New Year's Meme Of Sorts
Stolen from wild_irises, who stole it from serene:
1. What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before?
Spent a weekend in a hospital, out of state.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Generally don't make them. I had an ambition a year ago to run a mile three times a week, but eventually concluded that I don't like running on a treadmill enough to keep this up.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Physically close rather than emotionally: my next door neighbor has an adorable daughter.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My uncle Irving, age 99; family closeness rather than personal. Also (
onyxlynx ), whom I'd known for many years.
5. What countries did you visit?
US travel only in 2017.
6. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?
A lot more Democrats in Congress.
7. What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 21; world premiere of composer John Adams's latest opera, Girls of the Golden West, which proved to be shockingly bad.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
No idea. It was not really a year of significant or new achievements. I do feel like I was more productive at work than I'd been in a couple of years, owing to various circumstance (different project, different manager, not worrying about my late mother). Maybe finishing up getting my mom's estate settled?
9. What was your biggest failure?
Again, no idea. Not a year of significant failures.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I have a new diagnosis of an interesting form of migraine! (See above, weekend spent in hospital.)
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Either a very beautiful jacket or the bargain used copy of the New Berlioz Edition of Les Troyens, found at a bookseller in MA for only $200. I know, but it's a bargain compared to ~$850 purchased new.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Everybody standing up to that bully in the White House, his corrupt administration, and the GOP toadies in Congress. This includes people marching in the streets, writing letters, joining organizations, running for office out of sheer outrage, many journalists, and a few notable public figures, mostly Democrats, but including, perhaps, some Never Trump conservatives who are publically and vocally appalled by 45, and Robert Mueller, who is doing his job.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Abusers of all kinds, starting with the bully in the White House and including, but not limited to, other abusers in power.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Daily life, charitable donations, savings.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Elektra at San Francisco Opera. Opera doesn't get better than that.
16. What song will always remind you of 2017?
I don't really do songs, but maybe Elektra's monologue from the eponymous opera.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Probably a bit happier, between settling my mom's estate, taking care of a bunch of other household tasks, doing some worthwhile publicity work for my dojo, and getting enough sleep since my job moved to SF in September, 2016.
ii. thinner or fatter? About the same.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer, between savings and an inheritance.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Jujitsu and other forms of exercise; seeing friends. For various reasons, I went to fewer concerts than I would have liked.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Eating.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Dinner with friends Christmas Eve. Dim sum on the day with different friends I've been having dim sum with for something over 20 years (and we had done movie/tidepools for a few years before that), then dinner at home.
21. How will you be spending New Year’s Eve?
Dinner at Oliveto (superbly cooked and great wine), hanging out at home reading & dozing.
22. Did you fall in love in 2017?
No, though I might say I have a minor crush on a particular musician.
23. How many one-night stands?
Sigh. Not in decades. Sometimes I really miss the 70s, and the SCA.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
Broadchurch.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I had more respect for Susan Collins last year. Her vote on the tax bill completely torpedoed that. I seriously detest everybody who has contributed to the erosion of US democracy in the last year.
26. What was the best book you read?
Hard to say. I read a lot of good books, but nothing I want to give to everybody I know. Nothing as great as The Hare with Amber Eyes or The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Maybe the composers Marcos Balter and Jason Eckhardt, who had works on the incredible recital Claire Chase did in Berkeley in December.
28. What did you want and get?
Score of Les Troyens and the new recording of it.
29. What did you want and not get?
CHIP to be renewed. A decent federal government.
30. What was your favourite film that you saw for the first time this year?
I don't see enough movies to really have a fav.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Did things around Oakland and SF with my partner and had a nice dinner. I turned 60.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
President Hillary Clinton.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?
Uh....what's fashion?
34. What kept you sane?
My personal internal stability, music, jujitsu, my partner, my outrage, in no particular order.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I am keeping mum about this one.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Can't pick out one because I am currently outraged by so much, and will continue to be. But, okay: voting rights.
37. Who did you miss?
Lots of people, both family and friends.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Maybe the top-level tech writing manager I report up to, whose smartness and human values hugely impress me.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017.
Didn't really have any significant life lessons this year.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
There's probably something in Sondeheim, but I don't know what it is.
