2007 in review
I did a version of this meme last year and the previous year or two as well, and it's generally helped me put the year in perspective. So here we go...
1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Grew tomatoes. Taught a literature research seminar. Taught two upper-level classes at the same time. Shepherded two beloved students through the graduate school application process. Adopted kittens when I already had cats.
2. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Academic work and vidding. As usual.
3. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastinating.
4. What did you want and get?
The chance to teach some cool new classes and to make a real difference in some students' academic careers. Time with people I care about. Time to vid. Time to garden. New TV shows to love. New CDs, DVDs, books. The opportunity to start buying more of my food locally.
5. What did you want and not get?
Enough hours in the week to do all the fannish stuff I'd like to do. Or, you know, a work ethic, which would probably obviate the need for more hours in the week. Heh.
6.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having less chaotic workspace, both at my office and in my study at home.
7. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions?
Last year's goals: Make progress on garden and landscaping plans, make at least two vids, do a good job with my research seminar, get at least one article sent out, and have more dinner parties - and be open to any other opportunities for good things. I did indeed make progress on the garden and on my landscaping plans (though not, sadly, the landscaping itself); I made three vids; the research seminar went better than I could have expected, largely because of my students, but I do think I get to take some credit; and I did have more dinner parties. So mostly, yes, I did achieve these goals. I did not get any articles sent out, which is on the verge of becoming a serious problem.
8. What are your resolutions for next year?
Send out at least two articles; make at least three vids; send more vid feedback; put in raised beds and plant a proper garden; plant a hedge in the back yard; read more fiction (see below); drink more red wine; make bread at least a couple of weekends a month; tidy up my office and study and keep them tidy.
9. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A big vegetable garden and a peer-reviewed publication.
10. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
As always, I'm awful with dates as such. But my research seminar students' presentations of their work at our department symposium stands out as a good day. We pretty much wiped the floor with the other class. Why yes, that would be my intermittent but strong competitive streak showing up. ::whistles::
11. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
The research seminar, no question. Though finishing a vid for VVC Premieres definitely ranks.
12. What was your biggest failure?
Say it with me: not enough progress on scholarly projects. Worst. trend. ever. Plus, I took way too long to comment on and return students' paper drafts.
13. What was the best thing you bought?
NewEgg gift certificate for Lum.
14. Where did most of your money go?
London. And my mortgage.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My garden!
16. What countries did you visit?
England!
17. How did you spend Thanksgiving?
I hosted a large and rather rowdy assortment of people - mostly local, but I also imported a renenet for the occasion - for a large communally-cooked dinner.
18. How did you spend Christmas?
Quietly: reading garden books, vidding, making a batch of really good chili.
19. What did you do on your birthday?
Had a productive day at work. Showed a draft of "In the Mirror" to sdwolfpup and pipsqueaky. Wrote up a shout-out to people who gave me extra-awesome vid feedback in 2006. Cooked a delicious mushroom risotto for dinner. Talked on the phone with renenet. Had two local friends over for cake and the first two episodes of Wonderfalls (which they LOVED).
20. What song(s) will always remind you of 2007?
The Frames, "People Get Ready."
21. What was the best book you read?
The "best" designation irks me, because it implies an objective standard of judgment to which I do not aspire when school isn't in session. I'd rather talk about what I like. Ergo:
Still not reading much fiction, relatively speaking. I observed to truepenny a few weeks ago that setting specific goals for my poetry-reading (a book a week) has had really good results in the sense that even though I usually end up reading around 25 books of poetry rather than the 50 that is ostensibly the goal, that's still about 23 more than I used to read. So I'm planning to set some similar goals for my fiction reading; in the next few days I'm going to take a look at my shelves of unread books and think about what exactly those goals might be.
22. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
Probably a tie between Chris Pureka (courtesy of killabeez), Tiger Lou (courtesy of sdwolfpup), and Psalm One. I had a good year in music, but a lot of my acquisitions were new CDs from old favorites. I've been downloading lots of new stuff from various music blogs and communities, but haven't actually been listening to much of it; I'm honestly not sure why this is. I will say that a couple of favorite bands released less-than-stellar CDs late in the year, and so I'm feeling a bit of an itch to go out and find new favorites, which is something I haven't felt for a couple of years at least.
23. What was your favorite film of this year?
As usual, I saw very few movies in the theatre. Three, in fact. My favorite of this very limited selection was The Bourne Ultimatum. (It's the rare sequel that's actually better than its predecessors, but I think each movie is that series is better than the previous one, which is pretty impressive.)
