alaina cyr

As one typically does at the end of a year, I’ve been thinking back over 2014 and reflecting on some of my highlights. 2014 was a pretty good year as far as they go, and I want remember the highlights as the years go by. So here’s a bit of a recap.

I made a bunch of quilts. Naturally, quilting was a big part of the beginning, middle, and end of 2014. I finished 5 throughout the year (January, March, June, and 2 in December), and worked on another 2 that didn’t get finished this year (called UFOs – or UnFinished Objects – in quilting lingo). I’ve now finished 9 quilts with another 4 UFOs in the works.

I could probably survive the initial outbreak of the zombie apocalypse, but being a zombie is a lot less stress. In April I went to Zombie Survival Camp and learn how to fight off the living dead while keeping myself alive and healthy between attacks. Shelter building, wild edibles, and fieldcraft lessons were my favourite, and we got to use a few of these skills during the simulated outbreak. I survived, but just barely. It was a stressful weekend, but I’m glad I did it.

In October I went back to the camp as a zombie volunteer. TFO was there filming, and caught me on film.

I tried my hand at a few different types of weaponry. I did axe throwing. I did paintball. I did archery. I did improvised weaponry. I can be a badass if I need to be.

I reconnected with some awesome friends. As a kid I always wondered how my parents could still be “friends” with people who they hadn’t talked to in years. I get it now. I got the chance to catch up with my childhood friend Nina, my university friend Shanyne, and my internet friends (too many to name) over this past year. Although it had been years since I’d been in touch with many of them, it took only minutes for me to remember why we’re friends in the first place. I am so very thankful for them, even if it’s years between chatting.

I met the important people in my friends & families’ lives. I got to meet my sister Amanda’s fiance Ryan, my friend Shanyne’s best friend Renee, and my friend Nina’s partner Andrew. They are all awesome people and I’m glad to have met them.

I saw some awesome concerts. I don’t go to many concerts anymore, instead selecting only those that really excite me. Over the summer I got to see some of my favourites: Run The Jewels, Danny Brown, Galactic, and Big Freedia.

I had an academic article written, submitted, and accepted. It took 2 rounds of reviews including major and minor edits, but a manuscript my classmate Natalie and I started in June was just accepted for publication in early December. You’ll hear more about this once it’s published.

I was the belle of the Zombie Prom. We celebrated Hallowe’en as Lydia Deetz and Beetlejuice at the Zombie Prom. It was a great night with a lot of dancing. I have never had so many people ask to take my picture before, but everyone wanted a picture with Lydia Deetz. Every time I left the dancefloor I’d be stopped by at least 3 different people! I don’t know how I’m going to top that for next year’s costume…

I turned 30. OK, I won’t forget that one.

I lost 3 people who taught me a lot about empathy and compassion. I hadn’t even met 2 of them in real life, but knowing them has made me a better person. I know they’ve each made a significant impact in other people’s lives, and their legacies will live on in people like me. Thank you, Lindsey, Alicia, and Pam.

It was a good year for Mike & I. I can’t think of any specific details, but my marriage had a really good year. Our relationship got stronger and we’re at the best we’ve ever been.

“And strange to think that pretty much every word in them was contained in my Da’s dictionary back home. You can pull any book you want out of a dictionary, like a magician pulling flowers from a wand.” – Spanish Fly by William Ferguson