Happily, reports that the world would end this year have proven exaggerated (although it should be pointed out that this largely depends on where you are on the planet at the moment). So, it is with gratitude for dodging calamity another trip around the sun (excluding the water heater incident…) that we humbly submit this year’s report which we hope you’ve rescued from the dreaded Junk Mail folder of your email and can read below. We’re especially happy to include, for a record second year, updates from Malena and Owen’s significant others, Scott and Juliette, one of whom has some exciting news to convey—so please slog through everything to get to that. And most of all, many thanks to friends and family for all the wonderful holiday cards and messages we’ve received, and hoping we can reply and connect in person soon in 2023!
—Kevin, Ann, Malena & Scott, Owen & Juliette
Kevin
2022 Personal Highlights/Lowlights/Honorable Mentions
COVID virgin, vaccine veteran (five and counting), serial guitar aficionado (now learning pedal steel), mindfulness meditation believer, cholesterol skeptic, intermittent faster, continuous questioner, ex-political partisan, and newly agnostic independent. Insufficiently obsessive about: effective philanthropy. Excessively obsessive about: gutter cleaning (see, “You Shouldn’t Go Up On The Roof”).
Laughed/Cried About
SuperNature, by comic genius Ricky Gervais (Netflix)/ January 6 apologists (see also, “whataboutism”)
Recommended (Or Not)- Book: The Status Game/On Social Position and How We Use It, by Will Storr (a workably unified theory of all human behavior).
- Book: 41-Love: On Addictions, Tennis, and Refusing to Grow Up, by Scarlett Thomas (a captivating telling of middle age obsession told through tennis).
- Book: Sources of the River: Tracking David Thompson Across North America, by Jack Nisbet (the fascinating story of the second person to traverse the entire length of the Columbia River, the first being a transgender native).
- Audiobook: The Cold Millions: A Novel, by Jess Walter (highly entertaining retelling of the early labor movement in Spokane, Washington, with woman and mountain lion vaudeville act thrown in).
- Podcast: HardTalk with Stephen Sackur, BBC Sounds (one of the few journalists left standing who not only knows how to ask a question of his guests, but insists on answers not just talking points).
Hopes/Aspirations for 2023
Sail and ski the fjords of Tromso, Norway, another band concert or two, finish memorizing George Bailey’s soliloquy from It’s A Wonderful Life.
Quotes
“There is, even now, something of ill-omen, amongst us. I mean the increasing disregard for law which pervades the country; the growing disposition to substitute the wild and furious passions, in lieu of the sober judgment of Courts; and the worse than savage mobs, for the executive ministers of justice. At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad.” —Abraham Lincoln, Address Before the Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois, January 27, 1838
“Humor can be dissected, as a frog can, but the thing dies in the process…” —E. B. White
Ann
2022 Personal Highlights/Lowlights/Honorable Mentions
- Highlight: trip to Zion and Bryce National Parks in June with Malena (had never been there, and really enjoyed hiking with her and seeing the amazing geological formations).
- Another highlight: watching hours of the best World Cup ever!
- Best of all: niece Marley McFadden’s beautiful wedding in Lake Placid, NY to Zach (October 2022).
Laughed/Cried About
Laughed (and cried) about Trump’s latest scam: the Trump NFT trading cards (see the latest here).
Recommended
Favorite books: The Memoir of Stockholm Sven and The Sweetness of Water….both great stories that remind us that even in the most inhospitable conditions, we are not beyond the bonds of love.
Hopes/Aspirations for 2023
Staying healthy, traveling a bit more, taking time to keep in touch.
Heard To Say
“Has anyone seen my phone?”
Malena
2022 Personal Highlights/Lowlights/Honorable Mentions
2022 was a big year of milestones: I turned 30 in February and promptly began suffering from lower back pain. COVID finally caught me in April. Scott and I got engaged in August! I completed a 50K (31 mile) trail run in September. I got bangs.
Laughed/Cried About
I cried when Roe vs. Wade was overturned. I doom-scrolled for hours when Russia invaded Ukraine. I worried I got and gave COVID. I winced through a shoulder dislocation.
I smiled when I held Kaia (cousin’s newborn daughter) for the first time. I cheered when the Inflation Reduction Act passed with real climate action legislation. I laughed throughout many live performances at Drunken Owl Theater. I happy-cried listening to Brandi Carlile sing at the Gorge.
Recommended
- A weekend getaway to Astoria, Oregon
- Terra.do – a 3-month online course into the full climate change landscape
- Big Sky Bluegrass Festival
- The Eighth Life, by Nino Haratischwili
- Volts Podcast with David Roberts
Hopes/Aspirations for 2023
To get married!
