End of the Year
Dec. 31st, 2008 06:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annundriel2008 flew by.
I think the biggest change from last year at this time is that I now have three jobs instead of one part-time one. And one of these jobs involves being published. It's a small paper, but it's a step.
Other than that, I'm proud that I've re-established closer contact with old friends. And I've gotten better at just plain calling people when I haven't heard from them.
So, dear friends, Happy New Year's Eve! ♥
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Road trip to Nevada and back with my dad. Gambled. Drove to Spokane on my own. Went to a karaoke bar (though there was no singing from my party). Got fingerprinted for a job. Was published. Wrote for new fandoms and stepped out of my comfort zone. Saw Eddie Izzard live. Seeing Sherman Alexie.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Resolutions? What resolutions? I don't think I had any last year. If I did, clearly I've forgotten them and so probably broke them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A girl I was close to in high school.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.
5. What countries did you visit?
None.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
You know, I'm actually pretty content with things right now. I'd like to see friends more.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Good question. I have no idea.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Having three jobs instead of one. Getting my emergency substitute teacher certificate. Being published.
9. What was your biggest failure?
The various fanfiction projects I didn't finish, some of them carry-overs from the year before. I want to, but I've either lost the muse or become distracted by other shiny things.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Only the usual colds and aches.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Slings & Arrows. And Due South, though technically my mom bought that one. Best money I spent on DVDs all year. Possibly longer than that.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The kiddos, Tris and Callie. Because 1) they are spiffy anyway and 2) the both had excellent GPAs before Christmas break. And Callie has to work harder at that sort of thing than Tris does, so that's a big deal.
13. Whose behavior appalled you?
Certain friends of mine say things that appall me on a semi-regular basis.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Books, music, DVDs. Ballet tickets at the beginning of the year. New MP3 player.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Eddie Izzard and Neil Gaiman in Seattle.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Not so much songs as soundtracks and artists. One or two songs, though. Music from Dr. Horrible, Duffy, Katy Perry, Fiest, Lenka's "The Show," the Editors "Weight of the World," Amy MacDonald's "This is the Life," Chairlift's "Bruises," High School Musical. Among others. I listen to a lot of music. Usually songs end up reminding me of seasons more than years.
Which, randomly, reminds me that EB associates music with whatever road trip she happened to be on at the time of listening to it constantly. But I associate road trips with whatever books I was reading at the time. CS Lewis' The Horse and His Boy on the trip to Washington's coast. Jane Austen's Persuasion (re-read) on the trip to Idaho and Montana. Fluke by Christopher Moore to Nevada and back.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? About the same, I think.
ii. thinner or fatter? Ditto.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer! Yea paycheck!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Traveled between home, Spokane, and Seattle.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
You know, even the procrastinating I enjoyed and it didn't even get in the way of accomplishing things in the end, so nothing.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Christmas was spent with the family. Christmas dinner, one of Dad's hunter friends came up and joined us. I spent most of the day playing Tomb Raider: Underworld.
21. How will you be spending New Year's?
Was playing the Sims. Am now watching The Twilight Zone. This is how it'll go tonight. I'll also read more of Odd Thomas because, oh, the twist!
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Only with fictional characters.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
This is a horribly unfair question. So I'm going to think of it as "what was your favorite NEW TV program in 2008?" In which case, The Middleman. Because otherwise, I got into NCIS and Without a Trace (though it's seasons one and two that are my favorites there) and Due South and Slings & Arrows. Also, Pushing Daisies.
So, favorite program of the year not from 2008...Slings & Arrows is a brilliant 18 episodes of television.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. I'm not even particularly frustrated with people, since hate is kind of a strong word there.
26. What was the best book you read?
Not necessarily the best, but I am ridiculously smitten with Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger. It turned out to be exactly the sort of book I've been craving for years.
