Casey's 2005 review....

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1.   Name one word to describe 2005: Self-fufilling

2.   Who'd you hang out with, mainly? Top 10: Chris, Dave, Justin, Shawn, Dan, Tiffany, Trevor, Joe, Carson, and Liz

1. Did you go visit anywhere? New York, Savannah, and Cumberland Island

1. What was your biggest worry? Paying all my bills on time

1. What was the most fun event that happened?: The parties that I went to with Chris. The party in Springfield in June that we both got plastered at, Charles Mibab’s Christmas party in San Marco, and Orlando’s party in San Marco.

1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before? Got on stage in my underwear painted blue in front of 400 people for JU Homecoming.

1. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? No I didn’t and no I won’t.

1. What celebrity did you want to slap or otherwise hurt? Tom Cruise. It just seemed like the sorry bastard never got it or ever went away.

1. Did anyone close to you die? No, thankfully.

1. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005? A boyfriend

1. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? September 27. I gave a 6 hour deposition about my car accident last November.

1. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Dealing with the adversities at JU in a manner that they lose, and I ultimately win. Bastards.....but I say that will all the love in my holiday-filled heart!

1. What was your biggest failure? Not being able to resolve the SGA situation in a clean manner that I would’ve liked.

1. Did you suffer illness or injury? Part of my colon ruptured in October and it was rather painful.

1. What was the best thing you bought? My new iPod most definitely.

1. Whose behavior merited celebration? Shawn. When my car battery died, he volunteered to drive me all the way from his house to pick me up and go in the other direction to take me to teach a high school class for the day, and then all the way back to my apartment.  

1. Whose behavior made you appalled? The b lack guy on The Apprentice. When Trump asked him if he should hire the other girl (who proved herself to be equally as qualified) and after he had been named the winner, the guy said, “There is only one apprentice and it’s me, not her.” That was pretty shitty…

1. Where did most of your money go? Cingular.

1. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going to the gay historical landmark of the Stonewall Club in Greenwich Village.

1. What song will always remind you of 2005? “Distantly in Love” by Jimmy Buffett. The words of the song really resonated with a lot of feelings I had toward my family and helped me get over a certain guy I quasi-dated last year.

1. Compared to this time last year, are you:
   i. Happier or Sadder? Much happier
   ii. Richer or Poorer? Richer.
   iii. Thinner or Fatter? About the same.

1. What do you really consider your biggest social triumph? Hanging out with a whole bunch of people at parties in Jacksonville with my friend Chris and being able to have fun.

1. What do you wish you'd done less of? Spending money, held my tongue more, and more patience towards immature people.

1. How will you be spending the holidays? I spent the holidays with my grandfather and my mother in New Smyrna Beach.

1. Did you fall in love in 2004? No, can’t say that I did.

1. How many one-night stands? Next question please…

1. What was your favorite TV program? Tie between Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy.

1. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Not that I can think of off the top of my head.

1. What was the best book you read? Hour Game by David Baldacci.

1. What was your greatest musical discovery? Scissor Sisters.

1. What was your favorite film of this year and why? Rumor Has It because it had one of the best plot developments I’ve seen in a long while. It kept you interested, the character development was stellar, and the cast complimented the plot very well.

1. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I had a birthday party with 10 of my best friends at my apartment at JU.

1. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Having someone I could spend my time with and be attracted to in the process.

1. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005? Uniquely Casey-esque

1. What kept you sane? I ask myself that on a daily basis.

1. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Jake Gyllenhall.

1. What political issue stirred you the most? Gay marriage. I’ve found myself drifting more and more away from the “mainstream” on this. Why am I being discriminated against because of something I am?

1. Who did you miss? Who do I not miss?

1. Who were the 5 best new people in your life? My friend Shawn who was more selfless than anyone I’ve ever met, Chris’ friend Carson who taught me what it is to be a good all-around person, my current dating interest Tommy, my Gay Days buddy Erik who made Gay Days fun, and my friend Trevor that kept me company during an otherwise sometimes lonely period of my life.

1. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005: That even during a seemingly endless nightmare, you always wake up and get on with your life.

1. What were your favorite places to eat in 2005? Cheesecake Factory at the St. John’s Town Center, JB’s Fish Camp in New Smyrna, and Mulligan’s in Longwood.

1. What was your favorite retail store this year? Barnes and Noble, no question.

1. Did you steal anything in 2005? Yes, I liberated a pair of sunglasses from Publix on a beautiful Florida beach day.

1. What was the saddest moment of the past year? Probably seeing all the places and sights that I grew up with in New Smyrna not being repaired to their full glory from the hurricanes last year. Especially Toni and Joe’s, and all the memories that are entailed for me and my family there.

1. What's the most random memory you can think of right now, this second, about 2005? Riding down the Matthews Bridge blaring Bob Dylan’s Like a Rolling Stone at the top of the volume meter and realizing that I am a good person, no one can take that away from me, and the bastards won’t ever egt me down unless I let them do it.

1. What was your favorite TV channel this year? Lifetime. Duh!

1. What was the most gratifying moment of 2005? Feeling a sense of victory over certain people whose life probably isn’t all they want it to be, when I have all of mine ahead of me. Selfish, I know but it felt damn good, I’m sorry….

1. What do you think the best movie of 2005 was? Hmmm. Out of the 67 that I saw, I am going to go against the grain and say Elizabethtown. It was well thought out and put together, and was not your typical Hollywood movie that had a beginning, middle, and end. It actually made you think, God forbid, ha-ha.

1. What one moment scared you more than any other this year? Thinking what the people in New Orleans must be going through with Hurricane Katrina and if that happened to us here in Florida.

1. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:  "Oh, yesterdays are over my shoulder, so I can't look back for too long. There's just too much to see waiting in front of me and I know that I just can't go wrong. With these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes; nothing remains quite the same. With all of my running and all of my cunning, If I couldn’t laugh, I just would go insane.” (Jimmy Buffett- Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes)

1. What do you plan to not do in 2006 that you did this year? Get depressed about things that I can’t control or things that I desire for myself when there’s a reason I can’t have them. Easier said than done…ha-ha

1. Do you think it'll be better than 2005? I always hope for the best, and this was a GREAT year to build off of.

1. Do you think it'll be WORSE than 2005? There’s enough pessimism in the world to droll about?

1. What do you plan to do in 2006? Learn how to better stand up for myself. Relax, and live for me and not for others.

1. Who are you spending New Year's Eve with? A very hot boy ;-)

1. What one thing would you like to say as the year is almost done? In the words of CJ Cregg off of The West Wing:
   "Never have I let life get in my way, nor will I ever. It's all about getting up in the morning and putting your pants on one leg at a time, just like everyone else. If you can wake up and still see the sun shining outside your window, then you damn well better make it a day worth toasting to."

In the spirit of 2006, here’s my personal reflection on the very successful 2005 for me. Compared with 2004, I made leaps and bounds in my life. Every year has its share of heartbreaks and missteps, but 2005 was a year where I felt that I learned a lot and grew up some too. I can’t believe how this year flew by, but I can only hope that 2006 will build upon the happiness and personal gratification of 2005. Here's to you and yours in 2006...
PS...I have no problem with you stealing this, as long as you read and comment on mine! ;-) I'll return the favor!