2014 in review

• 1.What one event, big or small, are you going to tell your grandchildren about?

Wouldn’t frame it that way, with grandchildren and all, but changing jobs, freelancing as a consultant and re-starting drawing classes were obvious highlights. One thing that connects them is the realization that it’s actually not too scary to follow one’s intuition.

• 2.If you had to describe your 2014 in 3 words, what would they be?

Exploring, remembering, challenges

• 3.What new things did you discover about yourself?

When I can manage my own time, I actually like the kind of work I’ve been doing from 2008. Also, life helps me not to move too far from real friends.

• 4.What single achievement are you most proud of?

You’ll hear about it soon.

• 5.What was the best news you received?

Same as above.

• 6.What was your favourite place that you visited in 2014?

Let’s name new places – that must be Baku.

• 7.Which of your personal qualities turned out to be the most helpful this year?

Flexibility. I used to think it was difficult to do three different things at the same time (work full-time, TA a class and write a column). In 2014 I juggled at least seven.

• 8.Who was your number one go-to person that you could always rely on?

Several, and they know who they are.

• 9.Which new skills did you learn?

Diplomacy and intercultural communication when coordinating projects with China and Indonesia.

• 10.What, or who, are you most thankful for?

My boss and colleagues for the new job – what a change!

• 11.If someone wrote a book about your life in 2014, what kind of genre would it be? A comedy, love story, drama, film noir or something else?

A script for a sitcom

• 12.What was the most important lesson you learnt in 2014?

Patience, patience, patience

• 13.Which mental block(s) did you overcome?

Thesis-writing

• 14.What 5 people did you most enjoy spending time with?

Won’t list them publicly

• 15.What was your biggest break-through moment career-wise?

Starting a freelance career in consulting, which was more successful in 2014 than what I expected.

• 16.How did your relationship to your family evolve?

First road trip with family!

• 17.What book or movie affected your life in a profound way?

Still feeling the effects of “The Case for Working with Your Hands: Or Why Office Work is Bad for Us and Fixing Things Feels Good“ by Matthew Crawford

• 18.What was your favourite compliment that you received this year?

Can’t think of any

• 19.What little things did you most enjoy during your day-to-day life?

Coffee in my balcony, drawing comics outside in summer

• 20.What cool things did you create this year?

Hmm, maybe this comic? Or this article?

• 21.What was your most common mental state this year (e.g. excited, curious, stressed)?

Curious

• 22.Was there anything you did for the very first time in your life this year?

Visited Baku, met Indonesian people, gave a CV workshop for students, spent a night on Cambridge campus, talked to Israeli border guards in Hebrew, did a headstand without an instructor watching over…

• 23.What was your favourite moment spent with your friends?

When my friend R. moved to the same city, and both New Year’s celebrations with her

• 24.What major goal did you lay the foundations for?

Financial sustainability without 9-to-5+ office work, lots of travel writing

• 25.Which worries turned out to be completely unnecessary?

That I’ll lose my most precious skills

• 26.What experience would you love to do all over again?

Traveling around Lithuania by car, sunrise in a desert, Mongolian throat singing concert, going to a political event with H. as a reporter…

• 27.What was the best gift you received?

Lovely Budapest apartment to use for two weeks

• 28.How did your overall outlook on life evolve?

Let’s not talk about this 🙂

• 29.What was the biggest problem you solved?

What to do with my career (for now)

• 30.What was the funniest moment of your year, one that still makes it hard not to burst out laughing when you think about it?

Picnic on the rocks with V. and M., pretending that we are having a fancy meal, and speaking French to emphasize this idea

• 31.What purchase turned out to be the best decision ever?

Hmm… external harddrive that made me go through old memories?

• 32.What one thing would you do differently and why?

I’d be more careful of how I keep my stuff on trains

• 33.What do you deserve a pat on the back for?

Going back to studying Japanese

• 34.What activities made you lose track of time?

Sounds very narcissistic, but reading old diaries

• 35.What did you think about more than anything else?

Publishing

• 36.What topics did you most enjoy learning about?

Indonesian culture, reporting on minorities in Africa

• 37.What new habits did you cultivate?

Waking up early and doing yoga

• 38.What advice would you give your early-2014 self if you could?

Concentrate

• 39.Did any parts of your self or your life do a complete 180 this year?

Wouldn’t call it 180…

• 40.What or who had the biggest positive impact on your life this year?

Career changes