Last Day of 2007!
Ok so 2007 was the best year of my life so far. Really. I got EVERYTHING I wanted. It’s just that, here at the end of it, I’m feeling pretty down…so this might be more of a downer than it should be. But really, this year was really great.
1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
made a movie I really liked, got a tattoo on my foot , “got back together with my ex,” finished the other really big movie, bought nice headphones, been really happy at college, got my wisdom teeth taken out, finished college, had opinions about stuff (ok that wasn’t really anything new), screened my movie in a real movie theater, lived with my boyfriend, had total freedom about what to do with my life, gone floating on the Ouachita river, smoked pot with my mom (?!), saw the pyramids, slept in the Sahara Desert, moved to Berlin with no set date to leave, taught English, made more money than I could feasibly spend in a week, learned to play guitar, didn’t go home for the holidays at all, conversely: went home 6 other times in one year, actually punched my sister, bought a plane ticket to China
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Some of them and Yes. (see upcoming post: Fantasy 2007/2008 Review)
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! Jon Rice has a baby. I haven’t seen her yet. And he and I aren’t actually that close.
3. Did anyone close to you die?
My grandmother died.
5. What countries did you visit?
Egypt, Germany, Holland, the land of Adulthood
5a. How many apartments did you have?
Four: 1 in Northampton - 1 in Chicago - 2 in Berlin
5b. How many jobs did you have?
Six:
Projectionist/Graphic Designer - Amherst Cinema
Media Services - Hampshire College
Videographer - Some professor at Hampshire paid me to produce a lecture series!
Soundboard Master - Some AV Production Company in Chicago
Waitress - Some Crappy bar/restaurant in Chicago
ESL Teacher - Campus & More Berlin
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
The experience of having been arrested (in the USA) - Skills in another foreign language - A new official profession besides teaching - An adventure pal - The ability and interest to talk to strangers
7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I was gonna say “the date I screened my Div III”…but I can’t remember the date. I arrived in Berlin on September 4th.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finishing College, Finishing a semester of teaching
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not finding things to like about Chicago.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
A little mental sickness (as always) - absolutely nothing serious. I got my wisdom teeth taken out. That kind of hurt (but not that bad).
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane ticket to Egypt
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
As always: my mom’s
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Sometimes my own, sometimes other people’s, sometimes famous people’s.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Plane tickets, gasoline, food, rent, movies
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Finishing College, Being with Justin, Going to Egypt, Moving to Berlin
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Any song by Jay Retard - Mystery by the Wipers - The Origin of Love from Hedwig and the Angry Inch
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder?
Happier
ii. Thinner or fatter?
Thinner some, fatter some
iii. richer or poorer?
RICHER.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Writing in my journal, Going on Adventures, Exploring Chicago, Riding Bikes
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I wish I’d spent less time planning my life and more time living it.
And, as always I wish I’d done less worrying, second-guessing, whining, and being negative
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I went to the Christmas Market with Mario. Then I saw Dr. Zhevgov with Magdalena and Kryztian.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Yeah, a couple of times. I don’t think there will ever be a year where I don’t (at least, I hope that’s true)
22. How many one-night stands?
2 or 3
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Scrubs
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I hate too many people right now. It’s not a good thing and making a list is the last thing I want to do. I’d like to learn to just ignore, or be amused by people I don’t like. Hating is such a waste of time.
25. What was the best book you read?
The Sheltering Sky
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
That I don’t have to care about discovering new music! (Also, new punk rock is really good)
27. What did you want and get?
A kickass Div III screening, certification to teach English, further romantic experience, to see the Pyramids, a work permit and a high-paying teaching job in Berlin, an apartment in Berlin with my name on the lease, better knowledge of World Geography, a guitar
28. What did you want and not get?
an adventure pal, a better relationship with my sister
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Lives of Others was my favorite. Hands down.
Here are some other ones I saw this year that I really liked, new and old:
Children of Men, Blood Diamond, The Last Kind of Scotland, Hotel Very Welcome, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Last Kiss, Ulzhan: das Vergessene Licht, Badlands, Walkabout, Rules of the Game, Citizen Kane (?!), Dr. Zhevagov, Out of Africa
I haven’t seen The Darjeeling Limited yet because it doesn’t come out in Germany until Jan 3. But I am really excited about it.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 22 and I ate half price sushi with my best buddies in NYC. Teal gave me a 22oz. beer for my 22nd birthday!
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I hadn’t worried so goddamn much.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
The “I’ve decided that I hate fashion (no not really I still want to look kind of cool)” look. That includes plain colored, comfortable fitting clothing…with occasional flair added on top for the days where I changed my mind. Also, my hair was both long and short, light and dark.
33. What kept you sane?
Justin and my impending graduation. As always: hard work.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Al Gore!
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
The upcoming elections, political apathy (my own included!), global warming, sept. 11 conspiracy theories
36. Who did you miss?
A lot of different people at a lot of different times.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Trey Barth, Josh Lee, Rob Henig, Mark Landsman!
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
If you want to do something, just make a plan and get to it.
The world is big and life is wide open.
NEVER listen to other people. Especially if they’re trying to tell you that you can’t do something.
Being alone is much easier that not being alone. Becoming a hermit is a cop out. (This theory still in progess).
