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Allison Larkin

Internationally Best-Selling Author

You are here: Home / year in review / 2010 in Review

2010 in Review

January 10, 2011 Filed Under: year in review





I love this meme!  It’s such a nice way to reflect on the past year.  I swiped it from Jess again.  Here’s my review from last year:  part one & part two. 


1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
There’s that whole having a book published thing, and going on a book tour.  I also made a quilt.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn’t really make any, so does that count as keeping them?  This year, I’ve decided I will eat fewer marshmallows (notice I did not say I’m giving them up), finish my next book, and learn how to sew from a pattern.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes!  And there are some very special babies on the way, too!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

J’s grandfather passed away.

5. What countries did you visit?

Just this one. My travel was USA-centric. 

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

Better work/life balance.  I’ve been trying to start off 2011 with a schedule for work that leaves me time and space to plug in some leisure time too.  And, I could probably stand to vacuum more often.  2010 was not lacking in dog hair tumbleweeds, and I’d like it if 2011 was. 

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

I’m not good at remembering dates, but here are two.  June 11, 2010 – My very first book signing. July 10, 2010 – I had the most perfect day swimming in Lake Michigan with our niece & nephew.  


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Of course, the book.  But I’m also so proud of how far TheGreenists.com has come.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I was really hard on myself this year.  If I could go back and talk to Decemeber 2009 Allie, I’d warn her to back the eff off me in the coming year.  But I think in the process I learned, finally, how to be kind to myself.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Well, there was the dreaded lurgy.  And I had some stupid little coughs and colds and bumps and bruises here and there.  You can’t live with two German Shepherds and not get some bumps and bruises and stubbed toes along the way (I am so not alone in this, btw).  But overall, especially considering how much traveling I did and how little sleep I got while traveling, I faired pretty well on the health front this year (and am knocking wood like a crazy person right now).  I’d like to thank my little spray bottle of CleanWell for abating my germaphobia sufficiently during my travels.


11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets and a new sewing machine.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

You guys!  All the support and kind words and blog posts and tweets – I wish I could hug all of you.  I always hear people talk about the negativity out there on the internets, but I am always in awe of how many smart, kind, incredible people there are in Blogland, and I feel so lucky to know you. 

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

I was completely heartsick over something that happened a few months ago. But in the interest of taking the higher ground, I’m going to tell you, instead, that the whole experience reinforced, on a much deeper level, how vital my friendships are to my life, and how important it is to me to take the time to nurture them.


14. Where did most of your money go?
My book tour.  Yes, most of us authors pay for our own book tours.  But it was an amazing life experience and I’m thrilled that I had the opportunity to tour.  I wouldn’t trade it for anything.


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Seeing old friends and meeting blog/twitter friends in person for the first time.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

This one.  Because I turned 33 in 2010, so the lyrics “years go rolling, you’re thirty-three,” were bouncing around in my head all year.  I also think it’s such a great representation of what early-thirties life is all about.  Sometimes, I would still like to cry when I skin my knee.  Wouldn’t you?  Mark Erelli has a great cover of it as his free MP3 of the month.  


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder?  

I think this year I’ve learned to be more comfortable being sad when I’m sad, and it makes being happy when I’m happy all the sweeter.
  
b) thinner or fatter?

Well, I didn’t decide to cut down on marshmallows for nothing.  But I still fit in my jeans.

c) richer or poorer?

It’s funny, because I think many people have the idea that once you sell a book you’re set for life.  I will, again, direct you to this amazing post by Nicole Peeler, if you’re curious about the financial side of being a writer.


18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Relax.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Worry.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Warm and cozy at home with J. And visiting with friends who were in town for the holidays.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?

J and I will be celebrating seven years of marriage in 2011, and I love him more than I thought it was possible to love someone.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Veronica Mars.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

The people who cancelled Veronica Mars. :)

24. What was the best book you read?

I refuse to choose.  It’s just too hard. 

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Chris Pureka.  I cannot get enough of Dryland.  It’s such a perfect album.  I want to crawl inside it.

26. What did you want and get?

Sewing machine.

27. What did you want and not get?

World peace, a solution for global warming, and an Easy Bake Oven.  Seriously, I didn’t have one as a kid, and I still kind of want one.  Although, I’m guessing they don’t make gluten-free Easy Bake cake mix, and at 33, I’m allowed to use the actual oven, which I don’t even like doing, really, so it’s kind of a silly thing to want, right?

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

TiMER. 

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

33, and I can’t even remember what we did for my birthday.  I hope the two things aren’t related to each other.  

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Getting to see my far-away friends much more often.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

We’ll call it, Allie, you cannot wear yoga pants to book signings.  I now actually own clothes that are not jeans or workout wear.  And more than 3 pairs of shoes.  This is a MAJOR improvement. 

