2024 yearly recap

Two posts in one month? Who am I? Like I said last week, I want to try to find some sort of schedule to consistently post. I think As of now I'm going to try to do YouTube videos on Sundays, and blog posts on Fridays. That way I can still keep up with my Fridaze series without any interruptions. Last week, I thought of potentially doing a yearly recap, and I've honestly always loved those, so I thought it would be fun to chat about my year (especially considering that I haven't consistently posted since September).

January

In January, the one thing that sticks out to me is the fact that I got the Flu for the first time, and it was terrible! I was sick for almost a full 6 days. J was traveling, and so I was stuck at home for those days. It sucked feeling so weak & exhausted, but having to still take my dog out for walks in the freezing winter weather. One of the days I felt so nauseous and dizzy that I called my mom to come and take care of me (thanks mom! You're a real mvp for coming over at like 1am to take care of me).

Then the rest of that month consisted of my 2 year anniversary, lots of friend dates, and just keeping busy. I tend to get really bad winter blues, and one of the best things for me is to balance keeping busy and hibernating. I don't quite remember if I hit the balance well, or if I found myself drained from the plans, but this year I'm going to be more mindful of it.

February

The month consisted of the best $1 oysters I've ever had, going to Atlantic City to see Tom Segura's standup, & Devil's hockey games. The sun was starting to stay up later, and I definitely felt it. Me and the sun go hand in hand. It's crazy the drastic difference the sun does for me.

2024 was one of the first years in a long time where I didn't take a winter escaping vacation. I definitely felt the difference.

March

March was such a random month! My best friend had her 30th bday brunch, I rode on Glinda the Emo Bus through NYC, and even more friend dates. I also injured my wrist, and it took forever to heal. I honestly can't believe my wrist is as good as new after how bad the pain was back in March.

We honestly had a pretty warm March, and I loved every second of it.

April

After a first few busy months, I had a much slower April. I think as I've gotten older, I've gotten better about listening to my body. I escape a bit in reading, and my other hobbies. I played so much Stardew Valley in April.

May

My friend Christina turned 30, and we had a fun day in NYC to celebrate! Other than that, May was pretty calm. I was just enjoying the warm weather on my balcony.

June

I turned 30, so it was filled with celebrations. I went to DC for the weekend, & my friends threw me a bday brunch. I also took the actual day of my birthday off, and me and J went to the beach with Luca! I could not have had more fun celebrating my birthday this year. At the end of the month I went to Disney with J's family. This is the second time we've gone in the past two years, but after this we're going to take a break from Disney. Disney is SO expensive!

July

July was filled with BBQs. So lots of outdoor time in the sun with good company. July was also the month I started to play D&D again!

August

I had many friend dates (I love outdoor dining, so August is a great month to do so). I also hosted the US Love Island finale watch show at my house, and honestly I had so much fun. I used to do watch parties for the Bachelor/Temptation Island when I was in high school & college all the time, and I loved it. It felt very nostalgic to do so again now as in an adult at my place.

It was also J's birthday in August, so we went to see one of his favorite bands at MSG (Coheed & Cambria)!

September

This is where I disappeared for you guys, so this might be new information for you! I took a spontaneous trip to visit J on one of his work trips! He was spending the weekend in the west coast, so I decided to join him. We took a long road trip from LA to the Grand Canyon, and then from the Grand Canyon to Phoenix! The Grand Canyon was beyond beautiful. I honestly couldn't believe it was real, and I was staring right at it. It felt fake. We just walked along it, and stared in awe. I don't have the words to express how much I think everyone should see it once (especially if you appreciate the outdoors).

I had such a fun time! I am completely in love with the dry heat they have there. And the Mexican food? Beyond superior. If anyone knows any Mexican food comparable in the NJ/NYC area, please let me know!

Besides that, we went bowling for my brother's birthday, there were board game nights & more D&D!

The bittersweet note in September was the Ocean's Calling Festival. Me and J bought tickets to go and see Blink-182 amongst some other smaller bands, but it was an outdoor event and pouring! The whole festival stayed open the whole time, except for when Blink got to go on. They performed for 2-3 songs, and then stopped playing (and this was after they started almost an hour after their original start time). Definitely not ideal or fun. We made the best of it afterwards though!

October

This month was a fun & busy one, it consisted of the Renaissance Faire, Sabrina Carpenter, apple picking, board game nights, a house warming party, & my best friend's baby shower! Plus I also threw a Halloween Party this year. I wasn't in the Halloween last year, but I definitely was this year! It was a huge success, and I look forward to throwing another party next year (or later this year, should I say).

This was also the month I finished Kingdom of Ash, and my life will never be the same. I still think about this series almost every single day. I sometimes can't believe that the person who wrote ACOTAR also wrote this series, because it is leaps and bounds better. To be fair ACOTAR is for sure a romantasy, while Throne of Glass falls into an epic fantasy. So if you like a more adventure/quest-esque vibe to your fantasy you will love it (no shade to ACOTAR, cause I liked it too, but TOG is just way better).

November

November was an epic month, I went to Indianapolis to see Taylor Swift with my sister, and I have no words. Not only one of the best concerts I've ever been to, but I was just immensely grateful that I was there to see her perform. She is incredible. I was also grateful that I got a pre-sale code and got those tickets at cost. While we didn't spend long in Indy, it was a cute city! The people were so nice, and it was fun to see people from all over travel to see Taylor.

Of course, the month also had Thanksgiving (one of my favorite food holidays of the year). It was a lot more of an intimate Thanksgiving this year, but the vibes were good, and the food was even better. I am so grateful for the amazing people I get to surround myself with (both friends & family).

We ended November throwing a huge party at work, because our family business hit 35 years! I had such a blast, and it also felt really special to be able to celebrate with fellow employees, clients, and family members.

Also can I make a special little note about how amazing Arcane Season 2 was? Literally sobbing.

December

And we finally came to December. The winter blues hit hard and fast. I switched therapists, because after a year of trying with the new one I'd been assigned to, I found that he wasn't really the right fit for me. I didn't feel comfortable enough to open up, and I also felt like he didn't understand what I would express to him a lot of the time. So I have a new one now, and I honestly really love her already. We've had a lot of difficult sessions (I switched back to weekly sessions), but they're helpful!

And while struggling with SAD, the month was filled with plans. We had our yearly Litmas bar crawl (the same bar crawl me & J met each other at 3 years ago), family Christmas brunch, Christmas Eve with J's family, Christmas with my family, Hanukkah night 2 with J's friends, & my best friends 30th birthday.

While balancing all those plans, I also did the 12 days of Bookmas on YouTube. It was much more difficult than I ever thought it was ever going to be, but extremely rewarding! I felt so proud of myself for doing it, and committing to it. I then took a break from YouTube, during the holiday week (much needed).

So busy busy. They were all fun, but I'm glad we're coming up with a much slower January. I really need a break. As I mentioned last week, me & J both decided we wanted to spend New Year's Eve & Day at home, spending it together playing video games and just hanging out. It was perfect.

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And that's a wrap on 2024! Let's see what 2025 has in store for me. How was your year in a nutshell? Let me know. Chat soon x