I also really enjoyed Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Javier Grillo-Marxuach's The Middleman, Alan Moore's Watchmen, and Dorothy L. Sayers' Gaudy Night.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I only have one song by her at the moment, "The Show," but I can see myself really loving Lenka. Am also really enjoying Anna Ternheim. But really, there were so many new artists and songs that I discovered this year that it's hard to say.
28. What did you want and get?
Slings & Arrows. Wanted it sight unseen and, oh boy, best thing ever. New MP3 player. Which has had a few glitches, but I've figured out it's behavioral eccentricities now. A digital recorder. Wireless internet. A lovely desk and shelves.
29. What did you want and not get?
I really can't think of anything.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I watched a lot of films this year, so I can't really say what was my favorite. Right now, the only one that's coming to mind is Wilby Wonderful. I love it because it's so simple and quiet on the surface.
31. What did you do on your birthday?
Spent the day watching Due South and then went to dinner at Michael's where![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ginnith showed up to surprise me. Went home and had a theme decorated kitchen and ate cake and opened presents.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More time with friends.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Put-together. The same way it is every year. Though I am playing a little bit more with accessories. Not that I didn't before, I'm just changing it up a little more. I like to look nice.
34. What kept you sane?
olivelavonne. ginnith. My mom. Remembering that sdrohc_ratiuglives less than 30 minutes away again.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
2008 was apparently the Year of the Canadian for me. David Hewlett, Callum Keith Rennie, Paul Gross. There are others, but those are the main ones. Otherwise, Joe Flanigan. Michael Weatherly. John Krasinski. Steve Carrell.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Proposition 8. The US election.
37. Who did you miss?
Friends I feel I'm drifting away from.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
ginnith's roomates.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Valuable life lesson? Hmm. I'm not sure I learned one. Because of my jobs and the new friends I made through old friends, I am becoming more and more confident that people do actually like me and enjoy spending time with me. Instead of just putting up with me.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
The end of this verse doesn't so much sum up my year, but rather how I try to look at life in general:
I am just a little girl
Lost in the moment
I'm so scared
But I don't show it
I can't figure it out
It's bringing me down
I know
I've got to let it go
And just enjoy the show
- Lenka, "The Show"
I think the biggest change from last year at this time is that I now have three jobs instead of one part-time one. And one of these jobs involves being published. It's a small paper, but it's a step.
Other than that, I'm proud that I've re-established closer contact with old friends. And I've gotten better at just plain calling people when I haven't heard from them.
So, dear friends, Happy New Year's Eve! ♥
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Road trip to Nevada and back with my dad. Gambled. Drove to Spokane on my own. Went to a karaoke bar (though there was no singing from my party). Got fingerprinted for a job. Was published. Wrote for new fandoms and stepped out of my comfort zone. Saw Eddie Izzard live. Seeing Sherman Alexie.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Resolutions? What resolutions? I don't think I had any last year. If I did, clearly I've forgotten them and so probably broke them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A girl I was close to in high school.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.
5. What countries did you visit?
None.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
You know, I'm actually pretty content with things right now. I'd like to see friends more.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Good question. I have no idea.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Having three jobs instead of one. Getting my emergency substitute teacher certificate. Being published.
9. What was your biggest failure?
The various fanfiction projects I didn't finish, some of them carry-overs from the year before. I want to, but I've either lost the muse or become distracted by other shiny things.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Only the usual colds and aches.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Slings & Arrows. And Due South, though technically my mom bought that one. Best money I spent on DVDs all year. Possibly longer than that.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The kiddos, Tris and Callie. Because 1) they are spiffy anyway and 2) the both had excellent GPAs before Christmas break. And Callie has to work harder at that sort of thing than Tris does, so that's a big deal.
13. Whose behavior appalled you?
Certain friends of mine say things that appall me on a semi-regular basis.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Books, music, DVDs. Ballet tickets at the beginning of the year. New MP3 player.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Eddie Izzard and Neil Gaiman in Seattle.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Not so much songs as soundtracks and artists. One or two songs, though. Music from Dr. Horrible, Duffy, Katy Perry, Fiest, Lenka's "The Show," the Editors "Weight of the World," Amy MacDonald's "This is the Life," Chairlift's "Bruises," High School Musical. Among others. I listen to a lot of music. Usually songs end up reminding me of seasons more than years.
