Tuesday, January 2, 2018

2017 in Review


I've done this the last few years, though I don't think I did it last year.  It's kind of depressing, the similarity from year to year! 
1. Was 2017 a good year for you?
On the whole good.  Some very nice things, but everything is always overshadowed by my other's worsening dementia...and this year, the shenanigans in Washington, DC.

2. What was your favorite moment(s) of the year?
I think it was the first book club meeting in Santa Barbara, where we gathered to review the first two Narnia books.  It was so much fun, all of us adults sitting there at a meeting led by 9 year old Brianna.  We've now had three meetings and she is totally professional each time...and soon Lacie will be reading well enough to join the discussion too.
3. What was your least favorite moment of the year?
Trump's inauguration.  Things went downhill from there.
4. Where were you when 2017 began?
At the same party thrown by The Psychiatrist and his wife that we went to last night.  This year there were fewer people we knew and more that we didn't know, but it was still fun..  

5. Who were you with?
Walt and lots and lots of other Davis people.

6. Where were you when 2017 ended?
As I said, at the same party

7. Who were with when 2017 ended?
A lot of people we have known longest in this town.
8. Who did you miss?
My sister Karen, who was murdered in 1971.  We were never close growing up, but boy do I wish she were here now to share the worries and decisions about our mother.

9. How many different states did you travel to in 2017?
I don't think we have been out of California this year.  Our only trips, I think, were to Santa Barbara.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, but I did finally get hearing aids.

11. Where did most of your money go?
About 1/3 of my small income (my personal income, from theater reviews and Social Security) pays for my sponsorship of the children I sponsor through Compassion, Int'l.  The rest goes to books! 
Occasionally I have a bit left over to put into savings.

12. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Hmmm....I guess moving my mother to memory care, where they watch her more closely and, best of all, they do her laundry too.

13. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2017?
I drink almost no alcohol.  I can't remember the last alcohol I drank, other than a shot glass full of raspberry liqueur when I was making cheese fondue.

14. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2017?
Only prescription ones.

15. Did you treat somebody badly in 2017?
I hope not.  I have been irritated with some people regarding my mother's care, but I hold my tongue because I'm so grateful that they 
are taking care of her.

16. Did somebody treat you badly in 2017?
Nope

17. How many stage shows did you see in 2017?
About 60 that I reviewed on Bitter Hack and a few that I reviewed for the 
News and Review and didn't post on the blog or shows, like Lamplighter shows, which I don't review at all.
18. Did you have a favorite stage show in 2017?
I wasn't wildly enthusiastic about any one show, especially not 
Beauty and the Beast, which I saw three times and reviewed twice!  But there were a few that I liked more than others.  Hand to God was a weird, but hilariously funny comedy about a puppet possessed by the devil. Concussed: Four Days in the Dark was a one-man show by the wonderful Jack Gallagher, open, raw and yet funny about the results of his biking accident which resulting in traumatic brain injury.  He had to remain in a darkened room with zero stimulus--not even radio.

19. What was your favorite film of this year?
We saw 3 movies this year -- 
Beauty and the Beast because our guest Caroline wanted to see it, Star Wars with the family, and Jane about Jane Goodall.  Of the three, Jane was my favorite.  There were lots that came through town that I wanted to see, but somehow we never got to them.

20. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 74.  On my actual birthday, I had a show about Lizzie Borden to review...not my favorite show!  The next night Walt took me to an Italian restaurant here in town and on the next day, we met my mother for lunch at Atria.  She actually wished me a happy birthday, but I'm not sure she knew what that meant.
21. What did you want and get?
Nothing specifically for my birthday, but I did finally get a ceiling light in the kitchen for Christmas.

22. What did you want and not get?
World peace.  A different president.

23. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?
Thick fuzzy sox and sweat pants.

24. What kept you sane?
Writing Funny the World, I guess.  NCIS marathons are good too.

25. Which celebrity/public figure(s) did you fancy the most?
I don't usually "fancy" celebrities, but I have to admit that Sam Heughan and Caitriana Balf, of Outlander have really been fun to watch.

No comments: