Looking back on this year...

[Artemesia's Garden]

What were the best and worst things that happened to you? What is the best thing you did for others?

[BlackCurtains]

This year was not kind to me. I lost my sister to cancer and I'm watching as both of my parents decline.

The best thing is that my 19 year old cat is still alive and well. She has a healthy appetite and is very cuddly and loving.

I'm really not sure I did anything for others. I call my mom everyday and tell her I love her.

[Ponybookworm]

Best things: three jabs & three day-trips with them!!!
My first Argies, getting back to Customs, felt costumes, the Ponies I got from here, & Snowel Pegasus!!!
All the sorting!!! Got so much rubbish, recycling & dead stuff out it's a huge relief!!!
The return of the coffee morning!!!

Worst: the fact we're STILL in a pandemic
Therefore still no: counselling, support group access (even if there was one), eye tests, & a bunch of other things, because the maximum time I can wear a mask is like half an hour
My glasses broke AFTER I had a chance to see even a local optician (a bus ride away so if it's not a jab day I don't) to fix them
My mood us still not the best.

I know people have had worse than I have this year, but I also know every issue is valid xxx

Things done for others: been part of online communities who support each other through low moods & crises, this one included. BC, sharky snuggles xxx

[Artemesia's Garden]

This year was not kind to me. I lost my sister to cancer and I'm watching as both of my parents decline.

The best thing is that my 19 year old cat is still alive and well. She has a healthy appetite and is very cuddly and loving.

I'm really not sure I did anything for others. I call my mom everyday and tell her I love her.

I know you've had a tough one. But I also know how considerate you are to your family and that's the best thing anyone can do for others IMO.

Best things: three jabs & three day-trips with them!!!
My first Argies, getting back to Customs, felt costumes, the Ponies I got from here, & Snowel Pegasus!!!
All the sorting!!! Got so much rubbish, recycling & dead stuff out it's a huge relief!!!
The return of the coffee morning!!!

Worst: the fact we're STILL in a pandemic
Therefore still no: counselling, support group access (even if there was one), eye tests, & a bunch of other things, because the maximum time I can wear a mask is like half an hour
My glasses broke AFTER I had a chance to see even a local optician (a bus ride away so if it's not a jab day I don't) to fix them
My mood us still not the best.

I know people have had worse than I have this year, but I also know every issue is valid xxx

Things done for others: been part of online communities who support each other through low moods & crises, this one included. BC, sharky snuggles xxx

I agree it felt good to get those vaccines. We just got back from getting husband's booster. I also need new glasses and the dentist so I feel you on that. I miss my therapist too but I don't get as much out of it over the phone for sure. It is good to be part of these communities. I don't have a community anymore since I moved house during the pandemic so here is the nearest thing I have.

[Taffeta]

Honestly, 2021 hasn't existed for me at all, nor my family really.

I guess that's the thing I've done for other people, though? Put my life continuously on hold to keep my parents safe and help them with stuff like deliveries, collecting medicine and other things? They feel guilty about this, especially my mother, but it's not them I hold responsible.

In the summer I had to turn down a job in London because pandemic logistics made it impossible for me to relocate. To be explicit, I can't navigate and can't handle logistical stuff on my own, but can't safely take my parents into a pandemic situation to resolve those issues. So I had to pass it up. The only positive from it being that I know I am capable of getting a job even in this climate. Hopefully next year will allow me to.

The positives of this year - spending time in the garden, spending quality time with my parents which I know in the future I won't regret. Spending so much time with the water birds down at the pond, who now come out onto the side to greet us when we go down there. Roaming around new areas on the few occasions sister has been around. Building my website....stuff like that.

But my life went on pause in March 2020 and it hasn't come off pause yet. Every moment I think it can, something else happens to mean it can't. I may be a little bitter, but I'm trying not to become jaded about it.