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
There were no super important songs for this year, but here’s an oldy but goody that seems to sum up my years (all of them). It’s by Guided By Voices:
“Many years we spend on pressure that we knew so swell
Lovin’ times of simple pleasures, only time will tell
Oh this is not to say, we are not the way we used to be
We were not so fond of reason, everyone could tell
Even times we’d start to stumble, but never ever fell
Oh this is not to say, we were not the worst we’ve ever been
Fools and Kings decide ways to live your life
This is just the way we want to be”
1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
made a movie I really liked, got a tattoo on my foot , “got back together with my ex,” finished the other really big movie, bought nice headphones, been really happy at college, got my wisdom teeth taken out, finished college, had opinions about stuff (ok that wasn’t really anything new), screened my movie in a real movie theater, lived with my boyfriend, had total freedom about what to do with my life, gone floating on the Ouachita river, smoked pot with my mom (?!), saw the pyramids, slept in the Sahara Desert, moved to Berlin with no set date to leave, taught English, made more money than I could feasibly spend in a week, learned to play guitar, didn’t go home for the holidays at all, conversely: went home 6 other times in one year, actually punched my sister, bought a plane ticket to China
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Some of them and Yes. (see upcoming post: Fantasy 2007/2008 Review)
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! Jon Rice has a baby. I haven’t seen her yet. And he and I aren’t actually that close.
3. Did anyone close to you die?
My grandmother died.
5. What countries did you visit?
Egypt, Germany, Holland, the land of Adulthood
5a. How many apartments did you have?
Four: 1 in Northampton - 1 in Chicago - 2 in Berlin
5b. How many jobs did you have?
Six:
Projectionist/Graphic Designer - Amherst Cinema
Media Services - Hampshire College
Videographer - Some professor at Hampshire paid me to produce a lecture series!
Soundboard Master - Some AV Production Company in Chicago
Waitress - Some Crappy bar/restaurant in Chicago
ESL Teacher - Campus & More Berlin
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
The experience of having been arrested (in the USA) - Skills in another foreign language - A new official profession besides teaching - An adventure pal - The ability and interest to talk to strangers
7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I was gonna say “the date I screened my Div III”…but I can’t remember the date. I arrived in Berlin on September 4th.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finishing College, Finishing a semester of teaching
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not finding things to like about Chicago.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
A little mental sickness (as always) - absolutely nothing serious. I got my wisdom teeth taken out. That kind of hurt (but not that bad).
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane ticket to Egypt
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
As always: my mom’s
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Sometimes my own, sometimes other people’s, sometimes famous people’s.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Plane tickets, gasoline, food, rent, movies
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Finishing College, Being with Justin, Going to Egypt, Moving to Berlin
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Any song by Jay Retard - Mystery by the Wipers - The Origin of Love from Hedwig and the Angry Inch
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder?
Happier
ii. Thinner or fatter?
Thinner some, fatter some
iii. richer or poorer?
RICHER.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Writing in my journal, Going on Adventures, Exploring Chicago, Riding Bikes
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I wish I’d spent less time planning my life and more time living it.
And, as always I wish I’d done less worrying, second-guessing, whining, and being negative
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I went to the Christmas Market with Mario. Then I saw Dr. Zhevgov with Magdalena and Kryztian.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Yeah, a couple of times. I don’t think there will ever be a year where I don’t (at least, I hope that’s true)
22. How many one-night stands?
2 or 3
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Scrubs
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I hate too many people right now. It’s not a good thing and making a list is the last thing I want to do. I’d like to learn to just ignore, or be amused by people I don’t like. Hating is such a waste of time.
25. What was the best book you read?
The Sheltering Sky
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
That I don’t have to care about discovering new music! (Also, new punk rock is really good)
27. What did you want and get?
A kickass Div III screening, certification to teach English, further romantic experience, to see the Pyramids, a work permit and a high-paying teaching job in Berlin, an apartment in Berlin with my name on the lease, better knowledge of World Geography, a guitar
28. What did you want and not get?
an adventure pal, a better relationship with my sister
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Lives of Others was my favorite. Hands down.
Here are some other ones I saw this year that I really liked, new and old:
Children of Men, Blood Diamond, The Last Kind of Scotland, Hotel Very Welcome, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Last Kiss, Ulzhan: das Vergessene Licht, Badlands, Walkabout, Rules of the Game, Citizen Kane (?!), Dr. Zhevagov, Out of Africa
I haven’t seen The Darjeeling Limited yet because it doesn’t come out in Germany until Jan 3. But I am really excited about it.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 22 and I ate half price sushi with my best buddies in NYC. Teal gave me a 22oz. beer for my 22nd birthday!
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I hadn’t worried so goddamn much.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
The “I’ve decided that I hate fashion (no not really I still want to look kind of cool)” look. That includes plain colored, comfortable fitting clothing…with occasional flair added on top for the days where I changed my mind. Also, my hair was both long and short, light and dark.
33. What kept you sane?
Justin and my impending graduation. As always: hard work.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Al Gore!
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
The upcoming elections, political apathy (my own included!), global warming, sept. 11 conspiracy theories
36. Who did you miss?
A lot of different people at a lot of different times.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Trey Barth, Josh Lee, Rob Henig, Mark Landsman!
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
If you want to do something, just make a plan and get to it.
The world is big and life is wide open.
NEVER listen to other people. Especially if they’re trying to tell you that you can’t do something.
Being alone is much easier that not being alone. Becoming a hermit is a cop out. (This theory still in progess).
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
There were no super important songs for this year, but here’s an oldy but goody that seems to sum up my years (all of them). It’s by Guided By Voices:
“Many years we spend on pressure that we knew so swell
Lovin’ times of simple pleasures, only time will tell
Oh this is not to say, we are not the way we used to be
We were not so fond of reason, everyone could tell
Even times we’d start to stumble, but never ever fell
Oh this is not to say, we were not the worst we’ve ever been
Fools and Kings decide ways to live your life
This is just the way we want to be”