2009
1.What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Quit my job with no job to go to.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't know if I had any actual resolutions, but I generally intend to be better organized and in better physical shape. I did that. Next year I could use more of the same.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A cousin and some friends. And we got to visit a lot of them in our travels.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My cousin Mathieu died late last year in a traffic accident in Peru. I've continued thinking about him a lot this year. It was great to get to spend time with his parents, brother and nephew when we were in Switzerland.
5. What countries did you visit?
Oh my: Canada, USA, Switzerland, France, England, Scotland, Holland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Morocco, Spain, Israel and Egypt. More to come in 2010.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
My own bed to sleep in.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 1st - our last day of work before travel.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Actually getting going on our trip!
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not saving more money before we left, spending too much money in Europe - now we're kind of on a shoe-string, though luckily in cheaper places. I also wish I'd been better uploading photos and posting updates online.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, a cold and an upset stomach here and there.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Friendly people all over the world.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Conservative Americans, the Israeli government and the apathetic, ignorant or racist Israelis who support them, the governments of the world for failing to agree on laws that will allows us to continue living in a world with beaches, drinking water and a climate that lets us grow enough food to eat.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Travel.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Travel.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2009?
I gotta feeling. Between European pop radio and Andy and Ali's wedding I've got some good memories.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner
iii. richer or poorer? richer in time, poorer in money
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Spending time with friends - the times we had around the world were great, but I could have used a little more of it.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Overnight travel without a bed (planes and trains).
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We spent Christmas in Tel Aviv where most people don't celebrate Christmas. While Christmas is a holiday I celebrate I hate the commercialized crap so I loved it. We built a cardboard christmas tree with recycled paper ornaments and didn't exchange gifts. Perfect!
21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Nope, got that one covered.
22. How many one-night stands?
7, I mean 0.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia is the only show I really watched and it's really great.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope, and answering this question I feel like I'm kind of past hate.
25. What was the best book you read?
I actually started reading again this year after a gap of many years. I think I might have enjoyed Tales Of The City the most since it reminded me of home. I also loved Umberto Eco's first two books, the new William Gibson, Truman Capote's In Cold Blood and Middlesex. No nothing actually released this year.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Central European pop radio. They love Roxette as much as I do.
27. What did you want and get?
To get away.
28. What did you want and not get?
Horse pizza in Berlin. We just ran out of time.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Precious
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
We were riding camels in the Sahara in Morocco. I was 32.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I really can't think of anything. It's been a pretty satisfying year.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
One week of clothes on repeat. The usual formula of jeans and t-shirts with some travel additions including zippy hiking pants and a Berber turban.
33. What kept you sane?
Having Sharon with me 24/7 for the past 8 months. I'm glad that didn't make me insane.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Sarah Vowell while I was reading Assassination Vacation.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Israeli Apartheid in Palestine (since I'm right here). Also climate change, American health care reform and GLBT equality though they were all a little more distant from me.
36. Who did you miss?
Friends in San Francisco, though it's been great travelling and seeing so many people around the world I normally miss. I miss having a technical community that I can talk to about crazy computer ideas, though I've managed to do a bit of that online nonetheless.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
We met a lot of great new people. The ones that stand out in my mind are the people we were on our group trip in Egypt with - all great, interesting people that we had a really fun week with and Emily's friends in Tel Aviv that we're getting to know.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009
I learned that I don't need nearly as much stuff as I think I need. I don't even want nearly as much stuff as I think I need. We got rid of almost everything we owned in San Francisco, left almost everything else in storage, filled our car with the remains, but left almost all of that when we left the US, but still, with only a backpack each we had way more than we actually used.
39. Quote song lyrics that sum up your year:
I don't really listen to song lyrics.
Quit my job with no job to go to.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't know if I had any actual resolutions, but I generally intend to be better organized and in better physical shape. I did that. Next year I could use more of the same.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A cousin and some friends. And we got to visit a lot of them in our travels.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My cousin Mathieu died late last year in a traffic accident in Peru. I've continued thinking about him a lot this year. It was great to get to spend time with his parents, brother and nephew when we were in Switzerland.
5. What countries did you visit?
Oh my: Canada, USA, Switzerland, France, England, Scotland, Holland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Morocco, Spain, Israel and Egypt. More to come in 2010.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
My own bed to sleep in.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 1st - our last day of work before travel.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Actually getting going on our trip!
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not saving more money before we left, spending too much money in Europe - now we're kind of on a shoe-string, though luckily in cheaper places. I also wish I'd been better uploading photos and posting updates online.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, a cold and an upset stomach here and there.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Friendly people all over the world.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Conservative Americans, the Israeli government and the apathetic, ignorant or racist Israelis who support them, the governments of the world for failing to agree on laws that will allows us to continue living in a world with beaches, drinking water and a climate that lets us grow enough food to eat.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Travel.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Travel.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2009?
I gotta feeling. Between European pop radio and Andy and Ali's wedding I've got some good memories.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner
iii. richer or poorer? richer in time, poorer in money
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Spending time with friends - the times we had around the world were great, but I could have used a little more of it.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Overnight travel without a bed (planes and trains).
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We spent Christmas in Tel Aviv where most people don't celebrate Christmas. While Christmas is a holiday I celebrate I hate the commercialized crap so I loved it. We built a cardboard christmas tree with recycled paper ornaments and didn't exchange gifts. Perfect!
21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Nope, got that one covered.
22. How many one-night stands?
7, I mean 0.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia is the only show I really watched and it's really great.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope, and answering this question I feel like I'm kind of past hate.
25. What was the best book you read?
I actually started reading again this year after a gap of many years. I think I might have enjoyed Tales Of The City the most since it reminded me of home. I also loved Umberto Eco's first two books, the new William Gibson, Truman Capote's In Cold Blood and Middlesex. No nothing actually released this year.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Central European pop radio. They love Roxette as much as I do.
27. What did you want and get?
To get away.
28. What did you want and not get?
Horse pizza in Berlin. We just ran out of time.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Precious
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
We were riding camels in the Sahara in Morocco. I was 32.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I really can't think of anything. It's been a pretty satisfying year.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
One week of clothes on repeat. The usual formula of jeans and t-shirts with some travel additions including zippy hiking pants and a Berber turban.
33. What kept you sane?
Having Sharon with me 24/7 for the past 8 months. I'm glad that didn't make me insane.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Sarah Vowell while I was reading Assassination Vacation.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Israeli Apartheid in Palestine (since I'm right here). Also climate change, American health care reform and GLBT equality though they were all a little more distant from me.
36. Who did you miss?
Friends in San Francisco, though it's been great travelling and seeing so many people around the world I normally miss. I miss having a technical community that I can talk to about crazy computer ideas, though I've managed to do a bit of that online nonetheless.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
We met a lot of great new people. The ones that stand out in my mind are the people we were on our group trip in Egypt with - all great, interesting people that we had a really fun week with and Emily's friends in Tel Aviv that we're getting to know.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009
I learned that I don't need nearly as much stuff as I think I need. I don't even want nearly as much stuff as I think I need. We got rid of almost everything we owned in San Francisco, left almost everything else in storage, filled our car with the remains, but left almost all of that when we left the US, but still, with only a backpack each we had way more than we actually used.
39. Quote song lyrics that sum up your year:
I don't really listen to song lyrics.