1. What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before?
Spent a weekend in a hospital, out of state.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Generally don't make them. I had an ambition a year ago to run a mile three times a week, but eventually concluded that I don't like running on a treadmill enough to keep this up.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Physically close rather than emotionally: my next door neighbor has an adorable daughter.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My uncle Irving, age 99; family closeness rather than personal. Also (
onyxlynx ), whom I'd known for many years.
5. What countries did you visit?
US travel only in 2017.
6. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?
A lot more Democrats in Congress.
7. What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 21; world premiere of composer John Adams's latest opera, Girls of the Golden West, which proved to be shockingly bad.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
No idea. It was not really a year of significant or new achievements. I do feel like I was more productive at work than I'd been in a couple of years, owing to various circumstance (different project, different manager, not worrying about my late mother). Maybe finishing up getting my mom's estate settled?
9. What was your biggest failure?
Again, no idea. Not a year of significant failures.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I have a new diagnosis of an interesting form of migraine! (See above, weekend spent in hospital.)
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Either a very beautiful jacket or the bargain used copy of the New Berlioz Edition of Les Troyens, found at a bookseller in MA for only $200. I know, but it's a bargain compared to ~$850 purchased new.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Everybody standing up to that bully in the White House, his corrupt administration, and the GOP toadies in Congress. This includes people marching in the streets, writing letters, joining organizations, running for office out of sheer outrage, many journalists, and a few notable public figures, mostly Democrats, but including, perhaps, some Never Trump conservatives who are publically and vocally appalled by 45, and Robert Mueller, who is doing his job.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Abusers of all kinds, starting with the bully in the White House and including, but not limited to, other abusers in power.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Daily life, charitable donations, savings.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Elektra at San Francisco Opera. Opera doesn't get better than that.
16. What song will always remind you of 2017?
I don't really do songs, but maybe Elektra's monologue from the eponymous opera.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Probably a bit happier, between settling my mom's estate, taking care of a bunch of other household tasks, doing some worthwhile publicity work for my dojo, and getting enough sleep since my job moved to SF in September, 2016.
ii. thinner or fatter? About the same.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer, between savings and an inheritance.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Jujitsu and other forms of exercise; seeing friends. For various reasons, I went to fewer concerts than I would have liked.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Eating.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Dinner with friends Christmas Eve. Dim sum on the day with different friends I've been having dim sum with for something over 20 years (and we had done movie/tidepools for a few years before that), then dinner at home.
21. How will you be spending New Year’s Eve?
Dinner at Oliveto (superbly cooked and great wine), hanging out at home reading & dozing.
22. Did you fall in love in 2017?
No, though I might say I have a minor crush on a particular musician.
23. How many one-night stands?
Sigh. Not in decades. Sometimes I really miss the 70s, and the SCA.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
Broadchurch.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I had more respect for Susan Collins last year. Her vote on the tax bill completely torpedoed that. I seriously detest everybody who has contributed to the erosion of US democracy in the last year.
26. What was the best book you read?
Hard to say. I read a lot of good books, but nothing I want to give to everybody I know. Nothing as great as The Hare with Amber Eyes or The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Maybe the composers Marcos Balter and Jason Eckhardt, who had works on the incredible recital Claire Chase did in Berkeley in December.
28. What did you want and get?
Score of Les Troyens and the new recording of it.
29. What did you want and not get?
CHIP to be renewed. A decent federal government.
30. What was your favourite film that you saw for the first time this year?
I don't see enough movies to really have a fav.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Did things around Oakland and SF with my partner and had a nice dinner. I turned 60.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
President Hillary Clinton.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?
Uh....what's fashion?
34. What kept you sane?
My personal internal stability, music, jujitsu, my partner, my outrage, in no particular order.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I am keeping mum about this one.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Can't pick out one because I am currently outraged by so much, and will continue to be. But, okay: voting rights.
37. Who did you miss?
Lots of people, both family and friends.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Maybe the top-level tech writing manager I report up to, whose smartness and human values hugely impress me.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017.
Didn't really have any significant life lessons this year.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
There's probably something in Sondeheim, but I don't know what it is.