(no subject)
1) Where did you begin 2007?
At my parents' house, watching the fireworks
2) What was your status by Valentine's Day?
Single
3) Were you in school (anytime this year)?
No- I was teaching for a short while, but that doesn't really qualify as being "in school." Sometimes I play with the idea of going back to school, to retrain as something practical. But what?
4) How did you earn your money?
Mostly in my admin job at the college.
5) Did you have to go to the hospital?
No, thankfully. My dad was in the hospital, though, so I visited him
6) Did you have any encounters with the police?
No! Not even for riding through a red light or something trivial like that. But the police are on strike right now so they're not giving out tickets anyway.
7) Where did you go on vacation?
To Portland, OR. It was amazing, and I think I might go again next year.
8) What did you purchase that was over $1000?
I never buy anything that expensive. Not even plane tickets, though I suppose that'd come closest.
9) Did you know anybody who got married?
No, not this year.
10) Did you know anybody who passed away?
No
12) Did you move anywhere?
Just to a different place in Utrecht, which has been a nice improvement. I've not made up my mind on whether I want to stay or move to a different city, but there's still lots to discover in Utrecht, and it'd be nice not to have to adjust to a new place all over again just when I'm starting to know my way around.
14) What concerts/shows did you go to?
I went to the theatre twice, but no music shows this year. Shame!
15) Are you registered to vote?
Sure
16) Who did you want to win Big Brother?
?! I wish we Dutch had never invented Big Brother
17) Where do you live now?
In Overvecht, Utrecht, one of the nation's most infamous 'hoods! Fortunately what passes for a bad area over here isn't as dramatic as it'd be in the States. Illegal fireworks, noise, people getting into fights at the grocery store, graffiti, car break-ins....that's about it.
18) Describe your birthday.
I was working, and it was one of the most stressful weeks of the year at work, so I hardly had time to think about it. Fortunately I had a good party the next weekend and made up for it.
19) What's one thing you thought you'd never do but did in 2007?
Stay with this job
20) What has been your favorite moment?
When me and Tim were at the coast in Oregon, watching the waves crash on the rocks, and then the sun came out for the first time that day. Or sitting on the sidewalk with Katie, also in Oregon, eating this FANTASTIC Indian takeout food that we got for $5
21) What's something you learned about yourself?
I can't deal with conflict worth a damn. It's on my list of improvements I got planned for 2008.
22) Any new additions to your family?
No
23.) What was your best month?
Definitely October, when I got to go on vacation.
24.) What music will you remember 2007 by?
So many good songs! I'm afraid none of them actually came out in 2007, though, but that's when I discovered them. For Blue Skies by Strays Don't Sleep, the whole self-titled album by Voxtrot, Moby's In This World, Andain's Beautiful Things
25) Who has been your best drinking buddy?
I haven't been drinking hardly at all this year. I think the only times I have was when I was in Rotterdam, so that'll be Sarah.
26) Made new friends?
I've met a lot of people.
27) New best friend?
No
28) Favorite Night out?
One night in Amsterdam when I was out with a guy from my dance class. We hung out in cafés, I got drunk, we talked, and then I took the night train home.
29) Will you end this year with the same mate you started it with?
Sure, it's still just me!
30) What are your plans for Christmas?
Drive up to Groningen on Christmas Eve with Mirjam and Jasper, my cousin and her boyfriend. Stay there with our friend Hilje and cook awesome Christmas food (I'm in charge of breakfase, eek!). Then to go Kampen to my parents' and see them and finally do our St. Nicholas celebration, which was technically supposed to be done on December 5th. So there'll be food and presents, yay!
31) What are you most proud of in 2007?
Being able to keep my general sanity. July and August were tough months, and I'm proud of myself for bouncing back from them
32) Whose behavior made you happy?
Katie's, because she's stayed in touch this whole time I've been over here, and she was such a fantastic host when I came to stay with her. It was so wonderful to see her and feel like no time at all had passed since we'd last seen each other.
33) Whose behavior appalled and depressed you?
That of the general public, especially on public transit. First off, early in the morning when people are riding the bus to work they'll have these dead, numb looks on their faces, like zombies. If I had to ride the bus to work and see that every day, I'd kill myself. Then, people here will sit on a busy train and set their bags on the seat next to them, and then glare at the people walking by looking for a seat, as if to say "Don't even ASK." I always ask just to spite them, even if there are seats available elsewhere.
34) What are your plans and hopes for 2008?
Plans: to keep working on being a better person and deal with my weak points, and to hang on to the things I learned in 2007. Cook a new dish at least once every two weeks. Find new bike routes and get to know the city better. Hopes: to move to a cheerier neighborhood, to find a better job (preferably with better pay), meet people who inspire me and make me happy.
