2017 has many reasons to be the worst year ever, but I’m not going to look at what went wrong. As an American living in Spain, I am constantly hit with two countries trying to outdo each other with horrific politicians, which makes things that much harder when I already struggle with depression and anxiety issues. Hay muchas razones porque 2017 ha sido el peor año de mi vida, pero no voy a mirar a lo que me fue mal otra vez. Como un estadounidense viviendo en España, todos los tienes recibo malas noticias de dos países intentando ganar un concurso de “Peor Político del Mundo”, que hace las cosas aún peor cuando ya tengo problemas de depresión y ansiedad. 

The thing is, I’m still kicking. La cosa es…sigo sobreviviendo, sigo aquí.

Here’s the positive: I travelled to three new provinces (Albacete, Huesca and Lugo), which means I only have two more Spanish provinces left to visit. I hiked from Gijón to Ribadeo on the Camino del Norte, arrived to Xàtiva on the Camino de Levante (Valencia part) and to Siete Aguas on the Camino de la Lana. I went hiking a ton with Samarucs, the LGBT+ sports club of València, going on weekend trips to Cuenca, Penyagolosa and la Selva de Irati with them. I also travelled to Segovia, Portugal, Asturias, Italy, Andorra, and France. Aquí es lo bueno: Viajé a tres provincias que no conocía antes (Albacete, Huesca y Lugo), que quiere decir solo me quedan dos provincias para visitar. Hice el Camino del Norte desde Gijón hasta Ribadeo, llegué a Xàtiva en el Camino de Levante (la parte valenciana) y hasta Siete Aguas en el Camino de la Lana. Fui de senderismo mucho con Samarucs, el club deportivo LGBT+ de València y fui en viajes de fin de semana a Serrania de Cuenca, Penyagolosa y la Selva de Irati con ellos. También viajé a Segovia, Portugal, Asturias, Italia, Andorra y Francia. 

I stayed in València against all odds. Me quedé en València cuando todo iba de contra de mí. 

I read a ton of good books and saw a ton of films and series. Me leí muchos libros buenos y vi muchas películas y series buenas.

Tomorrow, I’ll talk about my goals and hopes for 2018. I’ll leave off with my constant memes for the end of the year, along with my choices for the best in music, movies and television. Mañana, hablaré de mis metas y esperanzas de 2018. Acabo por ahora con los mismos memes de siempre del final del año, y también con mis elecciones de lo mejor de música, películas y televisión. 

The first, the places I slept in 2017/ los sitios donde dormí en 2017: Louisville, Kentucky; over the Atlantic (sobre el Atlántico), València, Albarracín, Jaca, Barcelona, Tragacete, Madrid, Lisboa, Coimbra, (O)Porto, San Juan de Penyagolosa, Oviedo, Miranda de Ebro, Bilbao, Gijón, Áviles, Muros de Nalón, Santa Marina, Luarca, Navia, Tapia de Casariego, Ribadeo, Lugo, Piedras Blancas, Ochagavia, Milano, Venezia, Roma, a Parador in La Seu d’Urgell, San Sebastían-Donostia, París.

1. What did you do in 2017 that you’d never done before?:  Get fired from a summer job (FYI, I believe I was fired because I stood up to toxic masculinity! Well worth it), have a flight turn around midair to return to the airport (just wait until that entry)

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?: My uni friend Heather, and one of my new co-workers did before I met her if it counts.

4. Did anyone close to you die?: The deaths happened right before 2017.

5. What countries did you visit?: Spain, United States, Portugal, Italy, France, Andorra, “Republic of Catalunya” (I was there when it was declared independent, recognised by no one).

6. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?: Dogs, money, and a boyfriend! And a stable job!

7. What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?: The week in July on the Camino, Oct. 6-9 in Irati. Good memories. April 22 for bad memories (it started my run of bad luck.)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?: Arriving to Ribadeo on the Camino, being accepted to Uni of Toronto in Hispanic Studies even if the funding fell through.

9. What was your biggest failure?: Coming out, financial issues, social issues, job issues, just about everything in the year was a failure.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Depression and anxiety.

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

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? #MeToo, all the resisters and persisters.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?: Donald Trump, certain ex-friends of mine (keeping from 2015 *and* 2016. Scary!) I’m adding Trump supporters. At this point, if you support him, you support bigotry and everything the US stands for. If you’re a conversative who is also appalled, though, I still respect you even if I disagree with you. I do not respect Trump and his minions.

14. Where did most of your money go?: Travel, café con leche, books (kept from 2015 and 2016).

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?: Camino and Twin Peaks

16. What song will always remind you of 2016?: Troubled Times by Green Day, Despacito from Luis Fonsi, the new Shania album

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner
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 2017?: We’ll see where things go 🙂

24. What was your favorite TV program?: Twin Peaks, Jane the Virgin, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Merlí. I rewatched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood and Six Feet Under, three of my all time fave shows.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?: I’ve lost a lot of respect for a lot of people. And Kevin Spacey and others of the sort.

26. What was the best book you read?: Good question! Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, El Amor del Revés de Luisgé Martín, Brooklyn by Colm Toibin, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, El Laberinto de Espiritús de Carlos Ruíz Zafón, the Bill Hodges trilogy by Stephen King.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?: Umm, I like The Chainsmokers. And 3/4 of No Doubt created Dreamcar.

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

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

30. What was your favorite film of this year?: La La Land.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?: 36 and had a great first date.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?: Stability and less anxiety/depression/loneliness! (Kept from 2015 and 2016), Robert Mueller arresting certain people.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?: 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 Baldoni (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. (Kept from 2016)

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 still getting to know him…

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016: Resist and persist.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: Kept my tears inside because I knew if I started I’d keep crying for the rest of my life with you I finally built up the strength to walk away, don’t regret it but I still live with the side effects, waking up scared some nights, still dreaming about the violent times, still a little protective about the people I let inside, still a little defensive thinking folks be trying to ruin my life, still a little depressed inside, I fake a smile and deal with the side effects. -Mariah Carey

Setmeravelles Awards:

Best Artist: Shania Twain
Entertainer of the Year: Cast of Twin Peaks
Best Film: La La Land
Best Lead Actor: Ewan McGregor, T2: Trainspotting
Best Lead Actress: Emma Stone, La La Land
Best Supporting Actor: Ewan McGregor, Beauty and the Beast
Best Supporting Actress: Nicole Kidman, Lion
Best Director: Álex de la Iglesia, Perfectos Desconocidos
Best Series: Twin Peaks
Best Lead Actor (tie): Ewan McGregor, Fargo; Kyle McLachlan, Twin Peaks
Best Lead Actress (tie); Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies; Laura Dern, Twin Peaks
Best Supporting Actor: Jaime Cahil, Jane the Virgin
Best Supporting Actress: Ashley Judd, Twin Peaks
Worst Acting: Genie Francis, General Hospital
Worst Show: Game of Thrones (and I’ve never seen an episode and never will)
Best Discovered Show: Black Mirror
Best Rewatch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (even if Six Feet Under is my fave show)
Best Appearance of Laura Dern: Twin Peaks
Worst Artist: Taylor Swift
Discovered Artist: Dreamcar, John Legend
Female Artist: Lady Gaga
Male Artist: Macklemore
Duo/Group: The Killers
Song of the Year: Another Day of Sun from La La Land
Single: Troubled Times by Green Day
Album of the Year: Now by Shania Twain

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