Greetings from California… and Massachusetts… and Spain. Yes, that’s a full accounting of our whereabouts. We are still getting used to being such a far-flung bunch, but we are happy to report in.
Here are a few highlights from each of us . . .
Jeannette — The year was filled with many joyful celebrations and a few exciting firsts, but was also filled with profound loss and broken-heartedness as two dear aunts (Mary Janet and Lugene) passed and we witnessed horrific violence both within our own country and across the globe.
An epic snowfall kept us in California for the first part of the year and even enticed others to visit us for winter activities in the Sierras. Spring brought an uptick in travel farther afield . . . to the east coast to support Adela’s college decision-making process, and two back-to-back work-related trips to San Diego. The same night Adela was at senior prom, Matt and I celebrated Katherine Toy at a fabulous gala on Angel Island. May is always a big month for celebrations, but this year we reached extravaganza levels with fabulous culminating performances for Adela and her peers, and all the festivities associated with her high school graduation. Both sets of grandparents, Matt’s Aunt Kathy & Uncle Dana, and Dylan all traveled from out of state to help us celebrate!
Shortly after Adela performed in the spectacular original opera “Tomorrow’s Memories” in June, Matt and Adela headed off on an epic Scandinavian adventure, and I headed south — way south — to Chile to facilitate educational workshops and reconnect with friends. I was reminded of Chile’s spectacular natural beauty at so many points during my visit, but two experiences especially stand out: soaking in the luxurious hot thermal baths of Termas Geométricas (as hot as 113 °F) — and taking my first surfing lesson along the stunning coast of Pelluhue after Santi, Benji & Theo convinced me to confront the cold temperatures of the Pacific Ocean (a very chilly 52°F). I was also constantly reflecting on how much Chile had changed, and not changed, since we’d lived there as the 50th anniversary of the military coup — covertly supported by the U.S. — approached.
Once back in the U.S., Matt and I headed to Carmel to hear Adela and the San Francisco Girls Chorus perform in the Carmel Bach Festival with Edwin Huizinga & William Coulter. We concluded the summer with lots of peaching (we’re ever grateful to the Masumoto family), college move-in preparations, wonderful family time, and various exciting and productive work engagements.
A major highlight of the fall was seeing Adela transition smoothly to college at Wellesley. My parents joined me in Massachusetts for that, and we were grateful for all the support we had from the Scarborough/Green Family and Steph Koontz. Matt and I traveled to Boston in October after Adela had gotten settled — and it was especially fun to meet her friends, stroll around Boston, and hear her sing at a campus event with her a cappella group. It was also a treat to cheer for Dylan and his team at Tufts and connect with other super fans!
In between my two visits to Wellesley, Matt and I got used to a different quotidian rhythm with just the two of us and the cat. We enjoyed a few fall-perfect days in Truckee, and we took a trip to visit our friends Richard and Julia in Vancouver. Besides catching up and enjoying spectacular hikes, amazing dining and compelling art, we participated in a moving commemoration of the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation (aka “Orange Shirt Day”) that honors and upholds survivors of the Indian Residential School system and commemorates those who did not return home.
Matt and I were back to the east coast two more times before the year’s end — once for a work meeting in Philadelphia and again for Thanksgiving. Are you noticing any effects of having two college-aged kids in Massachusetts? We had an epic Thanksgiving with 38 family members at Matt’s brother’s home in Baltimore, followed by a rousing holiday gift exchange at Matt’s sister’s home in D.C. Both sets of parents traveled west to Truckee for a wonderful Christmas together, and we rang in the New Year hosting a dinner party with the kids and dear friends.
As with each year, I’m so grateful for my precious time with friends and family, for meaningful work, and the gift of continued personal growth. I aspire for more of that in 2024, and commit to do my part to ensure our democracy remains intact through the upcoming presidential election.
Dylan — Give or take a few weeks, this past year has been book-ended by some wonderful experiences abroad. Ringing in the New Year, I spent a week with my buddies from college up in snowy Montreal, with experiences ranging from exploring historic Jewish delis, to Igloofest, an outdoor ski-themed DJ festival that we stumbled upon after arriving. Returning to campus for sophomore spring semester without a formal soccer season, I took up some new hobbies and pursued some new academic interests. In no particular order, here are a few of the highlights. Trudging through the forest every Wednesday as part of my botany lab to learn the intricacies of New England’s flora. Gazing over the beautiful Taconic sunsets as I attempted to hit a ball in my beginner golf P.E. class. Debating the political decisions that defined the course of the Russian-Ukraine conflict… as they were occurring. And finally, traveling through the seasons from Tahoe to the Dominican Republic for my spring break. Not a bad semester if you ask me.
