Ciao 2011.
There are some questions here for which my true answer is too personal to publish. I'm giving the next best thing.
1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
I visited Cebu with my sister. First time to go there, first time to ride a domestic flight and first time to go on a trip with just the two of us.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any resolutions and I won't for the next. I learned a lot, let's leave it at that.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A couple of people from high school. Some of them are new parents, others just had their second child.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. My uncle, on December 6.
5. What countries did you visit?
None.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
A valid passport.
7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 11, when Japan was hit by the 9.0 earthquake that triggered a tsunami. The Japanese handled the crisis very well. We should all learn from them.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Completing the 30 Day Blog Challenge. Haha!
9. What was your biggest failure?
My inability to sustain things.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I got sick earlier this month, but nothing serious.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Tough one. It's a toss-up between my HTC Mozart and my new microfiber blanket.
12. Where did most of your money go?
Cab fares to work and to a personal ambition.
13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II.
14. What song(s) will always remind you of 2011?
Adele songs.
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner.
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer.
I guess this makes it sound like I'm coming off worse, but between being stronger or weaker, I believe I am stronger.
16. What do you wish you'd done more?
I should have practiced driving more.
17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Dwell.
18. What was your favorite TV program?
Mythbusters, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother
19. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I really hated someone...but that's in the past.
20. What was the best book you read?
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
21. What was your greatest musical discovery?
My Favorite Highway
22. What did you want and get?
To get back into drawing. I signed up for the Arts and Crafts Club in the office and they gave lessons.
23. What was your favorite film of this year?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, X-Men: First Class, Mission: Impossible 4
24. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went to my uncle's wake. I turned 29.
25. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I had been a more accomplished driver.
26. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Decent.
27. What kept you sane?
Weekends. Blogging. Talking about things over breakfast.
28. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
James McAvoy.
29. What political issue stirred you the most?
The world economic crisis.
30. Who did you miss?
A friend of mine who moved to a different team.
31. Who was the best new person you met?
I don't know. My co-workers' kids?
Here's the thing, there are some people with whom my friendship has grown much stronger and they're the best people I currently know. But I didn't meet them this year, I met them ages ago. If we consider that logic, my answers are Lindsay, RJ, Robby, Gelo and Love.
32. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:
This is your life. If you don't like something, change it. That's from the Holstee Manifesto and it was so relevant this year.
33. What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself:
My friend told me that she wanted her daughter to be like me. Highest compliment I ever received.
34. The most touching experience you've had this year?
I was moved whenever I was reminded that I had friends and that they cared about me.
35. What did you like most about yourself this year?
I became more self-aware.
36. What did you hate most about yourself this year?
I'm still not good at telling people what I really think or how I really feel.
37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
If you've ever heard a beating heart
A rhythm for the songs we're too afraid to sing
Nobody here is perfectly fine
A delicate frame, a fragile design
If there's a hole in your heart
You gotta pull it together
It takes the courage to start
But now is better than never
It takes a push and a shove
Somehow it's never enough
And it's alarming how quickly we forget that
Nothing's bigger than love.
(Bigger than Love by My Favorite Highway)
38. Was 2011 a good year for you?
You can't answer this with just a "yes" or "no". It would be inaccurate to say that 2011 was a good year or a bad one. No, there are other adjectives I would use. For me, 2011 was tough, educational, thrilling, maddening and thought-provoking. I'm glad it's over and yet, I'm sorry to see it go.
39. What was your favorite moment of the year?
Summer.
40. What was your least favorite moment of the year?
Oddly enough, December.
41. Where were you when 2011 began?
At home, playing with fireworks.
42. Who were you with?
Family
43. Where will you be when 2011 ends?
Same as last year.
44. Who will you be with when 2011 ends?
Same as last year.
45. Do you have a new years resolution for 2012?
I won't list anything specific this year, only that I'm going to do my best to live a healthier lifestyle. I was rudely reminded that I am not immortal.
46. What was your favorite month of 2011?
August. That was when I started blogging again and realized how much fun it was.
47. Did you miss anybody in the past year?
Yes.
48. What was your favorite record from 2011?
Yellowcard's One for the Kids was not released in 2011, but it is the album I listened to the most this year. One of them anyway.
49. How many concerts did you see in 2011?
None. I caught Il Divo in Town, does that count?
50. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2011?
On occasion.
51. Do a lot of drugs in 2011?
No.
52. You do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Yeah.
53. How much money did you spend in 2011?
I didn't keep track of this. I did feel a pinch but I don't think I was frivolous. Still, I'll review my expenses and look at the stuff I can cut back on.
54. What was your proudest moment of 2011?
When I drew an apple with charcoal.
55. What was your most embarrassing moment of 2011?
Someone pulled me onto the dance floor and well, I don't dance. So I walked off.
56. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2011 and change something, what would it be?
None. Everything that should have happened, happened. I may not understand why, but I will in the future.
57. What are your plans for 2012?
That's classified.
58. How are you different now that the year has ended?
I'm smarter. I've grown up.
