1. What did you do in 2024 that you’d never done before?
I went on a transatlantic cruise. Finally, a travel experience that I will never shut up about, possibly to replace Malaysia.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t think I made any resolutions this year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope. We are all too old.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
I don’t think so?
5. What countries did you visit?
Wheee! Here it goes! We went to Nassau, Bahamas (twice!), Ponta Delgada, The Azores, and the following cities in Spain: Barcelona (airport and cruise port only, basically), Madrid (airport only), Malaga, and Valenicia. Also Mallorca, also in Spain and cool as hell.
7. What date from 2024 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
April 30, 2024, the day we left to go on Big Cruise ’24.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Going on Big Cruise ’24 and staying married! 17 days or whatever it was is a LONG time.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I lost my patience regularly throughout the year.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Covid in January ’24. Much worse without Paxlovid, BTW. I also had strep throat for the first time in my life in December ’24, which turned into thrush (also for the first time ever). Do not recommend!
11. What was the best thing you bought?
The cruises! (This is a repeat of my 2023 answer!)
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine, dammit.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Republicans. All of them. And if you’re a Republican and reading this, Fuck You! (also a repeat and I STILL MEAN IT)
14. Where did most of your money go?
The cruise line.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Big Cruise ’24, Small Cruise ’24, Big Cruise ’25, Small Cruise ’25, “Small” Cruise ’26
16. What song will always remind you of 2024?
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Happier!
18. Thinner or fatter?
Fatty fatty bo-ba-latty
19. Richer or poorer?
Same.
20. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Travelling, specifically to Indiana. None of us are getting any younger.
21. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Listening to my coworkers yammer about various right wing nuttery.
22. How will you be spending Christmas?
Xmas 2024: At home.
23. Did you fall in love in 2024?
Okay, I admit it. I fell in love with Mallorca. I absolutely felt like it was like living in a really cool Hitchcock movie.
24. Any one night stands?
Certainly not.
25. What was your favorite TV program?
Finished up the last season of The Great, a vaguely true tale of Catherine the Great.
26. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No one new
27. What was the best book you read?
28. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Finding my Elaine’s Favorites playlist.
29. What did you want and get?
So many cruises!
30. What did you want and not get?
MOAR CRUISES. Alaska! The Panama Canal! One of those ludicrously expensive Viking cruises to see the Northern Lights.
31. What was your favorite film of this year?
32. What did you do on your birthday?
We had a dinner with two other couples at a fancy seafood restaurant and I wasn’t the designated driver!
33. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
HS4! C’mon!
34. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2024?
I want to be fancy, but I’m really not.
35. What kept you sane?
Music. Alone time on Sundays from noon until 9 PM. Holiday themed Little Debbie snack cakes.
36. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
See above. And also Don Henley, obviously. Some things never change.
37. What political issue stirred you the most?
Abortion. I’m 47 years old and no babies here, but I appreciate having the option if everything went to hell. For me, for my nieces, for some perfectly normal woman who never thought she’d need one until she needed one. Fuck you, Ken Paxton you are a piece of shit. (Repeat, still accurate)
38. Who did you miss?
I miss my friends. I’m not great at keeping up with them and I’m sorry about that.
39. Who was the best new person you met?
The waitress at the bar on Big Cruise. Thank you, whatever your name was!
40. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2024:
Be patient, you cow!
41. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
42. (New Question for 2020) Hey Elaine, are you going through a midlife crisis, what with all of this pop music performed by a 29 year old?
Yes, I think so. Elaine (circa 1992) is horrified by what I’ve become in this regard. She did not spend her free time sneering at New Kids on the Block fans only to become a middle aged water buffalo screaming at Harry Styles.