Back in the Purple Valley for the fall, if felt like more of the same. Well, besides the fact that I played soccer basically everyday from August through October. Apart from what I might call an underwhelming season results-wise, I scored what I consider to be the best goal of my life, and really enjoyed the time I spent with my teammates out on Cole and around the NESCAC. Off the field, I yet again found myself trudging through the New England forests as part of my ecology class, conducting experiments on old growth succession rates and monitoring the presence of aquatic invertebrates in headwater streams to gauge stream health.
This past summer was nothing to glaze over. Working as a policy fellow for K&L Gates, a law firm in Washington D.C., I researched current federal energy policy for a variety of clients, commuted to and from the Hill, and attended swanky office parties at the Library of Congress where I even met a few Members of Congress (ok, that was only once). Other than that, I had the pleasure of watching Max cook, enjoying Cape Cod with my girlfriend, relaxing in Linden, and practicing my (non-existent) French with some Belgian Bosquet cousins. This experience in D.C. not only convinced me that I will be back, but solidified my aspirations to attend law school at some point down the road.
I have heard the term “sprinting a marathon” used to describe one’s time abroad, mostly in reference to the slew of activities and experiences that occur in such a short time. While I agree that this will most likely characterize my upcoming experience in Spain, it seems a fitting way to describe 2023 overall: so much packed into such a short period of time. But ironically, that will DEFINITELY be the title of my entry for 2024 for a few reasons. Stay tuned.
Adela — I thought 2023 was a year of two worlds: a year defined by last experiences and first experiences. A year divided by my time living in San Francisco and time living in Boston. A year broken up by high school experiences and college experiences. And it’s easy to see why.
This year I had my last performance as a member of the San Francisco Girls Chorus. I feel so fortunate to have been a part of a group with such talented singers and compassionate people. It was with a heavy heart that I bid farewell to my friends and the organization that has been so formative in cultivating my love for music and shaping my view of the world. I also had my last day of high school. While I certainly felt like I was ready to move on academically, I loved the community of people that I was a part of at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, especially in the Vocal department, and it was bittersweet to say goodbye at graduation knowing that our paths in life were all taking us in different directions.
I had my last statistics assignment (BIG relief), submitted my last college application (even BIGGER relief), had my last mock trial competition, wrote my final article for the school paper, and spent my last day in San Francisco before flying to Boston to start college. I said goodbye to people, things, and places that meant a great deal to me and I felt like a chapter of my life was coming to a close. It was daunting to experience so much change in such a short period of time. But I always made sure to remind myself that with every end of something old comes an opportunity for the beginning of something new.
The most notable of “firsts” this year was my first day at Wellesley College. I approached college with a mix of fear and excitement, but was pretty optimistic about what college could be. Wellesley is everything I had hoped for and more. I have met some of the most incredible, passionate, driven people at college. My classes are fascinating and rigorous, opening my eyes to a whole host of possible futures. I had my first experience as a college a cappella singer after joining the Tupelos. I started doing capoeira again and had my first training session in 12 years. I took my first art class, 3D design, where I discovered a newfound love of architecture and sculpture. I even went to get my passport renewed for the first time all by myself, which may not sound very exciting to some but it felt like a big step to me. And as of December 14th, I finished my first semester of college.
2023 was also my first official year of adulthood. When I first turned eighteen, I felt woefully unprepared. Without a clear vision of what I wanted my future and my career to look like, it was all a little overwhelming to suddenly find myself completely responsible for making those decisions. At the same time, it was incredibly exciting to imagine the possible futures that I could pursue. So I forged ahead into my adult life feeling less like an adult and more like two kids in a trench coat sneaking into a movie theater. And I’m starting to realize that adulthood isn’t about having everything figured out, and more about trusting your mind to be able to take you through leaps of faith and listening to your heart when it tells you where to go.
