Wednesday, December 30, 2015

2015: 100 Things that Happened This Year (part 1)

Putting this list together was really difficult this time around, painful even. Because I can't shake the feeling that I've wasted this year. That I didn't do or accomplish enough. But I wrote the list anyway, because I figured I might as well. So this year's list will probably be the realest one yet, but might also be the least entertaining. Take it as you will. In no particular order:


1) My personal YouTube music playlist for the year: Quinze 
2) Ma turned 53
3) Was gifted with my first new pair of winter boots since 2011
4) Bubble Island in EL was renovated!  The colors are more coordinated and it's much brighter in there now, but it's a little too clean. Kinda miss the bit of grunge that had made the place feel so chill and home-y before
5) My estranged best friend finally talked to me again!
6) Bought a domain name for this blog! deelasees.blogspot.com deelasees.com
7) Got my first job, working at a bookstore part-time
8) Did my time contributing my services for 6 months and then let my first job go
9) Participated in MDJW and started singing jazz
10) Found an instructor through referral and started taking vocal lessons for the first time ever
11) Grandpa got sick, but thankfully it wasn't his time to go. Thinner, a little less mobile, a little more dependent, but still kicking!
12) Went back to therapy with a new therapist
13) Received my first ever keyboard (digital piano)! A dusty hand-me-down in excellent condition, courtesy of Ms. Yvette's basement!
14) Experienced Stromae and Jidenna live in concert in September!
15) Experienced Lianne La Havas live in concert in October!
16) DeelaSees turned two years old
17) I graduated from Michigan State University with two degrees, one minor, three languages, two study abroad experiences, and no debt. Glory be.
18) My dad crashed my graduation
19) My friends and I demonstrated for black victims of police brutality during said graduation ceremony
20) Went to New Orleans for spring break with Ma
21) Got really really depressed about seemingly being unpretty/a failure/without a future; still working on this one
22) Turned 23 and was sad about it, but not as sad as last year
23) Wrote daily entries in a self-care calendar for a time, thanks to Alex Elle
24) Got into podcasts, especially The Read! Listening is so much fun!
25) My faith took a beating, hard
26) Learned to make kale chips, two-ingredient pancakes, omurice, and cream stew!
27) Madison turned 12, the maximum in the average life expectancy for bassets; now however longer she decides to stay with us is a bonus
28) Ate Japanese food in Novi with my best friend and Ma! So good! Soooo good!
29) Visited my friend Irene in Canton!
30) Held a hedgehog for the first time (Irene's little bro's pet, Casper)
31) Discovered some extremely dope Black French natural hair/beauty/lifestyle Instagrammers! Well, it was rather a mixture of us finding each other, but still I'm thrilled!
32) Charleston 9.
33) Unresponsive little Black girl.
34) Got hooked on matcha frappuccinos/blended cremes at work (50% employee discount on cafe food ftw!)
35) Came across a girl walking around practicing her singing in the cold while I was walking back to my dorm late one winter night. Our friendship didn't turn into much in the long run, but it was quite a moment and she turned out to be a cool person. 
36) Started singing at open mic nights at the Union during my last semester at MSU.
37) One of my grown cousins discovered he had a son (and now two more grandchildren!) that he hadn't known about for the past 20-odd years. And then I had this dream
38) Coming to the end of my college career and realizing that meritocracy is a fantasy
39) I got invited to Phi Beta Kappa!
40) I met Tiffany Toriumi, my hero and whom I wish to be when I grow up. We talked for a long time in one sitting and she gave me such great advice and encouragement!
41) Left the church I'd been going to with Ma since around 2002. During a sermon the pastor said "All lives matter" and implied that there were more important things at stake than our people fighting for their lives, rights, and dignity. That was the long overdue push I needed to seek Jesus at a different house
42) Started listening to France Culture and France Inter; French public radio is really helping me keep in touch with my francophone self 
43) After promising in August 2014 that she'd get it, Ma finally got her passport! Took her long enough!
44) Realized that "Blue Christmas" is actually a really good song! 
45) Read 30 books! 
46) One-year anniversary of cessation of communication with my dad; would be nice if he'd get the memo 
47) Challenged myself to collect notes of gratitude in a vase every time something good happened to me or around me for the whole year; made it to around July or August 
48) Received a huge bouquet of flowers from Ms. Yvette for graduation 
49) Got out of the habit of going to church for three months, and then a friend from ACIV ran into me at the laundromat and invited me to go with her to her church on Saturdays. Three weeks of relief, healing, and not feeling completely alone just before graduation.
50) Didn't ask anyone for anything for Christmas. Instead, created this "Written Treasures" wishlist of books that I'll refer people to in the future.

Continue on to Part 2!

And check out my lists for 2013 and 2014 here.

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