Dispatches from a happy Hullian

It's been a while since I've done one of these.

1. What did you do in 2020 that you'd never done before?
Made Yorkshire pudding. Run a half-marathon distance. Gave plasma by aphresis.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I'm not sure I made any last year. This year I'm vaguely committing to keep running, connect more with friends and mentors, make my work life better and maybe ferment some things.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Our elderly Druid and friend Judith. I can still sort of hear her voice and think of her lots — she's all tied in with the turning of the seasons now in my head.

5. What countries did you visit?
Unsurprisingly: none.

6. What would you like to have in 2021 that you lacked in 2020?
More time in person with more people.

7. What date from 2020 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 16, when we all went home from the office in the morning.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Probably getting the go-ahead to become part-time faculty at the Canada School of Public Service, teaching Positive Space training.

9. What was your biggest failure?
A Pride seminar that we had to reschedule a bunch of times that still hasn't happened yet. Logistics happen.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing beyond the routine stuff.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Possibly a used office chair for my home office. My back is better for it.

12. Where did most of your money go?
There wasn't a dominant category but a lot of it goes to various sorts of savings as well as food and drink.

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I think I was really stoked to do my secondment at the beginning of the year and to get good at running. The CSPS position is pretty exciting too!

14. What song will always remind you of 2020?
Maybe "Happy" by Mother Mother.

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder?
About the same?

ii. thinner or fatter?
My shirts fit better!

iii. richer or poorer?
A little richer: I've been saving, I have a steady job and no major debt. And I kept saving in the economic turbulence which really helped.

16. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Cultivating relationships and organizing for good.

17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being overwhelmed and spinning my wheels.

18. What was your favorite TV program?
Sex Education. So cute and engaging. It's nice to find out about a show when there's already a couple of seasons out but now it's a long wait for Season 3…

19. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No… some people frustrate me, I'm envious of some of them, and some people just get on my nerves but I don't feel a lot of hate.

20. What was the best book you read?
Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber was thought- and feeling-provoking.

21. What was your greatest musical discovery?
sabotabby put me on to Bob Vylan, who is raw and biting and Punk and very good.

22. What did you do on your birthday?
I had a backyard gathering where my parents as well as Heather, Andrea and Morgen made it.

I'm taking a week off from work this week. We're going on a Pod camping trip for a few days instead of our usual pagan festival (which has gone online this year) — I hope it'll be a good reset in a similar way; pagan-ing and community are part of the festival but the major draw for us is unplugging, getting outside and slowing down.

We had a park birthday party for Andrea yesterday: we ate the ice cream cake first out of necessity and then much of the savoury lunch came home with us. It was a nice hike over through Gatineau Park and a beautiful day. Maybe next year we can get the same-sized cake and invite more loved ones…