2016 was a clusterf**k of turbulent events that I’m not going to look back on. I’d much prefer focusing on the goodness of the year. For me, on a personal level, 2016 brought a lot of progress. 2016 fue un lío de mierda de eventos turbulentos que no voy a repasar mucho. Prefiero enfocarme en lo positivo del año. Para mi, en un nivel personal, 2016 fue un año de progreso. (Uso pretérito y no imperfecto para mostrar que 2016 ya se acabó.) 

I moved to Valencia. It’s been an adventure trying to get established in a new city after three years in Bilbao. I feel things are going to go smoother from here on out. Me trasladé a Valencia. Ha sido una aventura para establecerme en una ciudad nueva después de tres años en Bilbao. Creo que las cosas van a mejorar ahora. 

I am making slow but steady progress on anxiety, depression and social anxiety. Estoy progresando poco a poco con mi lucha con ansiedad, depresión y fobia social. 

I travelled to Málaga, Barcelona (three times), Berlin, Prague, Bratislava, Tenerife, Turín, Dublin and the United States. I had day trips to Basque France, Navarra, Soria, Madrid, La Rioja and Cantabria, plus various places in the Basque Country and the Comunitat Valenciana. Viajé a Málaga, Barcelona (tres veces) Berlín, Praga, Bratislava, Tenerife, Turín, Dublin y los EEUU. Hice viajes de un día a País vasco francés, Navarra, Soria, Madrid, La Rioja y Cantabria, y también a destinos en Euskadi y la Comunitat Valenciana. 

I accomplished (more or less) 40 hikes. Logré hacer (más o menos) 40 rutas. 

I saw a lot of great films and read a lot of great books. Vi muchas películas buenas y leí muchos libros buenos. 

I am still making vodka limones with all the lemons life throws at me, and life does throw a lot of them! I can only hope for the best for the future. Todavía hago vodka limones con los limones que la vida me tira, y la vida tira bastante. Solo puedo esperar lo mejor para el futuro. 

Goals completed for 2016? I continued to submit my novel for publication (No luck yet), made slow but steady progress at the gym, almost almost almost arrived to Oviedo on the Camino del Norte, moved to Valencia, visited three new countries and one new Spanish province. Not so bad. ¿Retos logrados en 2016? He mandando mi novela a editoriales para consideración de publicación (sin exitó todavía), hice progreso poco a poco en el gimnasio, casí casí casí llegué a Oviedo en el Camino del Norte, me trasladé a Valencia, visité tres países nuevos y una provincia española nueva. No fue tan mal. 

Now I will share with you two memes that I always share every year. Ahora, en ingles, comparto dos memes que comparto todos los años. 

The first, the places I slept in 2016: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky; over-the-Atlantic; Bilbao, Spain; Málaga, Spain; Barcelona, Catalunya/Spain; Berlin, Germany; Prague, Czech Republic; Bratislava, Slovakia; Madrid, Spain; Valencia, Spain; Casas del Río, Valencia, Spain; Gandia, Valencia, Spain; Santander, Boo de Piélagos, Cobreces and San Vincente de la Barquera, Cantabria and Pendueles, Llanes, Piñeras de Pria and La Isla,, Asturias on the Camino del Norte; Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; León, Castilla León, Spain; Tenerife, Spain; Ademuz, Valencia, Spain; Torino, Italy; Dublin, Ireland; Mt. Washington, Kentucky, USA; Norwalk, Ohio, USA.

1. What did you do in 2016 that you’d never done before?:  Camino del Norte, joined a hiking club.

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?: Some, and I always have goals for the New Year. The goals will come soon.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?: It seems everyone is having kids this day. I can’t remember who was in 2016.

4. Did anyone close to you die?: My aunt on Christmas Eve.

5. What countries did you visit?: Spain, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, Ireland, United States

6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?: Dogs, money, and a boyfriend!

7. What date from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?: Camino del Norte days, and Nov. 9th (for a horrible reason!)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?: El Camino, moving to Valencia.

9. What was your biggest failure?: Coming out, financial issues, social issues.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? A couple of colds, and depression-anxiety.

11. What was the best thing you bought?: Plane/train/bus tickets 🙂

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Social justice warriors.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?: Donald Trump, certain ex-friends of mine (keeping from 2015. Scary!)

14. Where did most of your money go?: Travel, café con leche, books (kept from 2015).

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?: Travelling and the move to Valencia.

16. What song will always remind you of 2016?: Perfect Illusion by Lady Gaga, Troubled Times by Green Day

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier
ii. thinner or fatter? two killers more
iii. richer or poorer? about the same (poor!)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?: Writing, travelling, hanging out with friends.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Procrastinating, being afraid to be who I am, worrying, and binging tv!

20. How will you be spending Christmas?: I spent it with my mom in the States.

21. How will you be spending New Years? Eating grapes at 6 PM Eastern Standard Time, which is midnight in most of the Iberian peninsula

22. Did you fall in love in 2016?: Blah.

23. How many one-night stands?: Even Americans living in Euskadi never kiss and tell.

24. What was your favorite TV program?: Jane the Virgin, The X-Files, The Gilmore Girls, Veep,  Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Merlí, Black Mirror

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?: I never *liked* my dad’s side of the family, and after the US election, I will no longer speak to them due to their bullying.

26. What was the best book you read?: Good question! El desodren que dejas de Carlos Montero, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving (my fave writer), Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig, La Isla de Alice de Daniel Sánchez Arévalo, Duma Key by Stephen King

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?: Unfortunately I just discovered George Michael this year.

28. What did you want and get?: I’m still in Spain, and in Valencia a lot.

29. What did you want and not get?: A lot. But I am coping.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?: I really don’t know. Joy, Julieta…I will have to think about it.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?: 35 and went to Barcelona and Italy.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?: Stability and less anxiety/depression/loneliness! (Kept from 2015)

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?: Preppy-casual

34. What kept you sane?: Jordi, my iPod, the Camino del Norte and hiking in general.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?: David Villa, Mario Casas, Justin Badaloni (Rafa on Jane the Virgin)

36. What political issue stirred you the most?: Anyone who has been offended by Donald Trump, please raise your hand. I see everyone raising their hands. Enough said.

37. Who did you miss?: Fallon Fey, my golden retriever, and a few friends.

38. Who was the best new person you met?: I’m going to say outside of my co-workers, my new friend Mr. From The Street (¡hola!)…I hope we’re buenas migas for life.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016: Don’t stay quiet.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: It was a perfect illusion.

¡FELIZ AÑO NUEVO! BON ANY NOU! URTE BERRI ON! HAPPY NEW YEAR!