I know I have said this before, but every time I sit down to write an end-of-the-year post I’m like “eh, nothing happened” and it’s never true. Although I suppose for this year, it may be more accurate to say that I don’t have any big thoughts or commentary about the year. That said, here are the hits of 2022:
- I took and passed the DELE exam (finally!!)
- We went to Iceland! I got to pet an Icelandic goat!
- I read 51 books.
- I went to a few Sac Ballet performances with my friends and I saw a play called Proclivity for Kiting.
- I knit some cool socks, a hat, and a giant sweater.
- I started a new job again. I dearly hope I don’t need to find a job again this year. I can’t take it.
- I made some good foods and tried making some new things like samosas and a bakewell tart.
- I finished vision therapy after 52 weeks!
- I tried weed for the first (and second) time and found it underwhelming. I’m already unhinged when I’m sober so it doesn’t do a lot for me.
- We (mostly Kirk) set up a gym in the garage and we got a new air conditioning for our house. Homeownership!
- I got to perform in a dance recital on an actual stage and wear a pink top hat! Fashion!
![a sign in front of a classroom door with a room number and a sign taped on that says "DELE C1 21/05/2022"](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/IMG_20220521_082854791-scaled-e1653935315398-700x827.jpg)
![A view of the water at Orcas island at sunset. There are trees in shadow to one side and the shiloutte of a man in a hat on a very small boat](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/IMG_20220521_203721935_HDR-scaled-e1653935386107-700x502.jpg)
![a rubric showing the results of the DELE exam broken down by category and the overall score of "APTO" (passed)](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DELEscore-700x304.png)
![a program and ticket for the Chrysalis show at the Sacramento Ballet in the foreground with a blue curtain closed over the stage in the background](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_20220319_192528507-scaled-e1647795274603-700x584.jpg)
![Program for a play called Proclivity for Kiting held up so you can see the set in the background](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IMG_20220729_194558657-scaled-e1661019094544-700x871.jpg)
![me ready for my jazz dance performance. I'm wearing a pink top hat, sparkly black bow tie, and a black vest over a white shirt. I have glittery gold eye makeup and red lipstick on.](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/IMG_20221215_183734989-rotated-e1672161615485-700x828.jpg)
![Kirk and I standing together in front of the camera, looking tired and trying to look like we're having fun. The glacial lake is in the background.](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/P9280044-scaled-e1665316419444-700x506.jpg)
![Something like a shelf of waterfalls formed from lava cooling over a river. Brown rock covered in fall colors and water cascading into a light-blue river. A rainbow makes takes this photo completely over the top. Truly insane beauty.](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/PA020249-scaled-e1665319262770-700x422.jpg)
![I am crouching down to pet a white Icelandic goat. I look ecstatic (and cute)! The group is in the goat enclosure with everyone being hyped about goats](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/PA020280-scaled-e1665319438527-700x534.jpg)
![socks in a greyish yarn with pops of varigated color, blue cuff, heel and toe](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/IMG_20220525_081841110-1-scaled-e1653935742402-700x525.jpg)
![a pair of handknit socks with a varigated purple yarn as the main color and a creamy color on the cuff and toe. There's a small cable pattern running along the side of the sock.](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IMG_20220725_153100498-scaled-e1661018933348-700x625.jpg)
![multi-colored blue, knitted beret with a cable pattern repeating in a circle](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/IMG_20220825_095156036-scaled-e1662319819111-700x933.jpg)
![freshly fried samosas on a cooling rack. The samosas have bubbled up and browned with frying](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/IMG_20220626_141136117-scaled-e1656953594182-700x547.jpg)
![a small plate of cookies. The cookies are marbled, consisting of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla doughs rolled together. Each cookie is unique.](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_20220205_144120362-scaled-e1644170346670-700x571.jpg)
![two round loaves of pan de muerto on a wire rack](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_20221101_193503809-scaled-e1668378372890-700x525.jpg)
![Lito and I smiling at the camera with a beautiful view in the background. There's a very blue lake, pine trees, and stormy clouds rolling in](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/tahoe_2022-1-scaled-e1668542276852-700x933.jpg)
![a slice of tart on a black plate. the tart has a thin layer of jam on the botton, an almondy paste, and is covered in almond slivers. A red tart pan with the rest of the tart is in the background.](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_20220604_193625293-scaled-e1655049368331-700x476.jpg)
![a view of our garage gym showing a squat rack that only stands about a foot from the wall and has a pull-up bar. There's a bench standing up and tucked in the rack. There are weight plates off to one side.](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/IMG_20220831_122742089-scaled-e1662326492732-700x796.jpg)
![me, looking like a cyborg or something. I'm wearing a face mask and glasses. I have a red/green 3D lenses on plus a "flipper" set of lenses that chances the magnification. It's too much for one face.](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/IMG_20220505_101701476-e1653934796848-700x576.jpg)
I usually have a lot of ideas about what I want to do in the new year, but this year I have nothing. I have no specific goals and that feels good right now. I don’t mean to say that I’m going to do nothing (have you met me? lol), but I don’t have any grand gestures planned for my life at the moment. I plan to keep working on my Spanish and Icelandic, and going to dance classes. I’m sure I’ll find some new things to bake and I have many knitting patterns in my queue. That’s plenty for right now.
Finally, I present my 2023 mood board, featuring the vibes I hope to carry through this year. We’re having a good time, being weird, and bringing chaos and destruction upon our enemies. Here’s to the new year!
![a collage of images including the "eat cheese and sin" rat, a cat in sunglasses, a bi-pride flag covered in the words "women with swords and men with booty shorts," among other whimsical and silly images.](http://digitalmanticore.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023MoodBoard-700x496.png)