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...makes a post.
Despite some bright spots, I was very pleased to leave 2023 behind. So far 2024 has been a vast improvement.
New Year's Eve marked our return to the giant countdown bash a friend holds every year. While fewer of our close friends were there than in Years Pre-Pandemic, it was still loads of fun. There was a live DJ that was good, a cover band that was very good, and they'd ironed out the lack-of-food problem from years previous.
Snow! One day on which a little fell and I got to stay home from work, and one day on which a ton fell and I had to take the day off from work (which was absolutely worth it). The lack of snow during winter is one of my biggest gripes about this area, so it was nice to have gotten some.
Concerts! Namely, Elder and Tool. I'd been aware of Elder but had never gotten around to seeking their music out. We really liked what we could hear of them live (the sound quality was not great; I have the strong suspicion Maynard Keenan makes sure his opening acts can't upstage him) and now have most of their back catalogue.
Tool was great as always (their sound quality was just dandy π) and they played a lot of the deeper cuts we wanted to hear along with some crowd pleasers. Keenan was grumpy that his stage banter did not get a very enthusiastic reaction, but that's what you get for recycling the same stage banter every tour. The visuals were heavier on alien invasion/occult apocalypse weirdness than anatomy weirdness, but good all the same. And as pretty much everyone at our hotel was also there for this show, we had a lot of good conversations with people before, during, and after the main event.
Birthdays! The first for one of the players in my main D&D campaign. We went to a regional geek bar, ate, drank, and did a bunch of tabletop gaming, which included a good mix of games I've played before and games that were new to me.
The second, for one of the other players in my main D&D campaign was also a blast. We went ice skating! I haven't been skating in decades. I didn't realize how much I'd missed it, and was pleasantly surprised at how much of it came back, and how quickly. Plus, the complex's rental skates were ice hockey versus figure skates. (Back when we were learning, both ma soeur and I wanted to get ice hockey lessons, but mes parents were adamant that we do figure skating because ice hockey Was Not Appropriate For Little Girls.) So it was nice to get a taste of the other side after all this time.
Geek BBQ! Specifically, the first Geek BBQ regulars event of 2024, which was a dessert potluck. I am only slightly exaggerating when I say I ate more sugary things during those four hours than I had during the entirety of 2023 (I am a savory tastes versus sweet tastes person). But oh man, the desserts were so good, the variety was incredible, and the company was excellent as always.
γγγ§δ»₯δΈγ§γγ
Despite some bright spots, I was very pleased to leave 2023 behind. So far 2024 has been a vast improvement.
New Year's Eve marked our return to the giant countdown bash a friend holds every year. While fewer of our close friends were there than in Years Pre-Pandemic, it was still loads of fun. There was a live DJ that was good, a cover band that was very good, and they'd ironed out the lack-of-food problem from years previous.
Snow! One day on which a little fell and I got to stay home from work, and one day on which a ton fell and I had to take the day off from work (which was absolutely worth it). The lack of snow during winter is one of my biggest gripes about this area, so it was nice to have gotten some.
Concerts! Namely, Elder and Tool. I'd been aware of Elder but had never gotten around to seeking their music out. We really liked what we could hear of them live (the sound quality was not great; I have the strong suspicion Maynard Keenan makes sure his opening acts can't upstage him) and now have most of their back catalogue.
Tool was great as always (their sound quality was just dandy π) and they played a lot of the deeper cuts we wanted to hear along with some crowd pleasers. Keenan was grumpy that his stage banter did not get a very enthusiastic reaction, but that's what you get for recycling the same stage banter every tour. The visuals were heavier on alien invasion/occult apocalypse weirdness than anatomy weirdness, but good all the same. And as pretty much everyone at our hotel was also there for this show, we had a lot of good conversations with people before, during, and after the main event.
Birthdays! The first for one of the players in my main D&D campaign. We went to a regional geek bar, ate, drank, and did a bunch of tabletop gaming, which included a good mix of games I've played before and games that were new to me.
The second, for one of the other players in my main D&D campaign was also a blast. We went ice skating! I haven't been skating in decades. I didn't realize how much I'd missed it, and was pleasantly surprised at how much of it came back, and how quickly. Plus, the complex's rental skates were ice hockey versus figure skates. (Back when we were learning, both ma soeur and I wanted to get ice hockey lessons, but mes parents were adamant that we do figure skating because ice hockey Was Not Appropriate For Little Girls.) So it was nice to get a taste of the other side after all this time.
Geek BBQ! Specifically, the first Geek BBQ regulars event of 2024, which was a dessert potluck. I am only slightly exaggerating when I say I ate more sugary things during those four hours than I had during the entirety of 2023 (I am a savory tastes versus sweet tastes person). But oh man, the desserts were so good, the variety was incredible, and the company was excellent as always.
What's my language progress look like?
- Chinese β 4/5 through Unit 4; legendary through Unit 2
- Dutch β 4/5 through Unit 3; legendary through Unit 1
- Gaelic β 4/5 through Unit 6; legendary through Unit 3
- Hindi β 1/2 through Unit 2; backburnered until I wrap up a physical textbook
- Indonesian β 1/5 through Unit 11; legendary through Unit 6
- Japanese β 4/5 through Unit 20; legendary through Unit 16
- Korean β 1/5 through Unit 8; legendary through Unit 5
- Latin β 4/5 through Unit 2; legendary through Unit 1
- Welsh β 1/2 through Unit 1; backburnered in favor of a physical textbook
γγγ§δ»₯δΈγ§γγ