods (PS4). Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS). Destiny 2 (Xbox). Golf Story (Switch). Oxenfree (PS4). Animal Crossing Pocket Camp (Mobile- I know! Never thought I’d see the day…). Worms W.M.D (Switch). The End is Nigh (Switch).

What were your biggest highlights of the year?

2015 Credits

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2015 was a year. Pretty sure I didn’t sleep for a minute and the only way I can describe 2015 involves the word “heaving” and the visual of rolling a boulder up a mountain using every spectral fiber of my soul. This means I am incredibly strong. It also means I am incredibly tired. But I also got everything I wanted, everything I worked the last 6 years for, right down to some insanely nuanced and mindbendingly coincidental details.

What I did // Ran TWO 15ks (and beat my time by a solid 7 minutes). Attended a fancy wedding. Moved the fuck back to NYC after 6 YEARS of working to make that happen (and I am never leaving again). Joined a skeeball league (and won the East Village championships!). Locked down a sweet new professional gig that pays my bills and keeps Muldoon rollin’ in kibbles. Saw Django Django, Tame Impala, The Black Keys, The Foo Fighters and the Suicide Girls Blackheart Burlesque. Started a blog again. Fell in love with someone I’d never met (then actually met him and preferred the cartoon version. Womp womp…). Found my muse again. Cooked my first Thanksgiving meal! Went to NYCC (and wouldn’t do it again).

Most-played albums // Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds * Chasing Yesterday. Tame Impala * Currents * Lonerism. Sloan * Never Hear the End of It. Django Django * Django Django * Born Under Saturn. The Bravery * The Sun & The Moon. Broken Bells * Broken Bells * After the Disco. Fly Golden Eagle * Quartz. The Dandy Warhols * Welcome to the Moneky House * Earth to the Dandy Warhols. Material Issue * Destination Universe. Nerf Herder * American Cheese. Blur * The Magic Whip.

Most-loved shows & films // American Horror Story! Scream Queens. JURASSIC WORLD (I cried. More than once). X-Files- rewatched the entire series over spring. Jessica Jones! Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The Hateful 8. Unreal.

Top purchases // Majora’s Mask edition New Nintendo 3DS XL (My annual Galentine’s Day gift to myself). Burlesque classes. Indiebox subscription (highly recommend!). Deviant Moon tarot deck.

Style obsessions // RED LIPS. Wearable art. Retro. Gamer bounding. Cartoon colors and jewel tones. Cracked faux leather. A-line dresses. Doc Martens.

Best things I did for myself // Stopped living to please other people! Kept up running. Went back to the gym. Moved back to New York.

Top games // Destiny (Xbox One). Dyscourse (Steam). Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (3DS). Shovel Knight (3DS). TriForce Heroes (3DS). Splatoon (WiiU). Super Smash Bros (3DS/WiiU). Fallout 4 (Xbox One). Armello (Steam).

2016 will be a year of recalibrating, reestablishing my life here and rediscovering myself without allowing others the power to define me. I’m going to write here more, submit my poems to some journals, travel a bit and have countless exciting things happen and awkward moments.

What will you do?