2011
1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
I graduated college. I moved across the country. Twice! I visited Baltimore, France (Paris, Nice, Strasbourg, and Mulhouse), Italy, and Switzerland. I flew on a plane across the ocean. I ingested roehypnol in a foreign country, which is every bit as terrifying as you'd think. I saw my first live MSU football game. I had my first real date and my first Big Girl Job.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A coworker just had a baby three days ago! Besides that, nobody that I know of.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My Papa, who was far and away the most special person in my whole life, died while I held his hand on May 9, two days after I graduated college on his sixty-third birthday.
5. What countries did you visit?
France, Italy, Switzerland, and the Netherlands (latter two were just for airports/train stations, but they totally count!)
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
A positive attitude, a regular sleep schedule, MY OWN APARTMENT(!!!) and a boyfriend who lives 15 minutes away (actually accomplishing those last two, we'll see about the first ones.)
7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The weekend of May 7th.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I graduated college, worked an 80-hour-a-week job for three months, drove across the country on my own(!) and landed a job I really want in a city in which I want to live!
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not finding a job right after college was pretty fucking depressing. Also, I got semi-dumped.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really. I started eating meat again and have been a lot heartier.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Tons of clothes. $180 jeggings (they were on SALE), an iPhone, etc. Having a grown-up job has caused me to go slightly crazy.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Paul is just an absolutely wonderful boyfriend.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
My mother's, father's, and sister's at various points, of course. My Boss From Hell's.
14. Where did most of your money go?
In my bank account!
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I AM really excited for 2012! I am moving to the place I want to live to do a job I want to do!
16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
"Only the Good Die Young" by Billy Joel.
"Monster" by Kanye West, and also all the songs on this album.
"Crazy for You" by Best Coast.
"Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett.
"Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? Same to maybe slightly fatter.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Spending time with Paul, my friends, etc. Appreciating how good I had it. Visiting my grandpa.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Stressing and worrying. WORKING. Not working. Exploding at Paul for no reason.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my mother, father, sister, grandma, and great-grandma, at my parents' place in Jacksonville.
22. Did you fall in love in 2011?
I remained in love. Again! Score!
23. How many one-night stands?
One. And... a one-to-two-week-stand. But aside from that, relationshipping! Not the best track record, huh?
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Parks & Recreation, Community.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yeah, probably.
26. What was the best book you read?
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Listening to Kanye on repeat counts as a discovery, right? I guess I got pretty into the Dum Dum Girls, Real Estate, and Childish Gambino.
28. What did you want and get?
A job! A chance to move back Northward!
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Did I even see ANY good movies? Midnight in Paris was alright. Most everything I saw just involved being insanely stoned and eating 6,000 calories of popcorn. So, I mean, it was a great year for movies, but a bad year for film.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
My 22nd birthday was on a Friday or Saturday, and Paul and Jenna came to visit me for it. Paul brought me roses and took me to our favorite restaurant for soup and sandwiches (the sexiest thing I know). Two of my friends had birthdays, too, and I went to their bar crawl for a couple seconds and ran into some people I knew from HS, which never happens and was great. The party was dumb. Jenna and I got baked and she freaked out and made me leave with her from like 1130 to 130 (aka the whole party) and then passed out and Paul got mad at me for it and then we had sex like 10 feet from her unconscious body. Sorry, best friend. :(
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not working where I worked OR spending time unemployed in Florida.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Probably a little more grown up. I had to wear jeans for work, so I got into the jeans-classy top-blazer thing that every other girl has done forever.
34. What kept you sane?
Paul.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
ADAM SCOTTTTT again droooooooool. And I always have luv in my heart/loins for Jason Schwartzman.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The complete shitshow of Republican presidential candidates, Birthers, the war on reproductive rights, xenophobic lawmakers, Michigan has a fucking idiotic governor, etc.
37. Who did you miss?
Everyone.
38. Who were the best new people you met?
Did I meet ANYONE new in 2011? Probably not. I dallied a bit with a hipster in Florida, and he was alright, until he dumped me, which sucks and strips him of "alright" status.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:
Just. Keep. Going.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints, the sinners are much more fun."