Favorite movie I saw, regardless of year: Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story. Honorable Mention for favorite documentary: Times of Harvey Milk, which was on my list for years before I finally got around to seeing it.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
In the first half of the year, Heroes. In the last couple of months - and taking the prize for the whole year - The Wire. Honorable mention goes to Friday Night Lights, and believe me, nobody's more surprised about that than I am.
25. What kept you sane?
Local friends who will come over for a bottle of wine or take me out for ice cream on a moment's notice.
26. Whom did you miss?
katallison and sisabet. And of course renenet and truepenny and mirrorthaw, but I've just seen them recently, so the pangs of missage are less painful at the moment.
27. Who was the best new person you met?
Locally, our new French professor, who is hilarious and sarcastic and a foodie and generally fits right in with the group of weirdo geeks I hang out with. Fannishly, jarrow272.
28. What valuable life lesson did you learn in 2007?
I need to start commenting/grading the day I get a batch of papers, because every day I put it off makes it that much harder to get started. I knew this already, actually, but it's the sort of thing that wears off and needs to be re-learned periodically.
29. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
woken 3 a.m. by the freight train
it's all crickets and puddles
and weeks and weeks of rain here
I hear that Alix is back in New York
but this small town it suits me well
I like all the farms and the fields
that lead me far down dirt roads
or maybe
You can't keep safe what wants to break
30. What LJ entries prompted the most conversation this year?
These fell into two distinct tiers. In the first: the bigger than hip-hop post and the " In the Mirror" and " People Get Ready" vid announcements. In the second: the vid announcement for " Nothing New"; the reservation post for my vid DVD; and the post about getting kittens.
Music, vids, and pictures of cats: pretty much the internet in a nutshell, as far as I'm concerned.
In sum...
Unlike many people I know, I did not have a terrible 2007. There were some definite high points, a few low points, a fair amount of frustration and disappointment, but mostly - rather like 2006 - it was a year of a fairly pleasant settled life and measurable if intermittent progress on a few projects I care about. That said, it was painful to see so many of my friends struggling with difficult circumstances and events, and especially painful to be, in many cases, so utterly unable to help with those struggles in meaningful ways.
So my most fervent wish is for a happier 2008 for all of us.
1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Grew tomatoes. Taught a literature research seminar. Taught two upper-level classes at the same time. Shepherded two beloved students through the graduate school application process. Adopted kittens when I already had cats.
2. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Academic work and vidding. As usual.
3. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastinating.
4. What did you want and get?
The chance to teach some cool new classes and to make a real difference in some students' academic careers. Time with people I care about. Time to vid. Time to garden. New TV shows to love. New CDs, DVDs, books. The opportunity to start buying more of my food locally.
5. What did you want and not get?
Enough hours in the week to do all the fannish stuff I'd like to do. Or, you know, a work ethic, which would probably obviate the need for more hours in the week. Heh.
6.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having less chaotic workspace, both at my office and in my study at home.
7. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions?
Last year's goals: Make progress on garden and landscaping plans, make at least two vids, do a good job with my research seminar, get at least one article sent out, and have more dinner parties - and be open to any other opportunities for good things. I did indeed make progress on the garden and on my landscaping plans (though not, sadly, the landscaping itself); I made three vids; the research seminar went better than I could have expected, largely because of my students, but I do think I get to take some credit; and I did have more dinner parties. So mostly, yes, I did achieve these goals. I did not get any articles sent out, which is on the verge of becoming a serious problem.
8. What are your resolutions for next year?
Send out at least two articles; make at least three vids; send more vid feedback; put in raised beds and plant a proper garden; plant a hedge in the back yard; read more fiction (see below); drink more red wine; make bread at least a couple of weekends a month; tidy up my office and study and keep them tidy.
9. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A big vegetable garden and a peer-reviewed publication.
10. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
As always, I'm awful with dates as such. But my research seminar students' presentations of their work at our department symposium stands out as a good day. We pretty much wiped the floor with the other class. Why yes, that would be my intermittent but strong competitive streak showing up. ::whistles::
11. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
The research seminar, no question. Though finishing a vid for VVC Premieres definitely ranks.
12. What was your biggest failure?
Say it with me: not enough progress on scholarly projects. Worst. trend. ever. Plus, I took way too long to comment on and return students' paper drafts.
13. What was the best thing you bought?
NewEgg gift certificate for Lum.
14. Where did most of your money go?
London. And my mortgage.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My garden!
16. What countries did you visit?
England!
17. How did you spend Thanksgiving?
I hosted a large and rather rowdy assortment of people - mostly local, but I also imported a renenet for the occasion - for a large communally-cooked dinner.
18. How did you spend Christmas?
Quietly: reading garden books, vidding, making a batch of really good chili.
