So here is my retrospective for 2018, focused on activities (in red for quick perusal) and purchases (in green) which added to my joy bucket:
I volunteered one day a week for AARP Tax Aid program. I was able to employ some of my skills and knowledge (including ad lib silliness and ability to fake a pleasant and nonjudgmental demeanor) It expanded my contacts with random others and heartened me to see other Americans fulfilling a citizenship responsibility with more grace and acceptance than our current tax structure deserves.
My boyfriend and I took a jaunt to Astoria in February for two nights. This annual gathering of Coots http://www.coots.org/ includes one event I always enjoy: the kick-off lunch, wherein an unknowable in advance dozen or so folks gather to share camaraderie and much humor and wit. Then THEY enjoy a tour of the Columbia River Maritime Museum and I spend the day enjoying Astoria's quirks, ambiance, and coffee shops. This has been fun for both of us three years in a row so, rinse and repeat.
In March I took a
friend's suggestion (amazingly) and took a class on Zentangle. More classes
followed. This watered my creative garden (long neglected) and gave me
much pleasure. Note to self: DO this on your own, silly.I unfroze my Audible account at $14.95/mo to enable spur of the moment (just because I want to, and it is unavailable through the library now) carbon free book acquisition. I love listening to books. And there is no sane argument why I would squeeze my budget down by this amount for “fiscal prudency”. I have that in abundance, and a dearth of readily attained joys. So There!
I boosted my charitable giving and financial support of pro democracy. Unlike in the past, where I only gave to deductible organizations, I widened it to fund the increased need on the political side to defend fairness, equity, and threatened values. This act does not actually supply joy, so much as it acts as a matching grant against the daily assaults which fill my anger and despair bucket (I acquired a much larger one in Nov. 2016).
I met a fellow tree lover in his role as an arborist. I have two glorious maple trees on the south side of my very shallow yard. They provide visual delight, blessed shade, and roof cooling. I love these guys. I called a tree removal company to assess if these friends are or will be uprooting my house foundation. I would mind that. He said the potential damage could be mitigated, and for my likely 20 more years in the only house I have ever loved, they can continue to throw shade and beauty at me. Also, we agreed that green moss is awesome.
I found Zumba. It brought joy, but alas, also pain. The only aerobic activity I have been able to do for extended periods is a) scheduled - so I will do it and b) dancing to music. When Jazzercise was available on a suspended floor I could participate. Without that kind of floor, I'm screwed from the soles of my feet to my hips. Note to self: keep looking for that magic combo.
And finally, two purchases that still bring daily joy: Less than $10 shoes laces that do not self untie, and a less than $900 carpet in my "cat room" to replace the much abused one with one designed to shrug off pet interactions (plus it is cushy and a lovely soft brown which delights me every time I go to change the litter box).