My Year-In-Review of 2020
There is little to be said about this past year that hasn't already been said. Like many, I haven't had any particularly notable or positive moments, experiences, or memories to share. However, I also recognize that I am both lucky and privileged in certain respects. While I've spent most of this year being sick, I was able to stay home, take care of myself, and not think about work. Unfortunately, there were and still are far too many people who were unable to do the same. My hope for the new year is to feel healthier, happier, and hopefully, a little more productive. I hope to see my friends and family in person again, for I love my parents to bits but have seen no one but them (and my doctor) for the past ten months. And, I hope that everyone else will get to do so, too.
People often say that setting goals and resolutions for the new year require some sort of measure, like a number, to mark your progress and your success. I usually agree that it helps solidify goals that might otherwise be vague and non-committal. But I think, for now at least, I want to do away with metrics. I'll let my goals be as open-ended as I want so I can surprise myself with accomplishing them later. The only numbers I want to pay attention to is how I'm spending my time.
Personal Goals for Next Year
Finding a new job, having spent the last year mostly unemployed due to health issues
Working on getting better sleep, as my health issues have also prevented me from getting quality sleep
Improving my cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and flexibility with spin, strength, and yoga classes
Taking additional certifications and credentials to assist my career goals and improve my knowledge and skillset
Reading more books, at least one book a month, to improve my vocabulary and my own writing ability
Listening to a wider variety of podcasts, including more podcasts hosted by women and/or people of color like myself
Spending more time outdoors and getting more fresh air, even if it means just sitting in my backyard every now and then
Managing my free time better, and balancing how much time I spend indulging in video games, shows, and social media
MY TOP FIVE MOVIES OF 2020
Kiki's Delivery Service (Hayao Miyazaki, 1989)
"In this anime feature, 13-year-old Kiki moves to a seaside town with her talking cat, Jiji, to spend a year alone, in accordance with her village's tradition for witches in training. After learning to control her broomstick, Kiki sets up a flying courier service and soon becomes a fixture in the community. But when the insecure young witch begins questioning herself and loses her magic abilities, she must overcome her self-doubt to get her powers back."
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (George C. Wolfe, 2020)
“Tensions rise when trailblazing blues singer Ma Rainey and her band gather at a recording studio in Chicago in 1927.”
Call Me By Your Name (Luca Guadagnino, 2017)
"It's the summer of 1983, and precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending the days with his family at their 17th-century villa in Lombardy, Italy. He soon meets Oliver, a handsome doctoral student who's working as an intern for Elio's father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of their surroundings, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever."
Parasite (Bong Joon-ho, 2019)
"Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan."
The Half Of It (Alice Wu, 2020)
"A shy, introverted student helps the school jock woo a girl whom, secretly, they both want."
MY TOP FIVE TV SHOWS OF 2020
The Queen’s Gambit (Scott Frank & Allan Scott, 2020)
“Set during the Cold War era, orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon struggles with addiction in a quest to become the greatest chess player in the world.”
The Crown (Peter Morgan, 2016 – present)
“This lavish, Netflix-original drama chronicles the life of Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s to modern times. The series begins with an inside look at the early reign of the queen, who ascended the throne at age 25 after the death of her father, King George VI. As the decades pass, personal intrigues, romances, and political rivalries are revealed that played a big role in events that shaped the later years of the 20th century."
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Michael Schur & Dan Goor, 2013 - present)
"Ray Holt, an eccentric commanding officer, and his diverse and quirky team of odd detectives solve crimes in Brooklyn, New York City."
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen, 2013 - 2020)
"Agent Phil Coulson leads a team of highly skilled agents from the global law-enforcement organisation known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Together, they combat extraordinary and inexplicable threats."
Criminal: UK, Germany, France, & Spain (George Kay & Jim Field Smith, 2019 - present)
"Taking place exclusively within the confines of a police interview suite, police officers and suspects engage in intense mental conflict as they both wrangle for the psychological upper hand."
MY TOP FIVE VIDEO GAMES OF 2020
VA-11 HALL-A (Sukeban Games, 2016)
“In this world, corporations reign supreme, all human life is infected with nanomachines designed to oppress them, and the terrifying White Knights ensure that everyone obeys the laws. But, this is not about those people. You are a bartender at VA-11 HALL-A, affectionately nicknamed “Valhalla.” Although it is just a small bar downtown, it attracts the most fascinating people this side of dystopia. Keep your clients lubricated and you will be made privy to the most interesting stories.”