32. What kept you sane?

J, the dogs, my friends, marshmallows. 

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Can Peter MacNicol be in every television show ever made?  Because I would like that.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

You all know how I feel about the environment.  


35. Who did you miss?
I got to see so many of my friends this year, but it made not seeing them regularly all that much harder. 

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I met so many amazing people this year while I was out and about touring, and it was awesome.  Also, this lady is pretty fantastic. 

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.

I’ve learned to recognize that I can only ask so much of myself.  Downtime is just as much a part of accomplishing things as active time.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. (I think I’m going to change this to the Bob Schneider song lyric that sums up my year.)

“Sometimes I feel like Superman, sometimes I’m just recuperating.”   This song was on my playlist for Van when I wrote STAY, and I really really love that line.  

6 Comments

Comments

  1. flurrious says

    January 10, 2011 at 11:51 pm

    Okay, your resolution makes me laugh. Just how many marshmallows did you eat this year?

    Reply
  2. Sara says

    January 11, 2011 at 3:58 pm

    I still want an Easy Bake too! I got one as a kid that had to be returned because it didn’t work or something. I’ve pined for one ever since. Sigh.

    Reply
  3. Mickey says

    January 11, 2011 at 4:37 pm

    Being a fan and follower (in the “keeping up with your blog” sense, not the “Manson family” sense) of Allie Larkin, I’d say that, yeah, you had a pretty good year.

    Keep it up in 2011!

    Also, I never thanked you for the ornament. Thank you for the ornament!

    Reply
  4. courtney says

    January 12, 2011 at 3:53 am

    Yay for The Greenists in 2010! Here’s to 2011 being even better! And I can’t wait to read your next book!

    Reply
  5. The Modern Gal says

    January 13, 2011 at 2:15 am

    I had no idea that authors paid for their own tours and such.

    It does sound like you had a mostly great year. I can identify with so many of your responses too.

    Like MIckey, I’m not sure I ever thanked you for the ornament. I love it!

    Reply
  6. Allie says

    January 19, 2011 at 4:26 pm

    Flurrious – Let’s just say that I bought one of those HUGE HUGE warehouse store bags of marshmallows around Thanksgiving, and there are maybe 10 left.

    Sara – I think there should be a FB support group for people who never got Easy Bakes.

    Mickey – You’re welcome! And thank you!

    Courtney – Thank you! And yes, I think 2011 is the year of The Greenists!

    MG – You’re welcome! And yeah, most authors are footing the bill for their book tours. The huge names probably don’t. But it was a great excuse to visit friends. :)

    Reply

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Glamour shot. #dailyroxydog #huskymix #chihuahuami Glamour shot. #dailyroxydog #huskymix #chihuahuamix #huskychihuahuadachshund #dog
How’s relaxing going, you ask? Well, so far I’ How’s relaxing going, you ask? Well, so far I’ve cleaned the gutters and raced Roxy to the vet ER to determine she did not (thankfully) eat any of the scrap of composite plastic decking she magically found out of freaking nowhere. (Getting pet insurance was the smartest thing I’ve ever done). I’m extremely bad at rest. Although I do find puttering around the house kind of meditative. Cleaning the gutters exhausted my body, but calmed my mind (briefly).
This is our neighbor, Francis. We visit Francis a This is our neighbor, Francis. We visit Francis a couple times a week and we all like to stand around staring at each other. It’s lovely. Francis seems just as interested in us as we are in them. (And look at that stance! And Francis’s little paw resting on the ledge 😍). #groundsquirrel #groundsquirrelsofinstagram #dailyroxydog #dogstagram #neighbors
I don’t think there’s anything more comforting I don’t think there’s anything more comforting than lying in a hammock. I’m exhausted. I’ve pushed against the limits of my being very hard all summer working on my draft and I definitely need to soak up some calm quiet on a large scale. Which is also to say if I owe you a call/email/text, it might take me a week or two to circle back. I’m going to catch up with myself and then with everyone else this time. Which I think might mean spending as much time as I can lying in my hammock listening to birds. #rest
There are few greater joys than a long walk with a There are few greater joys than a long walk with a curious little dog. #dailyroxydog #seenonmywalk #dogsofinstagram
All I ever want is an endless stream of tiny snack All I ever want is an endless stream of tiny snacks to crunch while I’m working. But since I have MCAS and it limits my diet, most of what I eat is food I make myself. Thankfully, corn tortillas are a safe food for me (everyone’s MCAS is different — so please don’t take my safe foods as any kind of sign they’re safe for someone else who has MCAS). Today, I remembered that I  have tiny cookie cutters, so I made myself a bowl of mini chips. I tossed them with lime juice and salt and threw them in the air fryer. And then, of course, because I don’t want to waste food, I did the same for the scrap pieces (which somehow tasted even better!). So happy! #tortillachips
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