As I prepare to head back to Boston for my second semester, I’ve been reflecting on the profound ways my life has changed in 2023. On the surface my life at the start of 2023 and the end of 2023 are barely recognizable as parts of the same year. But on closer examination, there are crucial aspects of my life that haven’t changed at all. My love for music, my love of travel and new experiences, and my love of the outdoors are all the same. My love of food and concerts and learning and reading and baking and writing and poetry and dancing and laughing, none of these have changed. My “lasts” were not left behind but transformed to create my “firsts”; and my two worlds were always one, defined not by where I am and what I do, but by what I love and how I choose to express it.
Mojito and Matt — With the kids out of the nest and Jeannette out and about, sometimes it’s just the two of us. So, we’ve been focused on the little things. Keeping the plants alive (Matt’s job). Begging for scraps (Momo’s job). Keeping the extended family connected through weekly calls, a tradition we’ve maintained since COVID (Matt). Finding sun spots and warm laps (Momo). In truth, we’ve got no complaints.
On the work front (Matt only here), it’s been a gift to work closely with Jeannette with clients near and far. We had the opportunity to hear directly from thousands of students in San Francisco and support the district in moving toward a new vision for high schools in the city. We’ve enjoyed getting more deeply engaged with organizations working to end the STEM teacher shortage and improve math education for young children. And I’m thrilled to be working with colleagues in Texas and, more recently, New Mexico to strengthen how our universities and districts prepare school leaders.
Two highlights this year. First, Adela and I took a post-graduation trip to Norway, with a spin through Oslo (including a floating sauna on the fjord), several amazingly sun-drenched days and nights in the normally rainy and cloudy Lofoten Islands, a great visit with the kind and generous Hol Melling family (it was great to see Adela reunite with her middle school theater friend Ellida), and an emotional (for me) reunion with the incredible Söderström family.
Second, I’m very grateful that we managed to gather the whole Kelemen-Rooney clan together for Thanksgiving in Baltimore and were able to include some LaFors, Héberts, and Sims as well. It’s worth a roll call: Mom, Dad, Kathy, Dana, Warren, Bel, Sandy, Nanette, Kary, Pete, George, Mary, Mark, Lisa, Michele, Benoit, Jeannette, Kim, Curt, Anne, Dan, Natasha, Michael, Kristin, Nico, Dylan, Sam, Max, Adela, Lucia, Jonah, Sydney, Robert, Finn, Camper and Ale. And me. Props to all for making it an extraordinary gathering.
*****
With both of our kids embarking on work related to the planet’s preservation, we are hopeful amidst the gloom. We are inspired by the words and work of Robin Wall Kimmerer, whose brilliant insights keep us focused on doing our part. As she says, “We need acts of restoration, not only for polluted waters and degraded lands, but also for our relationship to the world. We need to restore honor to the way we live, so that when we walk through the world we don’t have to avert our eyes with shame, so that we can hold our heads up high and receive the respectful acknowledgment of the rest of the earth’s beings.”
2023 by the numbers
0 – minutes of darkness experienced by Adela and Matt during night hikes up Ryten, Reinebringen, and Festvågtind in the Lofoten Islands, Norway
2 – # of hours it took Jeannette to thaw her icy feet after her first ever surf lesson which was in the cold Pacific waters of Pelluhue, Chile
3 – # of Tupi Grupis residing at 145 Bella Vista (if you want to be one, Adela can help!)
4 – # of seconds it took Adela to hook her first fish in Norway
5 – # of seconds it took Dylan to pass his Spanish language competency assessment for his semester in Madrid
10 – # of miles Mojito ran in the house chasing his toys or zooming from room to room
20 – # of boba tea runs to celebrate milestones, or keep us energized during long study/work sessions
17 – # of thermal baths worth soaking in at Termas Geométricas, Chile
38 – # of people at our family Thanksgiving gathering at Mark & Lisa Kelemen’s home in Baltimore
148 — number of plants Dylan memorized the names of for his botany course
672– # of inches of snow recorded at the Central Sierra Snow Lab (6th snowiest winter on record), and the reason Kim Kelemen came to visit us in March!
2,100 – # of Masumoto Farm peaches & nectarines harvested from our Seedlings Team in August
8,612 — number of miles separating our family when Jeannette was in Chile and Matt/Adela were in Norway (with Dylan in between in D.C.)
2023 Year in Pictures
