I did not blackout 2024
but I got a few bingos and had a delightful time
When 2024 began, I had no idea what was in store. I had some of my highest highs, and intense lows. On paper, I didn’t accomplish nearly as much as I hoped. Yet it felt deeply productive in many ways.
In the end of 2023, I actually left my corporate role (yes, the one that brought me to Oregon). While I made some fantastic friends, I hated the job, to the point that I cried regularly before and after work (and sometimes in the bathroom, let’s be real). With the support of my partner and my savings, I got the courage to quit. Just quit. No concrete next steps.
It was scary. It was also incredibly cathartic. I’d never done anything so irresponsible or untethered in my entire life.
I expected to dive into the job hunt in a month or so, but I quickly realized I had a lot more recuperation to do. One month turned into one year, and I ultimately spent 2024 intentionally jobless. There’s a lot more nuance to the situation that I’ll unpack in time.
My funemployment situation might suggest my 2024 bing card was an epic conquest. But it wasn’t. Ultimately, I completed only 15 of my 25 bingo squares, or 60%.
Without further ado, here are the items I did and did not complete in 2024.
did complete
Go to the beach
Since the Oregon coast is truly one of my favorite places, maybe this was a throwaway square. But it brings me joy so I added it. Accomplished this at least five times over.
Hike beacon rock
Go to a concert
Fall Out Boy and Jimmy Eats World in February. Emo kid forever.
Read 12 books
Develop a cookie recipe
Overachieved on this front and had four original or highly adapted recipes in the holiday cookie box.
Make christmas cookie boxes
Biggest check mark of them all. I still need to edit the vlog of the final 13 hour baking day…
Donate 10 bags of clothes
Get my ears double pierced
Host a holiday party
Hosted 13 for Friendsgiving and it was a delight!
Master macaron making
‘Master’ might be a stretch, but I can make them with relative consistency.
Do a 1,000 piece puzzle
Start a cookbook club
Truly one of my highlights of 2024. I’ll have a full post to come on this, including sharing a spreadsheet template and guidance if you want to start your own!
Go camping
Go to a new city
City is a stretch… but Seaside, OR!
Get a 30 day movement streak
did not complete
Plan an international vacation*
Paddle board in the cold*
Learn to sharpen knives
Climb a 10b top rope route
I did climb a little, but never got back to a 10b
Go backpacking
Send 12 thank you notes in the mail
Go star gazing
Find really good chicken tenders in Portland*
I tried, and will continue to try until I at satisfied.
Run a 5k race
Finish Luigi’s Mansion on the Ninetendo Switch
I do not play many video games, but I am seemingly incapable of finishing one so I really wanted to try this year. Nope.
*carrying over to my 2025 bingo card
Listening: A Well-trained Wife by Tia Levings; this memoir follows Tia through her upbringing and escape of christian fundamentalism. It’s dark and upsetting (abuse and sexual assault content), yet informative. It definitely makes you reflect on organized religion, patriarchy, and the large role both play in politics today.
Cooking: anything from Justine Doiron’s debut cookbook, Justine Cooks. I’ve been an avid tiktok and instagram follower of Justine for years, so I was thrilled to hit ‘preorder’ as soon as her cookbook was announced. It came out in the end of October last year, but I’m just digging in now because of a backlog of a few other books I wanted to cook from. I read a new cookbook cover-to-cover and mark the must-try recipes with little flags, and this book is FULL. I love her veggie-focused, yet cozy recipes.
Last night, I made the baked kale salad with chili quinoa and it was incredible. It has this delicious red wine vinegar and honey agrodolce dressing and the spicy, crispy quinoa on top, chef’s kiss. Tonight’s menu includes her citrus-ginger cabbage with sesame tofu.
I’ll dedicate specific posts to some squares, but if there are any you’re itching to read about, please let me know in the comments!
Stay tuned for my 2025 bingo card, a template to make your own, and a list of items that didn’t quite make the cut for inspiration.
Thanks for reading! JM