End of the year meme
01. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I took a bus, and I got a Masters degree!
02. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No. I didn't. Well. I gave up fish last year, and I completely stuck to that (unless people snuck bits into my food, like they love to do in restaurants). I probably won't make resolutions as such, but start trying not to drink soda and cut back on coffee.
03. Did someone close to you give birth?
My sister! :D
04. Did anyone close to you die?
My godmother :(
05. What countries did you visit?
None. :P However, this year I've visited: Tennessee, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, and Texas.
06. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
More confidence and drive to get things done.
07. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I should really be able to remember the date, but the day I passed my exams was SUCH an emotional, amazing day, especially since they told me that they actually hadn't expected me to do that well (understandable since I'm so introverted).
Also, the day I got to meet my bff in person.
08. What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year?
MASTERS EXAM o.O
09. What was your biggest failure(s)?
I'm a huge procrastinator. That sucks of me. I also should be better at keeping up with people.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was pretty sick at the beginning of the year due to stress. My hair fell out. And it came back in gray (LOL!). I think any real illness I've had has been MENTAL.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A bus ticket to Texas! :D
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
herohunter, who is the kindest, most generous person I know, full of endless inspiration and love, and without whom I'd probably have self-destructed by now. She's probably the most grounding force in my life, and she does so much for so many people, even if some people have taken advantage of one of the few people with a truly good nature. *snuggles*
ririkit for being awesome to my spoiled cats and generally hilarious. :D Yume misses you.
The mass of people who also got their degree this year. Way to be! Seriously, you should be proud of yourselves.
The poor woman in my office who "failed" her exams, which should never happen because they are supposed to PREPARE you, and they told her first that she'd passed and then told her that she had to rewrite them. Jerks. I know this woman, and she's more articulate than I am. So serious props to her for telling them that she'd decide if she wanted to go through with the exam process again AFTER she got back from the break, because you can only do so much bowing and scraping when your committee members aren't paying attention to your progress. Hmph!
The lady with the airline who saw that they'd delayed me for a whole day, and got on the computer to switch me to another airline so I could get home the next morning, instead of at about midnight the next day! Thank you!
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
There's someone who I work with, and I know she can't help it sometimes, but she's so full of drama that she does appall me sometimes. I hate saying that. I started burning incense in my office to ward off the negative energy she puts out. She seems to be doing better, but I'm still tentative.
Certain individuals in fandom, who seem to exist to cause other people pain and tear other people down. It's FANDOM, people. Be chill.
The individuals who voted for Prop 8, but especially the wankers who made the misleading ads. BOO.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent and food. I don't spend a lot. Oh, and xmas presents :P
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Staying with my bff for not long enough. I sobbed like a silly thing when I had to get back on the bus.
Um, I went to two conferences this year. That was both nervousmaking and exciting. Las Vegas was exciting. I got excited about seeing MR and JM at Dragon*Con, but we ended up not going :P
Also, TDK and the upcoming Watchman movie. The prospect of Michael doing a new movie. (Get to work, boy!)
17. Compared to this time last year, are you...
i. happier or sadder?
Oh, god, so much happier.
ii. thinner or fatter?
About 17lbs thinner, and planning to go to the gym tomorrow, if it's open!
iii. richer or poorer?
About the same. A bit richer, I think. My earnings have gone up because I work like a crazy thing, but I don't spend much more, so my little mass of money is starting to build. I'm hoping that'll do me well for the upcoming move.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Finishing WiPs, especially You Make Me Sick because the end is near and I would really like that one to be closed up so I can do some editing and pimp it around for people who don't read WiPs. Also, writing some of my own things. I started a book in the summer, but got caught up in other things. Also, reading. Theory and other stuff.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Stressing out and moping like Clark. I don't know that I'll do less this year, but that would be night.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my mom and dad. Then we went to visit my sister and her three tornadoes. :)
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Uh... no.
23. How many one-night stands?
None. Sigh.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Supernatural, House, Fringe, Merlin, Gossip Girl (S1), and The Starter Wife.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not really. I don't have the energy to sustain hate.
26. What was the best book you read?
Eats, Shoots and Leaves. I haven't read a lot for pleasure over the course of the year.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Uh. How about a few earworms?
Dirty Laundry, Bitter: Sweet
Sewn, The Feeling
Eileen, The Hush Sound
Supergirl, Hilary Duff
Everything by Regina Specktor and Amanda Palmer
28. What did you want and get?
I wanted to meet my BFF, yay! (completely copied)
My Masters degree
Lose some weight
29. What did you want and not get?
Um. A girlfriend? Sadly Allison Mack has a boyfriend, as does Olivia Wilde. Sob.
30. Favorite film of this year?
The Dark Knight, followed by Hancock (OMG).
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
27. We went to Olive Garden.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Oh, I don't know. This is a dumb question.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
First: Too busy for fashion! Then: Fun and professional (I hope).
34. What kept you sane?
herohunter without a doubt. Who else would calm me down after I have a supreme panic attack when my committee gave me questions I didn't expect for them to chose?
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Michael Rosenbaum, Christian Bale, Will Smith, Allison Mack, and Olivia Wilde. I imagine Eliza Dushku will be forthcoming when Dollhouse comes on.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Man, I've been on a kick about racism in this country this year, and of course, always, sexism and homophobia.
37. Who do you miss?
My bff. And my cat.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Who have I MET this year? I think I met tobywolf13 at some point this year, I assume through absolut_chloe. I couldn't list all the people I've met, though, or choose a 'best.'
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
In the words of Tim Gunn: Make it work. Life will throw you curveballs; in fact, it's gonna suck. People are going to die, your plans will be derailed by the craziest shit, and things generally fall apart. But in the end, you still have to keep going. So figure out what's good for YOU, not what people think is the best way to do things, or what you think other people want, and make it work.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Something has changed within me.
Something is not the same.
I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game.
Too late for second-guessing.
Too late to go back to sleep!
It's time to trust my instincts.
Close my eyes, and leap!
It's time to try defying gravity.