1. What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before? Rowed.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? The word for this year was Reset. I’m comfortable with how that came out, mostly as a result of rowing.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes! I don’t expect this answer to change for a while. (Welcome, JD and Brady and Sam!)

4. Did anyone close to you die? No one close to me, but I found out that my ex-father-in-law died two years ago, which was more of a blow than you might expect. He was a very, very lovely man, and the best sort of father-in-law to have. Of all the people I lost in my divorce, I think I missed him the most.

5. What places did you visit? San Diego, Vermont, Cape Cod, and Nevada.

6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014? A bit more financial stability.

7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? December 26. It was the day of The Boxing Day Dog Attack, which deserves its own post, probably.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I took on a new sport (OMG, I do sport now), began competing, and, in true masters novice fashion, remain undefeated after my first season. (It’s true that this is normal for novices. It still feels awesome.) Not sucking at this has lifted me up quite a bit this year.

9. What was your biggest failure? I seriously lost my shit and screamed obscenities on the street during The Boxing Day Dog Attack.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I got sick more often — and more disgustingly — than I have in years. I blame the baby and open-air office spaces. Rowing came with all kinds of new blisters and bruises, but nothing serious.

11. What was the best thing you bought? A metric ton of spandex.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Graham’s, once again. There’s the full-time baby wrangling to consider, and then he literally saved Rodney’s life before the year ran out.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? The owner of the dog that attacked us, mostly, and some other folks who consistently miss or ignore opportunities. Life’s too short to let so much of it pass by uncelebrated.

14. Where did most of your money go? Aside from the house (what’s up, new toilet and copper water line)? Rowing.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? A new job! I love that I get to keep pursuing the career of my dreams with a company I love.

16. What song will always remind you of 2014? The entire “Escalator Music” CD by the Stanford Harmonics. Grayson is addicted to it and still demands to listen to it in the car. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? Happier.

b) thinner or fatter? About the same, but stronger.

c) richer or poorer? Poorer. Running was cheaper than rowing, even with good shoes.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Cooking.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Commuting.

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2014? Watching Grayson play with his new ball pit, tricycle, airport, etc., then cleaning wounds (human and canine) for the rest of the holiday break.

21. Did you fall in love in 2014? Does rowing count?

22. What was your favorite TV program? Dr. Who, Downton Abbey, and, oddly, Survivor.

23. What did you do for your birthday in 2014? We were at the Cape, and it was lovely.

24. What was the best book you read? The Boys in the Boat.

25. What did you want and get? That new job I mentioned.

26. What did you want and not get? A bigger car.

27. What was your favorite film of this year? N/A

28. Did you make some new friends this year? Yes! See also: Rowing.

29.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? More defined financial security. We’re doing okay, but I don’t always feel the truth of that.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013? Gym rat/tech chic. I did take up with StitchFix, which has added some actual style to my utterly predictable (and fraying) wardrobe. Also! I got better at scarves.

31. What kept you sane? Rowing. For real. I missed nearly a month due to illness and the holiday break, and after the first practice of the new year, Graham said, “You sound better. A lot better.” Apparently, teamwork and smelly water enhance the effect of endorphins.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, and President Obama.

33. What political issue stirred you the most? Institutional inequality.

34. Who did you miss? My mom. She would really, really like her grandson.

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014. Get in, sit down, shut up, and row. Broadly applicable, if you think about it.

Also: “No one ever says, ‘Well, stroke pair won that race.'” ~Graham Harper. Teamwork and trust FTFW.

(Photo credit: Carla Jourdan)