My 2022 Retrospective

If you’re reading this blog post, you’re likely thinking to yourself, “Is that title a typo? Alexa does know it’s 2024 and that last year was 2023, right?” This title is, in fact, not a typo – I’m writing up a retrospective for 2022 because 1) I can do whatever I want to on this blog since 2) it’s partly a look into my life and 3) my yearly retrospectives are a personal blog tradition.

Since it’s been over a full year since 2022 ended, I had to dig a little bit into my journal to remind myself where I was at the end of that year. If 2021 was the year when it felt like my life was starting to find a regular groove again and everything was starting to pick up, 2022 was simultaneously one of the most fun and most difficult years of my life.

Truthfully, one of the defining aspects of 2022 was just work-related stress. I was overtaxed, overanxious and constantly challenged by my work life for at least two thirds of the year. I cried a whole lot, went into multiple anxiety spirals, was struggling with sleep and panic attacks and fending off illness; I was constantly struggling to just get to work, questioning all the choices I’d ever made in my life and making panicked contingency plans for how to just get out. I’m so lucky to be able to say I made it through, and I genuinely could not have done that without my support systems.

2022 wasn’t all terrible times though, because there were so many wonderful things that I got to do with Macky, family and friends (more on that in a moment!). Luckily, I can now, in hindsight, refer to 2022 as a crucible year since it felt like I was severely tested and came out as someone brand new who feels surer of herself in all the ways – relationships, capabilities, preferences, goals, dreams and lifestyle. The most important lessons I learned were the necessity of a support system you can really lean on in times of hardship (and I’m so fortunate to have some of the best), understanding the real importance of delegation and asking for help when you need it, and how, oftentimes, the only way out is through.

Anyway, on to the actual reason I wanted to do this retrospective even two years later – a collection of memories that I made and truly cherish in 2022! It was fun going down memory lane, and it definitely made me feel super warm & fuzzy to see the good stuff that happened in 2022.

JANUARY: Taylor Swift-themed Candlelit Concert; Grey’s first snow day

FEBRUARY: Flew to LA for Greyson’s birthday, baptism + first Disney visit; painted ceramics with my sisters at Color Me Mine; Patrick Droney concert with Rachel; Polonsky Exhibition at NYPL with Danica; the Met with the Asian Aunties + Grey

MARCH: Jennifer E. Smith + Rebecca Serle event; Dua Lipa concert with the Woodside Fam; Pat’s Back to the 90s party; Van Gogh experience with my sisters; Brooklyn High Low tea

APRIL: Ed Sheeran-themed Candlelit Concert; The Script concert with Mel & Steven; Six the Musical with Rachel; NYBG visit with Rachel, Danica + Grey

MAY: Escape the Room with Woodside Fam; Macky’s A Very Merry Unbirthday party; first picnic and first beach day of the year; Six the Musical with Macky + Rachel; Memorial Day picnic at Gantry

JUNE: Company the Musical with Macky; a beach day with the girls; flew to North Carolina for Olivia’s birthday; James Bay concert with Macky and Danica; Sojo Spa Club day with my sisters; MJ the Musical with Rachel; mini-reunion with roomie Rach

JULY: 4th of July get-together; Bastille Day hangout; Mel’s Kleinfeld session; Kristin’s birthday hangout

AUGUST: Birthday festivities + a luau party

SEPTEMBER: the last beach day of the year; Into the Woods with Woodside Fam; James Bay with Woodside Fam + Danica; pottery class with the sisters; The Music Man with Macky; Cold Spring outing with Rachel, Foul Lady Fortune book event

OCTOBER: Gustav Klimt: Gold in Motion experience; NYCC; New York Coffee Festival; Coach Gabe visits; The Atlas Paradox + Strike the Zither book events; Joe Hisaishi Candlelit Concert; Halloween with Greyson

NOVEMBER: Monet’s Garden experience with Danica; Mel’s bridal shower weekend getaway; Mela arrives to stay for a while; Thanksgiving in Connecticut; Amaze Light Festival with the fam

DECEMBER: MerryMas with the dumdums; The Poison Season book event; visiting the Philippines (and not being able to do anything because I got COVID); & Juliet with the dumdums; Met visit with Danica and Mela, Christmas festivities

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for my upcoming 2023 retrospective post!