At my parents' house, watching the fireworks
2) What was your status by Valentine's Day?
Single
3) Were you in school (anytime this year)?
No- I was teaching for a short while, but that doesn't really qualify as being "in school." Sometimes I play with the idea of going back to school, to retrain as something practical. But what?
4) How did you earn your money?
Mostly in my admin job at the college.
5) Did you have to go to the hospital?
No, thankfully. My dad was in the hospital, though, so I visited him
6) Did you have any encounters with the police?
No! Not even for riding through a red light or something trivial like that. But the police are on strike right now so they're not giving out tickets anyway.
7) Where did you go on vacation?
To Portland, OR. It was amazing, and I think I might go again next year.
8) What did you purchase that was over $1000?
I never buy anything that expensive. Not even plane tickets, though I suppose that'd come closest.
9) Did you know anybody who got married?
No, not this year.
10) Did you know anybody who passed away?
No
12) Did you move anywhere?
Just to a different place in Utrecht, which has been a nice improvement. I've not made up my mind on whether I want to stay or move to a different city, but there's still lots to discover in Utrecht, and it'd be nice not to have to adjust to a new place all over again just when I'm starting to know my way around.
14) What concerts/shows did you go to?
I went to the theatre twice, but no music shows this year. Shame!
15) Are you registered to vote?
Sure
16) Who did you want to win Big Brother?
?! I wish we Dutch had never invented Big Brother
17) Where do you live now?
In Overvecht, Utrecht, one of the nation's most infamous 'hoods! Fortunately what passes for a bad area over here isn't as dramatic as it'd be in the States. Illegal fireworks, noise, people getting into fights at the grocery store, graffiti, car break-ins....that's about it.
18) Describe your birthday.
I was working, and it was one of the most stressful weeks of the year at work, so I hardly had time to think about it. Fortunately I had a good party the next weekend and made up for it.
19) What's one thing you thought you'd never do but did in 2007?
Stay with this job
20) What has been your favorite moment?
When me and Tim were at the coast in Oregon, watching the waves crash on the rocks, and then the sun came out for the first time that day. Or sitting on the sidewalk with Katie, also in Oregon, eating this FANTASTIC Indian takeout food that we got for $5
21) What's something you learned about yourself?
I can't deal with conflict worth a damn. It's on my list of improvements I got planned for 2008.
22) Any new additions to your family?
No
23.) What was your best month?
Definitely October, when I got to go on vacation.
24.) What music will you remember 2007 by?
So many good songs! I'm afraid none of them actually came out in 2007, though, but that's when I discovered them. For Blue Skies by Strays Don't Sleep, the whole self-titled album by Voxtrot, Moby's In This World, Andain's Beautiful Things
25) Who has been your best drinking buddy?
I haven't been drinking hardly at all this year. I think the only times I have was when I was in Rotterdam, so that'll be Sarah.
26) Made new friends?
I've met a lot of people.
27) New best friend?
No
28) Favorite Night out?
One night in Amsterdam when I was out with a guy from my dance class. We hung out in cafés, I got drunk, we talked, and then I took the night train home.
29) Will you end this year with the same mate you started it with?
Sure, it's still just me!
30) What are your plans for Christmas?
Drive up to Groningen on Christmas Eve with Mirjam and Jasper, my cousin and her boyfriend. Stay there with our friend Hilje and cook awesome Christmas food (I'm in charge of breakfase, eek!). Then to go Kampen to my parents' and see them and finally do our St. Nicholas celebration, which was technically supposed to be done on December 5th. So there'll be food and presents, yay!
31) What are you most proud of in 2007?
Being able to keep my general sanity. July and August were tough months, and I'm proud of myself for bouncing back from them
32) Whose behavior made you happy?
Katie's, because she's stayed in touch this whole time I've been over here, and she was such a fantastic host when I came to stay with her. It was so wonderful to see her and feel like no time at all had passed since we'd last seen each other.
33) Whose behavior appalled and depressed you?
That of the general public, especially on public transit. First off, early in the morning when people are riding the bus to work they'll have these dead, numb looks on their faces, like zombies. If I had to ride the bus to work and see that every day, I'd kill myself. Then, people here will sit on a busy train and set their bags on the seat next to them, and then glare at the people walking by looking for a seat, as if to say "Don't even ASK." I always ask just to spite them, even if there are seats available elsewhere.
34) What are your plans and hopes for 2008?
Plans: to keep working on being a better person and deal with my weak points, and to hang on to the things I learned in 2007. Cook a new dish at least once every two weeks. Find new bike routes and get to know the city better. Hopes: to move to a cheerier neighborhood, to find a better job (preferably with better pay), meet people who inspire me and make me happy.