19. What did you do on your birthday?
Had a productive day at work. Showed a draft of "In the Mirror" to sdwolfpup and pipsqueaky. Wrote up a shout-out to people who gave me extra-awesome vid feedback in 2006. Cooked a delicious mushroom risotto for dinner. Talked on the phone with renenet. Had two local friends over for cake and the first two episodes of Wonderfalls (which they LOVED).
20. What song(s) will always remind you of 2007?
The Frames, "People Get Ready."
21. What was the best book you read?
The "best" designation irks me, because it implies an objective standard of judgment to which I do not aspire when school isn't in session. I'd rather talk about what I like. Ergo:
- Favorite fiction: Laurie Marks, Fire Logic. (Water Logic is sitting on my bedside table... along with another seven or eight books. Typical.)
- Favorite poetry: I don't think I can choose a favorite this year; it was a good year overall, but lacked a single stand-out. (Looking back at the poems I posted, I find myself prioritizing the acquisition of at least of couple of Jennifer Moxley's collections.)
- Favorite play: Suzan-Lori Parks, Topdog/Underdog.
- Favorite nonfiction: Jeff Chang, Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation AND Gerald Graff, Clueless in Academe: How Schooling Destroys the Life of the Mind.
- Favorite cookbook: Cook's Illustrated, New Best Recipe.
- Favorite gardening book: Carolyn Male, 100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden.
Still not reading much fiction, relatively speaking. I observed to truepenny a few weeks ago that setting specific goals for my poetry-reading (a book a week) has had really good results in the sense that even though I usually end up reading around 25 books of poetry rather than the 50 that is ostensibly the goal, that's still about 23 more than I used to read. So I'm planning to set some similar goals for my fiction reading; in the next few days I'm going to take a look at my shelves of unread books and think about what exactly those goals might be.
22. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
Probably a tie between Chris Pureka (courtesy of killabeez), Tiger Lou (courtesy of sdwolfpup), and Psalm One. I had a good year in music, but a lot of my acquisitions were new CDs from old favorites. I've been downloading lots of new stuff from various music blogs and communities, but haven't actually been listening to much of it; I'm honestly not sure why this is. I will say that a couple of favorite bands released less-than-stellar CDs late in the year, and so I'm feeling a bit of an itch to go out and find new favorites, which is something I haven't felt for a couple of years at least.
23. What was your favorite film of this year?
As usual, I saw very few movies in the theatre. Three, in fact. My favorite of this very limited selection was The Bourne Ultimatum. (It's the rare sequel that's actually better than its predecessors, but I think each movie is that series is better than the previous one, which is pretty impressive.)
Favorite movie I saw, regardless of year: Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story. Honorable Mention for favorite documentary: Times of Harvey Milk, which was on my list for years before I finally got around to seeing it.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
In the first half of the year, Heroes. In the last couple of months - and taking the prize for the whole year - The Wire. Honorable mention goes to Friday Night Lights, and believe me, nobody's more surprised about that than I am.
25. What kept you sane?
Local friends who will come over for a bottle of wine or take me out for ice cream on a moment's notice.
26. Whom did you miss?
katallison and sisabet. And of course renenet and truepenny and mirrorthaw, but I've just seen them recently, so the pangs of missage are less painful at the moment.
27. Who was the best new person you met?
Locally, our new French professor, who is hilarious and sarcastic and a foodie and generally fits right in with the group of weirdo geeks I hang out with. Fannishly, jarrow272.
28. What valuable life lesson did you learn in 2007?
I need to start commenting/grading the day I get a batch of papers, because every day I put it off makes it that much harder to get started. I knew this already, actually, but it's the sort of thing that wears off and needs to be re-learned periodically.
29. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
woken 3 a.m. by the freight train
it's all crickets and puddles
and weeks and weeks of rain here
I hear that Alix is back in New York
but this small town it suits me well
I like all the farms and the fields
that lead me far down dirt roads
or maybe
You can't keep safe what wants to break
30. What LJ entries prompted the most conversation this year?
These fell into two distinct tiers. In the first: the bigger than hip-hop post and the " In the Mirror" and " People Get Ready" vid announcements. In the second: the vid announcement for " Nothing New"; the reservation post for my vid DVD; and the post about getting kittens.
Music, vids, and pictures of cats: pretty much the internet in a nutshell, as far as I'm concerned.
In sum...
Unlike many people I know, I did not have a terrible 2007. There were some definite high points, a few low points, a fair amount of frustration and disappointment, but mostly - rather like 2006 - it was a year of a fairly pleasant settled life and measurable if intermittent progress on a few projects I care about. That said, it was painful to see so many of my friends struggling with difficult circumstances and events, and especially painful to be, in many cases, so utterly unable to help with those struggles in meaningful ways.
So my most fervent wish is for a happier 2008 for all of us.