Spiritfarer (Thunder Lotus Games, 2020)
“Spiritfarer is a cozy management game about dying. As ferrymaster to the deceased, build a boat to explore the world, care for your spirit friends, and guide them across mystical seas to finally release them into the afterlife. What will you leave behind?“
Röki (Polygon Treehouse, 2020)
"Rediscover magic and chart your adventure through this forgotten northern world of mystery and monsters. Find your courage, discover hidden paths, solve ancient puzzles and travel deeper through the icy land to learn the truth."
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo, 2020)
“Escape to a deserted island and create your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize. Your island getaway has a wealth of natural resources that can be used to craft everything from tools to creature comforts. You can hunt down insects at the crack of dawn, decorate your paradise throughout the day, or enjoy sunset on the beach while fishing in the ocean. The time of day and season match real life, so each day on your island is a chance to check in and find new surprises all year round.“
Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! (Vertigo Gaming, 2020)
“Cook, serve and manage your food truck as you dish out hundreds of different foods across war-torn America in this massive sequel to the million-selling series.”
MY TOP 5 PODCAST EPISODES OF 2020
Reply All – Episode 158: The Case of the Missing Hit (March 4, 2020)
“A man in California is haunted by the memory of a pop song from his youth. He can remember the lyrics and the melody. But the song itself has vanished, completely scrubbed from the internet.”
Criminal - Episode 138: Starlight Tours (April 17, 2020)
"In January 2000, two bodies were found frozen in a remote area of Saskatoon, Canada. It was a place where nobody walked, especially in the winter. And then, a man came forward and said he had been dropped off by police on the outskirts of town, but he had made it back alive."
99% Invisible – Episode 389: Whomst Among Us Has Let The Dogs Out (February 11, 2020)
“The story of how “Who Let The Dogs Out” ended up stuck in all of our brains goes back decades and spans continents. It tells us something about inspiration, and how creativity spreads, and about whether an idea can ever really belong to just one person. About ten years ago, Ben Sisto was reading the Wikipedia entry for the song when he noticed something strange. A hairdresser in England named Keith was credited with giving the song to the Baha Men, but Keith had no last name and the fact had no citation. This mystery sent Ben down a rabbit hole to uncover the true story.”
This Is Love – Episode 26: The Kinseys (October 14, 2020)
“Bernard Kinsey met Shirley Pooler in 1963, when they were both students at Florida A&M University, after a protest to integrate the movie theatres in Tallahassee. Years later, when their son Khalil was born, Bernard and Shirley made a plan – they wanted him to understand where he came from, and where his ancestors came from. So they decided to become detectives, uncovering the history of the Black experience in America.”
99% Invisible - Episode 411: Podcast Episode (September 1, 2020)
"After the 1970s oil crisis, the global economy went into a recession. American unemployment hit 11 percent. And suddenly, middle-class families didn't have money for name brands like Coke or Kellogg's. Consumers wanted cheaper food. In response, supermarkets had to figure out how to make their store brands more appealing. One chain in France, called Carrefour, was developing a discount store brand when they had an idea. Instead of using bright colors, or putting their own name on the box, or using slogans or beautiful photos, their products were brandless. They would include just the name of the food, in black text, on a white background. This minimalist design was a brilliant marketing tool. It delivered the message that the food was cheap, and the savings were being passed down to consumers. Then generic branding spread around the world."
MY TOP 5 SONGS OF 2020
Happiness – Little Mix (2020)
I was searching for happiness
I was using you to fill up my loneliness
Realized from the moment I set you free
I found the love, I found the love in me
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2 (1987)
I have run, I have crawled, I have scaled these city walls, these city walls, only to be with you
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
b – Marina (2020)
Mother nature’s dying, nobody’s keeping score
I don’t wanna live in a man’s world anymore
Everything I Own – Bread (1972)
And I would give anything I own, give up my life, my heart, my home
I would give everything I own, just to have you back again
Golden - Harry Styles (2019)
Golden, golden, golden, as I open my eyes
Hold it, focus, hoping, take me back to the light
I know you were way too bright for me, I'm hopeless, broken
So you wait for me in the sky, browns my skin just right