Vaccines are also a good thing, but antivaxxers upset me just in general for reasons I've explained before. So having to constantly hear about them and their nonsense is irritating white noise that doesn't help.

I guess this is quite a negative post. Sorry about that.

[tailrustedtealeaf]

The best thing is I graduated college and finally met my S/O in real life. I'm not sure what the worst is? I guess that I have to find a job. Pretty mild year.

[SpacePinto]

This year sucked, the only good things I can recall were getting vaccinated, completing an old checklist from 2014 that had been lying around for years, catching up on The Simpsons and taking a few interesting walks. I didn't really do anything for others, unless donating some old junk to charity counts.

[SweetNightmare]

This year was pretty meh I guess. Most of it I spent at home.
The best thing that happened was definitely the visit from my boyfriend (since we haven't seen each other since December 2019).
And I guess the worst part of the year was saying goodbye to him when he had to leave
I really hope that in 2022 we can finally figure out a way that to live together.

[Artemesia's Garden]

Honestly, 2021 hasn't existed for me at all, nor my family really.

I guess that's the thing I've done for other people, though? Put my life continuously on hold to keep my parents safe and help them with stuff like deliveries, collecting medicine and other things? They feel guilty about this, especially my mother, but it's not them I hold responsible.

In the summer I had to turn down a job in London because pandemic logistics made it impossible for me to relocate. To be explicit, I can't navigate and can't handle logistical stuff on my own, but can't safely take my parents into a pandemic situation to resolve those issues. So I had to pass it up. The only positive from it being that I know I am capable of getting a job even in this climate. Hopefully next year will allow me to.

The positives of this year - spending time in the garden, spending quality time with my parents which I know in the future I won't regret. Spending so much time with the water birds down at the pond, who now come out onto the side to greet us when we go down there. Roaming around new areas on the few occasions sister has been around. Building my website....stuff like that.

But my life went on pause in March 2020 and it hasn't come off pause yet. Every moment I think it can, something else happens to mean it can't. I may be a little bitter, but I'm trying not to become jaded about it.

Vaccines are also a good thing, but antivaxxers upset me just in general for reasons I've explained before. So having to constantly hear about them and their nonsense is irritating white noise that doesn't help.

I guess this is quite a negative post. Sorry about that.

I didn't know you got selected for a role, congrats. It's a shame they couldn't make it work out for you with home working but as you say, it's good that you know you can be selected. Taking care of your parents is great and also I know lots of UK pony people go to your website for that info, I would be constantly second-guessing myself if you hadn't collected it all in one place  It's good to help make sense of my childhood memories.

This year sucked, the only good things I can recall were getting vaccinated, completing an old checklist from 2014 that had been lying around for years, catching up on The Simpsons and taking a few interesting walks. I didn't really do anything for others, unless donating some old junk to charity counts.

For sure clearing out stuff and giving it to charity counts! We have a load of stuff we need to donate but keep failing to get around to it.

The best thing is I graduated college and finally met my S/O in real life. I'm not sure what the worst is? I guess that I have to find a job. Pretty mild year.

Congrats on graduating college and having a little romance 

This year was pretty meh I guess. Most of it I spent at home.
The best thing that happened was definitely the visit from my boyfriend (since we haven't seen each other since December 2019).
And I guess the worst part of the year was saying goodbye to him when he had to leave
I really hope that in 2022 we can finally figure out a way that to live together.

Meh is such a good word. I was living in a flat away from my husband at the start of lockdown to be near work. I was only staying with him at the weekends. Giving up my flat was really hard even though it was only a rental, because I'd been there for 5 years. So I went through the whole process of moving in with him, then we bought a house together, then I got a new job nearer to the house. It was much easier to get married than do all of the other stuff! I don't know why people do all the hard stuff first and then get married as though getting married is the hard thing. Having the security of being married made it easier for me to change my life to be with him. It's been a crazy year. But I spent too long in LDRs when I was younger and to be honest I really regret it. I hope it works out for you guys.