This is the fourth time I will answer the following questions on my Schnickschnack blog. Here are 2014, 2015 and 2016
1. What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before?
I went surfing. I don't even know of this counts, because it was only on the Citywave but it was definitely a lot of fun. (I'm the one on the right, the others are two of my students)
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I finished the 30 days yoga challenge and a few other yoga challenges as well. Though sometimes I didn't have time to do daily yoga, I found my way back to the mat again and again. I quit my journaling again but at least I started a yoga journal where I write down what I did, stuff that inspires me and I even started planning my own practices. I tried to enjoy life and I tried not to fight stuff I couldn't change. Sometimes I managed that better, sometimes less so, but I tried.
My resolutions for next year: Say no to more work as often as possible, do yoga wherever I can, actually do nice things for others instead of just thinking of doing it.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My friend Anja had her second baby boy. As you can see she was very excited (it was such a muggy day when we took these photos and we had a lot of fun trying not to melt)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Fortunately it was a more quiet year and nobody I knew closely died.
5. What countries did you visit?
In January I went to Germany for a day to have a late birthday lunch with my parents.
In April we went to California and did a road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I loved driving along the coast for two weeks and stopping in so many beautiful places.
In July Yannick and I went to Hamburg and to the North Sea. The tide and the wadden sea and all the ships were so beautiful.
In October I went to Portugal again and did lots of yoga and daily walks along the Atlantic.
Being close to the sea was definitely very important for me this year. I am glad that I will be spending two weeks at the Mediterranean Sea next April.
6. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?
Finding better connection to Yannick again. I hope it's just a long intense teenager-y phase that we have been going through for the last few months. We had our good moments, but they were few and far between.
7. What dates from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Walking / sledging down the Üetliberg with Y&A and my brother.
Sitting outside in the winter sun at Furgglis with Y&A.
The Yoga Retreat in Feldis.
Giving my mom an iPhone for her 70th birthday.
The sunrise at the pool at Twenty-Nine Palm Trees.
The walk along the beach next to the Moro Rock.
Encountering a snake on my way back at Harmony Headlands State Park.
Seeing lots and lots of dolphins and a big group of orcas on our whale tour from Monterey.
Drinking coffee with a fantastic view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Depeche Mode concert at the Letzigrund with Ste.
Watching Game of Thrones with Antonia and doing a drinking game.
Knitting outside the Schopf in the heat of summer.
Hanging out at the harbour in Hamburg with Yannick.
Bike tour along the dyke with Yannick.
A magical place at the Hallwilersee with Christina, Anna-Lina and Jonas.
Swimming out to the fountain at Seebadi Enge and ending up in Öerlikon.
Seeing the sun rise and watching it go down at the end of the day in Portugal.
Having to fight for money when I thought we'd found a solution years ago.
Drinking coffee with my mum and talking and listening.
Looking for the sun in the mountains with Antonia.
Right now watching the last of this years' candles go out and smelling the burnt resin.
There were many more little moments and encounters that I remember. I am so glad to have so many great people in my life!
That I stayed true to myself.
9. What was your biggest failure?
That I let myself be shaken up by things that were out of my hands.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, it was a good year. I've been having a bit of a cold for the last few weeks but that's all.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
If I bought it this year (which I think I did): My Bosé boom box. It made so many cooking and cleaning sessions a lot more fun.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My mum's. She got diagnosed with breast cancer and has really surprised how she accepted her illness and keeps dealing with it.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
The men in my life were rather too intense for my liking (and I am not talking about new interesting romantic partners here).
14. Where did most of your money go?
Every day stuff and holidays. The latter is an excellent way to spend money, the best way really! I kind of relearnt that money isn't all that important, even though it helps for long trips.
15. What did you get really, really excited about?
Sledging makes my heart sing ;-) Enough snow is a rare thing in Zürich and as soon as it starts to stay on the ground my body gets all excited.
16. What song will always remind you of 2017?
Somebody by Martin Gore
This was recorded in London, but it was just like this in Zürich. A truly magical night that brought back so many memories and showed that some paths just keep crossing.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier, though it leans more towards content.
b) thinner or fatter? About the same. This is the worst possible time of the year to ask ;-)
c) richer or poorer? I don't know and I realised it's not that important.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Not done so much. Gone outside a bit more.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worried. And second guessed myself, so nothing has changed.
20. How did you be spend Christmas
We celebrated three times. With my cousins on the 9th, with my other cousin on the 18th and with most of the family on the 23rd. It was better than expected, some of it was actually really nice.
21. What were your favourite months of 2017?
April and all of summer and October.
22. Did you fall in love in 2017?
A little bit. Alte Liebe rostet nicht ;-)
23. How many one-night stands?
Nope.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Better Things - Big Little Lies - Brooklyn Nine-nine - Game of Thrones - Good Behaviour - Life in Pieces - Shameless - Stranger Things - The Handmaid's Tale - This is Us - Top of the Lake - Wilder
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate doesn't solve anything.
26. What was the best book you read?
I can't decide, so here are the two best books I read:
The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Whatever I find on Apple Music. I love the diversity and the surprises.
28. What did you want and get?
Many good moments that I lived mindfully.
29. What did you want and not get?
I don't know.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I remember "Die göttliche Ordnung". Again I barely went to the cinema.
I turned 46. My parents invited me to a pizzeria with Y&A. I was very tired after an intense couple of weeks but it was nice to go out anyway.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
No clue. It was a good year.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?
Very elegant and put together at all times. Haven't you seen me...
34. What kept you sane?
Friends and family, laughter, meditation and yoga, travelling, not taking it too seriously.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I would spend time with Xavier even though he is probably two heads shorter than I and he is a paid assassin.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
That weird American president who managed to stay, even though it doesn't make any sense from far away. In the beginning I thought he'd be gone quickly but it seems he can do whatever he wants without facing any consequences. #metoo made me think about the power between men and women and what it means for my own daughter.
37. Who did you miss?
My Grosmi.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Patric, Nadine and Philippe at school (I knew them the year before but now I know them better). Christina (I also knew her before but this year we spent so much time together)
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
She will listen to me
When I want to speak
...
And won't easily be converted
To my way of thinking
In fact she'll often disagree
But at the end of it all
She will understand me