Quotation/Heard To Say
Slava Ukraini!
Scott
Highlights!
There were too many highlights for a concise narrative. So, bullet points it is! Bullet points are listed in no particular order:
- Malena agreed to marry me!
- Live Music
- Punch Brothers
- Wailin’ Jennys
- Sam Bush & The Travelin’ McCourys
- Hiss Golden Messenger
- Tedeschi Trucks Band (NY Show)
- Skiing at Big Sky & The Yellowstone Club
- Mountain biking in Taos, NM
- Not one, but two half-marathons
Laughed/Cried About
I shed a few tears of ecstasy while cheering on the Seattle Sounders as they became the first US soccer club to ever become CONCACAF Champions!
Recommended (Or Not)
- Best Restaurant: Tesuque Marketv outside of Santa Fe, NM
- Chile Rellenos with Christmas sauce
- Carne Adovada Tacos with red chile sauce
- Most Notable Hike: The Bailey Range Traverse (3.5 Stars)
- Best Book: Blood & Thunder by Hampton Sides (Recommend)
- Best TV/Film: Severance, The Northman (Recommend)
- Visiting New York City for the first time
- The Met was more impressive than expected
- Central Park was less impressive than expected
Hopes/Aspirations for 2023
My aspirations for 2023 is to break the mindless COVID doom scroll habit, be more ‘present’ and enjoy real moments to their fullest.
Quotation/Heard To Say
“Mañana: it doesn’t have to be tomorrow, but it’s definitely not today.” —State motto of New Mexico
Owen
2022 Personal Highlights/Lowlights/Honorable Mentions
- Graduated from UW’s Master of Urban Planning program (highlight) / writing a thesis (lowlight) / transition to the job market with limited trauma (tbd)
- Skiing Mount St. Helens with Malena (highlight)
- Received my Private Pilot License; flew to eat a >$100 cheeseburger with Uncle Jeff (highlight)
- First bout of COVID aligning with tickets for Sounders championship (lowlight) / Entirety of World Cup (highlight)
Laughed/Cried About
Atlanta (TV) / the heating bill in our new rental house
Recommended Books
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee / City: Rediscovering the Center by William Whyte / The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union by Serhii Plokhy
Hopes/Aspirations for 2023
Growing a single vegetable in our backyard garden.
Quote
“It’s better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than in the air wishing you were on the ground.” —Pilot’s adage
Juliette
2022 Highlights
- Backpacking The Enchantments with one new friend and six strangers (three of whom had never camped before). A beautiful trip and a lot of fun to feel like the most knowledgeable person in the room in an outdoors setting (a rarity; possibly a hazard). Also, a great reminder to strive to make the outdoors feel accessible and welcoming to friends who didn’t grow up accessing it. Glad to report that the Enchantments are indeed enchanting!
- Moving in to a stand-alone house with Owen and slowly building the kitchen of our dreams (see most recently acquired kitchen gadget and please pass along favorite recipes)
- Returning to NYC for a week of reunion with old friends, delicious food, great music, and visiting favorite spots
- Watching the midterms results stream in with an unexpected smile on my face (for the most part)
- Sitting in a hot tub in Palm Springs watching TikToks of Seattle-ites slipping down icy streets (shout-out to the Harrangs!)
Laughed About/Cried About
Have enjoyed watching the downfall of many annoying businessmen, including but not limited to: Elon Musk and SBF, + several bad days for Trump
Recommended
- TV: Severance
- Music: SZA’s new album SOS, + purchasing tickets to the next Sharon Van Etten concert
- Book: Breasts and Eggs
- Food: the burger at Taurus Ox, anything at Kedai Makan (soon to re-open), Brothers Cousins Tacos stand in LA, or couscous with creamy feta and chickpeas at home
Hopes/Aspirations for 2023
- Through-hike The Enchantments in one day
- Plan an exciting international trip (Japan??)
- Find a new and energizing job
- Learn how to throw clay / use a pottery wheel
- See more live music / theater
6 Responses
What a wonderful Family report. Thanks for sharing such loving and thoughtful stories. Happy New Year!
Thanks for writing and sharing this report – – Thoughtful and celebratory
Happy New year
Eric
My favorite Christmas card! Thanks for including us. Have a wonderful year. Elaine
Awesome update! Congrats to Malena and Scott!!
We love the family Year in Review email. Can’t wait to see everyone in August! Here’s to a great 2023!
John & Sharon
Absolutely loved this Kevin! Thanks for sharing and I look forward to future posts. SO glad to have you in my inbox now 🙂 Much love to your darling family and tell them I have many shows and books in the cue now b/c of their recs. Love it!