59. What are your wishes for the new year?
That I would be able to cross some things off of my bucket list.
1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
I visited Cebu with my sister. First time to go there, first time to ride a domestic flight and first time to go on a trip with just the two of us.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any resolutions and I won't for the next. I learned a lot, let's leave it at that.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A couple of people from high school. Some of them are new parents, others just had their second child.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. My uncle, on December 6.
5. What countries did you visit?
None.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
A valid passport.
7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 11, when Japan was hit by the 9.0 earthquake that triggered a tsunami. The Japanese handled the crisis very well. We should all learn from them.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Completing the 30 Day Blog Challenge. Haha!
9. What was your biggest failure?
My inability to sustain things.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I got sick earlier this month, but nothing serious.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Tough one. It's a toss-up between my HTC Mozart and my new microfiber blanket.
12. Where did most of your money go?
Cab fares to work and to a personal ambition.
13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II.
14. What song(s) will always remind you of 2011?
Adele songs.
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner.
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer.
I guess this makes it sound like I'm coming off worse, but between being stronger or weaker, I believe I am stronger.
16. What do you wish you'd done more?
I should have practiced driving more.
17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Dwell.
18. What was your favorite TV program?
Mythbusters, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother
19. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I really hated someone...but that's in the past.
20. What was the best book you read?
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
21. What was your greatest musical discovery?
My Favorite Highway
22. What did you want and get?
To get back into drawing. I signed up for the Arts and Crafts Club in the office and they gave lessons.
23. What was your favorite film of this year?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, X-Men: First Class, Mission: Impossible 4
24. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went to my uncle's wake. I turned 29.
25. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I had been a more accomplished driver.
26. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Decent.
27. What kept you sane?
Weekends. Blogging. Talking about things over breakfast.
28. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
James McAvoy.
29. What political issue stirred you the most?
The world economic crisis.
30. Who did you miss?
A friend of mine who moved to a different team.
31. Who was the best new person you met?
I don't know. My co-workers' kids?
Here's the thing, there are some people with whom my friendship has grown much stronger and they're the best people I currently know. But I didn't meet them this year, I met them ages ago. If we consider that logic, my answers are Lindsay, RJ, Robby, Gelo and Love.
32. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:
This is your life. If you don't like something, change it. That's from the Holstee Manifesto and it was so relevant this year.
33. What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself:
My friend told me that she wanted her daughter to be like me. Highest compliment I ever received.
34. The most touching experience you've had this year?
I was moved whenever I was reminded that I had friends and that they cared about me.
35. What did you like most about yourself this year?
I became more self-aware.
36. What did you hate most about yourself this year?
I'm still not good at telling people what I really think or how I really feel.
37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
If you've ever heard a beating heart
A rhythm for the songs we're too afraid to sing
Nobody here is perfectly fine
A delicate frame, a fragile design
If there's a hole in your heart
You gotta pull it together
It takes the courage to start
But now is better than never
It takes a push and a shove
Somehow it's never enough
And it's alarming how quickly we forget that
Nothing's bigger than love.
(Bigger than Love by My Favorite Highway)
38. Was 2011 a good year for you?
You can't answer this with just a "yes" or "no". It would be inaccurate to say that 2011 was a good year or a bad one. No, there are other adjectives I would use. For me, 2011 was tough, educational, thrilling, maddening and thought-provoking. I'm glad it's over and yet, I'm sorry to see it go.
39. What was your favorite moment of the year?
Summer.
40. What was your least favorite moment of the year?
Oddly enough, December.
41. Where were you when 2011 began?
At home, playing with fireworks.
42. Who were you with?
Family
43. Where will you be when 2011 ends?
Same as last year.
44. Who will you be with when 2011 ends?
Same as last year.
45. Do you have a new years resolution for 2012?
I won't list anything specific this year, only that I'm going to do my best to live a healthier lifestyle. I was rudely reminded that I am not immortal.
46. What was your favorite month of 2011?
August. That was when I started blogging again and realized how much fun it was.
47. Did you miss anybody in the past year?
Yes.
48. What was your favorite record from 2011?
Yellowcard's One for the Kids was not released in 2011, but it is the album I listened to the most this year. One of them anyway.
49. How many concerts did you see in 2011?
None. I caught Il Divo in Town, does that count?
50. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2011?
On occasion.
51. Do a lot of drugs in 2011?
No.
52. You do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Yeah.
53. How much money did you spend in 2011?
I didn't keep track of this. I did feel a pinch but I don't think I was frivolous. Still, I'll review my expenses and look at the stuff I can cut back on.
54. What was your proudest moment of 2011?
When I drew an apple with charcoal.
55. What was your most embarrassing moment of 2011?
Someone pulled me onto the dance floor and well, I don't dance. So I walked off.
56. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2011 and change something, what would it be?
None. Everything that should have happened, happened. I may not understand why, but I will in the future.
57. What are your plans for 2012?
That's classified.
58. How are you different now that the year has ended?
I'm smarter. I've grown up.
59. What are your wishes for the new year?
That I would be able to cross some things off of my bucket list.