I hope everyone had a great year! Sorry I am not able to send out physical letters this year to those who I normally send letters.
Goals:
Let’s start off with my 100+ 2025 goals that were met (2026 goals not started yet, but there will be a lot of overlap). Goals accomplished (some loosely):
*Walk more
*Go to more meetups
*Start learning a language (Spanish, though I am taking a break right now)
*Take a pottery class
*Do more art
*Make spam fries
*Make blueberry octopus pie (did mixed berry and really a Cthulhu)
*Zine fest (both attended and sold at one)
*Go to a concert (many were attended)
*Do a 5k
*Read a book (some years none get read, some years only one gets read, this year is 6 read)
*Take a walk in the rain
*Visit Cleveland (I have a friend who lives close)
*Learn Archery
Books read this year, though I cheated on one, didn’t really finished, but felt I drudged enough through it I wanted to give myself credit for it even though I shouldn’t. Forgive me, or not, I don’t feel apologetic about it. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmer *****; Where the Deer and the Antelope Play by Nick Offerman (didn’t finish, was a sludge); Cabin Sketches by Nicholas Trandhal **** (one of my favorite contemporary poets but I do like his previous books better); What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami ***** (not a novel though); Vagabond: A Memoir by Tim Curry (of Rocky Horror fame and much else) *****: Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers ** (I love the Wabi Sabi concept but the book was above my head).
I hope to finish reading A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There by Aldo Leopold before the end of the year.
Travel:
Of course I have been to Chicago many times. In March John and I met up with Paula and her husband in Chicago. Paula and I took a tavern pizza class at Bettie’s Chicago, a cooking school. We always have fun there. Next day we ate at Schneiders Deli for lunch and for dinner went to our favorite Armenian place Sayat Nova. Paula and I went to Naperville IL to meet famous TikToker (social media guy in general) B Dylan Hollis. He does vintage recipes and has a couple of cookbooks out. John and I went to California in May to go to a music festival called Cruel World. It is like alternative 1980s music band and music inspired by it. My favorite of the day was seeing Clan of Xymox. Not during the show, but after on the forums I became friends with Amy and she is now part of my close friend circle. In mid-July John and I visited my niece Michelle who lives outside of Detroit. We had Detroit Pizza and coney dogs where Anthony Bourdain went, Duly’s Place. We also went to downtown Detroit, John R King bookstore which is huge, and to the Belle Isle Aquarium and Nature Center. After that John and I went to Cleveland to visit Paula and Russell. Paula and I enjoyed the sushi place across from the hotel where John and I were staying. The men not so much, but they didn’t order sushi and they did order they said wasn’t great. Paula sadly had to work the next day so John and I were on our own at the Cleveland Art Museum to see the Takashi Murakami exhibit. We both loved it. We spent evenings at Paula’s house watching movies and her making chicken and waffles.
Concerts:
Many. Some local or smaller acts. One local band Kate and I fell in love with was industrial band DT Harm. We couldn’t get enough of them. Some bigger acts I saw this year: Anything at Cruel World (too many to mention), English Beat/Chameleons (my fave of the night)/Psychedelic Furs at Summerfest with Amy and John. On September 20th John, Paula, Kate, Amy and myself saw Lene Lovich. She is from the 1980s. We never dreamt we would get to see her and she was just wonderful. I saw Morrisey by myself since it looked like he actually wasn’t going to cancel on September 29th. John and I saw the band Air on October 5th in Chicago. Then finally John and I went to Chicago to see Gina Birch (from the band The Raincoats) and the Miki Bereni Trio (formerly of the band Lush). Another dream come true. Almost forgot seeing Yo La Tengo and Nick Cave! How dare I! Both were excellent. That was it for the big concerts.
People visiting me:
Paula has been a regular and we always cook together like making the Cthulhu pie, but we made it with mixed berries. It has been a long-time goal of mine. My mom was here in late April. I got to take her to a place in Milwaukee by where I live called Black Cat Alley. It is commissioned public art down what used to be an alley. Paula and Amy also came up for Lene Lovich. Earlier in the day Paula and I did a Roper Romp where everyone dresses up like Mrs Roper from the TV show Three’s Company. Then Paula came again (yes, I am spoiled) October 10thwhere I took here to a spy themed restaurant here called the Safe House. We also visited the Bronze Fonz. Next day we did a spooky 5k and dressed representing the Grady Twins from the move The Shining. Amy and her friend Kristen came up for a visit so we could go to this new wave music festival with cover bands. We all had a good time.
Work:
August 18th I got laid off from my job of 24 years. Thankfully I started my new job on November 17th. Basically a receptionist at a medical office. As of this writing I have been there three weeks. More challenging than you might think, but I still have sooo much to learn. But things are well, they seem to like me and I really like them. I do anticipate this being a place I will work until retirement. Maybe in 13 years when I am 70. Hope for my health to keep up.
I am sure there is so much more to talk about, but this is good enough. Keep in my mind my day to day life is mundane as anyone, I am just so lucky to have amazing friends and family. Have a happy holiday.
Rainy Saturday Creative 