2020, In Hindsight

As I embark on this new year—one that's not so different from last year, at least so far—I feel inclined to record some of my personal accomplishments of 2020. 

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, I had more time home than ever before—and although I wasn't necessarily determined to make "good use" of it, like others who planted gardens and started baking bread, I did feel a certain rush every time I accomplished some task on my to-do list. 

So here's what I actually got done last year:

• Restrung the lights on my pre-lit artificial tree, which had burned out and was collecting dust, just in time for Halloween. 
• Got lamp shades for the bare bulbs in my kitchen and bathroom ceilings that had been driving me crazy for over 9 years. 
• Improved my sleep hygiene by getting a much-needed white noise machine. (Turns out actually "brown noise" is my jam.)
• Upgraded my work-from-home setup (even though I've been working from home fulltime since 2015) with a footrest, laptop desk, armrest shelf for my couch, and lumbar support pillow. 
• Reorganized and cleaned out my closet—by necessity, after a water leak caused my ceiling to cave in. 
• Added a backsplash to the wall behind my stove. 
• Spiffed up my kitchen floor. 
• Dyed my hair pink. 
• Got back into swimming (which doesn't go so well with the item above).
• Sent out Christmas cards for the first time in years.  

Of course there were also many minor victories of cleaning up and organizing, self-care, and meal prep—but nothing particularly inspiring, if you ask me. Just satisfying. 

But because I am who I am, I can't help but focus on some of the checklist items I didn't get gone, despite my best intentions, like:

• Figure out why my turntable won't play. 
• Learn the ukulele. 
• Get my "Mystery Veils the Desert" WPA poster framed. 

I guess if only three things are hanging over my head, that's not so bad. 

After all, I was still working fulltime last year. I was keeping up with my blog and writing what I could for "SoCal Wanderer" on KCET.org. 

I was still adventuring—just staying much closer to home. 

So I didn't have all that much extra time on my hands. 

And at some point, I need to rest. I need some lazy Sundays when I hang out with my cat and flip through magazines. 

I'm only human. 

So they say.

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Obsessive Collector of Experiences