cleverly disguised as a responsible adult

 Wait, what?! How is it already the end of the year?! I'm pretty sure it should still be Halloween or maybe Thanksgiving. The year just sort of evaporated on me. And now I'm at the end of my vacation with not nearly as many things done around the house as I should've.

• Learned
  • that I can make art just for the sake of making something pretty and it doesn't suck.
  • that it's okay to go back to therapy
  • German and Spanish. Sort of. 49% fluent, anyway.
  • how to meditate
  • that work doesn't suck so much if I have a team lead who's willing to work with me and actually get me things that bring me joy and take away the things that bring me misery and woe.
  • how to navigate railway systems in three cities where I didn't speak the language.
  • that I can drink 4.5 liters of beer in a day and not have too bad of a hangover the next morning.
  • that getting a new cell phone is horrible and painful and I don't want to deal with it for another three years. Or until a new shiny iPhone comes out and I can upgrade for free.
  • that it feels really good to go through things and fill boxes and boxes with STUFF for donation.
  • that my friends are awesome and even when my jerkbrain tries to tell me to not leave the house, they're still glad to see me and things will be okay.
  • how to blow dry my hair and get the lovely flips and waves that my hairdresser can get.
  • how to wear red lipstick.
  • that taking my husband and son to the ER sucks. Staying with my son for the next day in the hospital is also no fun.
  • how to use super glue for first aid and that liquid bandages are great.
  • that I get an allergic reaction to red pigment in tattoos. This is troubling. Also, I completed my shoulder peacock and got my birthday cardinal. And an adorable tiny pumpkin.
• Read
  • lots and lots of good books. Goodreads has my full list. 
    • Highlights include: Uprooted, The Thirteenth Tale, William Shakespeare's Star Wars, PrinceLess, Castle Hangnail, Furiously Happy, The Martian, and Ancillary Mercy.
  • many old favorites cover-to-cover
    • Highlights include: Eleanor and Park, Sunshine, Snowcrash, The Enchantment Emporium, Hogfather, The Wee Free Men, The Finishing School series, Let's Pretend This Never Happened, The Girl who...Fairyland books, American Gods, and Good Omens.
  • not much in the way of newspapers or magazines.
  • probably too much online.
  • chapter books to BOTH kids, including the entirety of the Dragonbreath series to Alex.
  • that while most dating sim concepts make my eyelid twitch, a PIGEON dating sim will make me cackle maniacally.
• Watched
  • not much TV, honestly. 
  • some good football
  • some terrible football
  • Emi at ballet
  • Alex at soccer
  • Emi graduate from Kindergarten
  • only a couple movies, but TWO were in the theater (Inside Out with Emi, Force Awakens with Downwood)
  • not enough bellydance, but some of it was Ozma, so that balances everything out.
  • cultural events in Berlin, Munich, and Brussels. I have no idea what was going on for most of it, but it was very interesting. And confusing
  • Alex start trying out words and talking to us
  • my kids LOSE THEIR MINDS on a train ride, in the Field Museum, in the Shedd Aquarium, and at the new cafeteria at werk.
• Tried
  • more cosplay. Specifically Lucille Ball. For work. LIVING THE DREAM.
  • making more clothes. I made LEGGINGS THAT FIT. This is miraculous.
  • to not let the depression and anxiety win. I think my record's about 50/50.
  • to come up with a way to kill myself, but couldn't think of anything that wouldn't traumatize Emi. Not the best reason, but certainly not the worst.
  • to not beat myself up about being on 5 full time psych meds and another for emergencies.
  • to cut most alcohol out of my diet. I do pretty good most of the time now.
  • meditation. I love it.
  • using colored pencils and coloring books. So fun. Especially when I get pages from Colorful Language or the Sweary Coloring book.
  • to brew some beer. Still need to bottle. Bottling sucks.
  • to teach Alex how to use the potty. Still struggling. But he can mostly get clothes on and off by himself, so that's a big step forward.
• Didn't
  • play any pen-and-paper RPGs. I ran my Scion game, but didn't play anything other than computer games.
  • play all the board and card games I bought
  • take any belly dance workshops (I think). I went to some shows, but not to the workshop...at least, not that I remember.
  • always listen to my jerkbrain. Tried to let some of it go, in fact.
  • chicken out of going on the trip of a lifetime
  • go to any funerals
  • have any serious injuries
  • get any piercings or change my hair color. I'm still using the same henna as the last couple years and I love it.