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 😱 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 📻). 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?
