Twenty-two years ago, I found this questionnaire on the internet, and I’ve been filling it out every December since. Eleven years ago, I decided I was going to add a few new questions every year from now on. The ones I added over the years are still marked with an *asterisk.
I rang in 2025 finally feeling healthy after a rough 2024 with one, single, epic goal: one weekend trip per month, whether anyone else wanted to go or not. I learned how to shoot sporting clays in the snowy mountains of West Virginia. I bought a pair of Palm Beach Sandals at their factory in Florida. I sailed 10 boats in 5 states. I boarded 16 flights. I ordered room service at The Plaza Hotel and ate it wearing a fancy bathrobe in bed while watching Home Alone 2. I visited at least four lighthouses. I spent one staycation weekend here in VB attending Point Break Festival and doing touristy things, like renting a chair and umbrella on the beach. I ate so much lobster. I spent quality hours and days with friends and family I don’t normally see. I randomly bumped into a Fathom regular customer at the Pentagon, of all places. I spent Halloween in Salem. I tried on a Rolex Yacht-Master in Boston. I toured four Newport Mansions all decked out for Christmas. And I had the most amazing year of my life. So far.
Anyway, here’s my year in review.
What did you do in 2025 that you’d never done before? I raced on a sailboat! Many times, all summer long. I even spent the night on a sailboat for the Cape Charles Cup in August.
Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I only had one. And yes. 🙂
Did anyone close to you give birth? Alexandra had her son, Kai, just a few days ago!
Did anyone close to you die? My best friend’s father passed away this month. And all of the beautiful trees along my old favorite dog walk route were removed this fall, which made me very, very sad.
What countries did you visit? Up and down the East Coast of this one!
What would you like to have in 2026 that you lacked in 2025? Some leftover money for my savings and investment accounts. 2025 was fun, but I’ll be honest — it wasn’t a record year for saving money. 😉
What date from 2025 will remain etched upon your memory? December 31. After this epic year, I treated myself to a beautiful necklace to commemorate my year of weekend trips. It has 13 diamonds, representing my 12 trips plus one extra to NJ for an early Christmas, and it has one teeny ruby on the clasp, which is my overnight sailing trip!
What was your biggest achievement of the year? Obviously going on 12 weekend trips. But also consistently going to the gym about 4 days per week, all year, even while I was traveling.
What was your biggest failure? My house is feeling a little cluttered right now. I haven’t been home enough lately to keep up with a lot of organization. I plan to spend some time early this year on some home projects I’ve been putting off.
Did you suffer illness or injury? I fell. So many times, I fell. I suffered the most epic bruises from: slipping on ice holding a shotgun at The Greenbrier, taking a nasty tumble ice skating in the spring, and doing so many clumsy things sailing.
What was the best thing you bought? Hats as souvenirs from all the places I visited. My N.Peal James Bond sweaters. My handmade leather bag from Charleston. My new navy wool coat from Royal Male in Newport. Plane tickets. Hotel rooms. A pair of Meermin chelsea boots. And the necklace I just bought today.
Whose behavior merited celebration? Jeff’s and the Port & Starboard team’s for keeping everything on track while I was gone. K9 Resorts for taking care of Benny every month. Jonathan and Butch for teaching me so much more about sailing this summer. My mom and my friend Amie for accompanying me on some of my trips!
Where did most of your money go? Payroll, coffee beans, mortgage payments, travel, dog boarding, clothes.
What did you get really, really, really excited about? My trips. (This year in review is feeling a bit redundant.)
What song will always remind you of 2025? “WASH” by Jon Bellion
Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder? Happier
Thinner or fatter? About the same
Richer or poorer? Richer
What do you wish you’d done more of? Writing.
What do you wish you’d done less of? Staring at my phone.
How will you be spending Christmas? I went up to NJ a few days early for Christmas, which means my end-of-year holiday break started on December 19. I spent the entire day on December 20 with Kristy, and then I had dinner with Alyssa (my other childhood best friend) that evening. On December 21, I got to spend the entire day with my parents and my Aunt Angel, Uncle Cricket, and my cousin Joelle. It was like I got to spent the entire weekend with people I’ve known since I was 6, and that was pretty awesome. My parent’s and I did an early Christmas morning on December 21, and I drove home on the 22nd. I’ve been knitting, doing puzzles, reading, hanging with Benny, organizing, planning, and relaxing ever since.
Did you fall in love in 2025? No.
Who were your best friends? Benny. If we’re talking people, then mostly Jeff, plus my team–especially Alexandra & Brittany, who I spent lots of time brainstorming, strategizing and solving problems with. Kristy and I started having a bi-weekly call after my September trip to NJ, and I’ve so glad we’re in regular communication for the first time in so long! I’ve also connected with Alyssa more and more over the last few weeks, and that’s been great. Plus my mom and Amie were great travel buddies this year!
What thing did you do that was meaningful to others? I tried saving 59 trees. I continued my volunteer work on the Resort Advisory Commission and the ViBe Creative District board. I gave my team more autonomy in managing their work and projects this year, and I think they enjoyed that. I donated to various causes throughout the year.
What was your favorite TV program? Taylor Swift – The End of an Era
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No.
What was the best book you read? The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater, Isola by Allegra Goodman, Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams
What was your greatest musical discovery? (I’m changing this question to “What was your favorite playlist you made this year?” because I make many playlists each year, but I always have a favorite.) Money Laundering
*What was your favorite meal? This is a tough one. I had many delicious meals this year. A steak dinner at The Greenbrier sticks out in my mind. A warm brussels Caesar salad at HMF at The Breakers. An entirely gluten-free fried seafood dinner in St. Michaels. A belated birthday dinner at Quality Meats in New York with my mom. That epic lobster salad a Duryea’s in Montauk. Gluten-free cannoli in Boston. The hot chocolate at The Chanler. A few of the dinners I made for my friend Cara and I this summer on the grill. The chicken parmesan my parents made last week while I was home. There were really just so many great meals!
What did you want and get? A piece of jewelry to commemorate my year of trips.
What did you want and not get? My Eames chair. It is still broken, I’m assuming.
*What did you not even realize you would ever want, but then decided you wanted and get? A new dog hammock for my car that matches my leather upholstery. Frivolous, but nice.
*What did you not want, but got anyway? A few gray hairs.
What was your favorite film of this year? I can’t think of anything specific. I re-watched all of the Daniel Craig James Bond movies in January. Those were probably my favorite thing I watched this year, as far as movies go.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 44. I picked up a bunch of pizzas from Sorella’s and threw myself a little pizza party at my house. (My dog’s separation anxiety was still a major problem at the time, so I couldn’t really go anywhere.)
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I honestly can’t think of a single thing. Maybe squeezing in a trip to Maine? 😉
What kept you sane? TRAVELING. Working out, walks, music, Benny, podcasts, reading books, knitting.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Taylor Swift
What political issue stirred you the most? The stupid city council signs.
*What mystery from 2025 was never solved? Were we supposed to round the red buoy or the green one?
Who did you miss? I’ve been missing sailing and all my new sailing friends since the end of September!
Who was the best new person you met this year? Butch & Rebecca. I only spent time with them while I was sailing (and Rebecca only the weekend of the Cape Charles Cup), but aside from traveling, those were some of my favorite hours and days of the entire year! Glad I got to spend them with some very authentic and enjoyable humans. (Jonathan, if you’re ever reading this for some odd reason, I would say you, too, but I already knew you!) 😉
*Did you start any new traditions this year? Traveling every month? 😉
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2025: Always having something on the calendar to look forward makes me extremely happy.
Quote that sums up your year: “Where to next?”