Which, randomly, reminds me that EB associates music with whatever road trip she happened to be on at the time of listening to it constantly. But I associate road trips with whatever books I was reading at the time. CS Lewis' The Horse and His Boy on the trip to Washington's coast. Jane Austen's Persuasion (re-read) on the trip to Idaho and Montana. Fluke by Christopher Moore to Nevada and back.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? About the same, I think.
ii. thinner or fatter? Ditto.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer! Yea paycheck!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Traveled between home, Spokane, and Seattle.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
You know, even the procrastinating I enjoyed and it didn't even get in the way of accomplishing things in the end, so nothing.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Christmas was spent with the family. Christmas dinner, one of Dad's hunter friends came up and joined us. I spent most of the day playing Tomb Raider: Underworld.
21. How will you be spending New Year's?
Was playing the Sims. Am now watching The Twilight Zone. This is how it'll go tonight. I'll also read more of Odd Thomas because, oh, the twist!
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Only with fictional characters.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
This is a horribly unfair question. So I'm going to think of it as "what was your favorite NEW TV program in 2008?" In which case, The Middleman. Because otherwise, I got into NCIS and Without a Trace (though it's seasons one and two that are my favorites there) and Due South and Slings & Arrows. Also, Pushing Daisies.
So, favorite program of the year not from 2008...Slings & Arrows is a brilliant 18 episodes of television.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. I'm not even particularly frustrated with people, since hate is kind of a strong word there.
26. What was the best book you read?
Not necessarily the best, but I am ridiculously smitten with Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger. It turned out to be exactly the sort of book I've been craving for years.
I also really enjoyed Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Javier Grillo-Marxuach's The Middleman, Alan Moore's Watchmen, and Dorothy L. Sayers' Gaudy Night.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I only have one song by her at the moment, "The Show," but I can see myself really loving Lenka. Am also really enjoying Anna Ternheim. But really, there were so many new artists and songs that I discovered this year that it's hard to say.
28. What did you want and get?
Slings & Arrows. Wanted it sight unseen and, oh boy, best thing ever. New MP3 player. Which has had a few glitches, but I've figured out it's behavioral eccentricities now. A digital recorder. Wireless internet. A lovely desk and shelves.
29. What did you want and not get?
I really can't think of anything.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I watched a lot of films this year, so I can't really say what was my favorite. Right now, the only one that's coming to mind is Wilby Wonderful. I love it because it's so simple and quiet on the surface.
31. What did you do on your birthday?
Spent the day watching Due South and then went to dinner at Michael's where
ginnith showed up to surprise me. Went home and had a theme decorated kitchen and ate cake and opened presents.32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More time with friends.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Put-together. The same way it is every year. Though I am playing a little bit more with accessories. Not that I didn't before, I'm just changing it up a little more. I like to look nice.
34. What kept you sane?
olivelavonne. ginnith. My mom. Remembering that sdrohc_ratiuglives less than 30 minutes away again.35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
2008 was apparently the Year of the Canadian for me. David Hewlett, Callum Keith Rennie, Paul Gross. There are others, but those are the main ones. Otherwise, Joe Flanigan. Michael Weatherly. John Krasinski. Steve Carrell.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Proposition 8. The US election.
37. Who did you miss?
Friends I feel I'm drifting away from.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
ginnith's roomates.39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Valuable life lesson? Hmm. I'm not sure I learned one. Because of my jobs and the new friends I made through old friends, I am becoming more and more confident that people do actually like me and enjoy spending time with me. Instead of just putting up with me.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
The end of this verse doesn't so much sum up my year, but rather how I try to look at life in general:
I am just a little girl
Lost in the moment
I'm so scared
But I don't show it
I can't figure it out
It's bringing me down
I know
I've got to let it go
And just enjoy the show
- Lenka, "The Show"
