2007 in review
1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Traveled over 20,000 miles (including roughly 40 hours of flights) from India to Boston to Beijing in the space of nine days. I plan to never do this again.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I can't recall having made any resolutions, either last year or this one.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Pretty much every single woman I know of breeding age, except for me.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. Actually, no one close to me has ever died. My life is totally empty of pathos.
5. What countries did you visit?
Well, I lived in India and moved to China. Besides that, I visited America, Thailand, VietNam, Cambodia, Burma, Laos, Oman, UAE and the Maldives. I think that's it. There may have been more, but I'd need to root through my old emails to figure it out. For the record, 2008 is going to be MUCH better for travel.
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
Nothing. I have everything I want.
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Nothing really. Perhaps August 9, the day we finally moved from Bangalore, and August 21, the day we arrived in Beijing.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Coordinating the move to China and getting focused and serious about the PhD track.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I probably could have been thriftier, but where's the fun in that? Also wish I'd seen my father more often in 2007. Again, 2008 is already better in that regard.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major. Like I said, no pathos over here.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Tickets for vacations.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Why, mine of course.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Pretty much everyone except for the dear husband, one way or another.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Travel, no doubt.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Moving to China, the new job which I love, vacation plans, geeked out school work and literary nerd stuff.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
I have no idea. Probably something by Mirah or Tegan and Sara.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier, always
b) thinner or fatter? thinner, also a trend
c) richer or poorer? richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I hadn't stopped running regularly and hope to start that again. I also wish I'd taken yoga more seriously.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Waste time on the Internet
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Hanging out with the husband at home, watching all our favorite Christmas specials from childhood and splurging on absurdly expensive foodstuffs for dinner.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
I remained in love with the same person, if even more.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
The American version of the Office turned out to be quite hilarious. I also enjoyed Heroes tremendously, if only the first season. Oh, 2007 was also the year I discovered the crack in television form that is America's Next Top Model.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate anyone at all.
24. What was the best book you read?
I don't know if I'd say best, but Disgrace definitely shook me the most. I probably enjoyed the Shadow Lines the most or perhaps the Buddha of Suburbia.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Not exactly a discovery, but I got really into the Buzzcocks, the Damned and Hot Hot Heat in 2007.
26. What did you want and get?
A new job, new city, etc.
27. What did you want and not get?
Nothing. I got everything I wanted. I am totally spoiled.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
It didn't come out this year, but I saw it for the first time: Everything is Illuminated.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 26 and spent the day dumpster (or giant trash pile) diving behind the Fab Mall grocery near my house in Bangalore, looking for usable cardboard boxes. The joys of having a birthday a week before a major move.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A huge pile of money with no strings attach wouldn't have gone amiss.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
slightly prissy mod boho meets lazy slob
32. What kept you sane?
love of husband
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I cannot say that I have any celebrity crushes of any sort. I am horribly boring.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I've had the same (extremely strong and deeply felt) political convictions for years, so this year was more of the usual suspects. Jason and I got in some amazing fights about immigration and ended up declaring it a forbidden topic in the house, so maybe that one more than others.
35. Whom did you miss?
My parents, especially my dad, and some of my favorite ladies.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
No idea... probably the Renda gang.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
live slow, die old
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Needles and pins
Traveled over 20,000 miles (including roughly 40 hours of flights) from India to Boston to Beijing in the space of nine days. I plan to never do this again.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I can't recall having made any resolutions, either last year or this one.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Pretty much every single woman I know of breeding age, except for me.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. Actually, no one close to me has ever died. My life is totally empty of pathos.
5. What countries did you visit?
Well, I lived in India and moved to China. Besides that, I visited America, Thailand, VietNam, Cambodia, Burma, Laos, Oman, UAE and the Maldives. I think that's it. There may have been more, but I'd need to root through my old emails to figure it out. For the record, 2008 is going to be MUCH better for travel.
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
Nothing. I have everything I want.
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Nothing really. Perhaps August 9, the day we finally moved from Bangalore, and August 21, the day we arrived in Beijing.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Coordinating the move to China and getting focused and serious about the PhD track.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I probably could have been thriftier, but where's the fun in that? Also wish I'd seen my father more often in 2007. Again, 2008 is already better in that regard.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major. Like I said, no pathos over here.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Tickets for vacations.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Why, mine of course.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Pretty much everyone except for the dear husband, one way or another.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Travel, no doubt.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Moving to China, the new job which I love, vacation plans, geeked out school work and literary nerd stuff.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
I have no idea. Probably something by Mirah or Tegan and Sara.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier, always
b) thinner or fatter? thinner, also a trend
c) richer or poorer? richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I hadn't stopped running regularly and hope to start that again. I also wish I'd taken yoga more seriously.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Waste time on the Internet
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Hanging out with the husband at home, watching all our favorite Christmas specials from childhood and splurging on absurdly expensive foodstuffs for dinner.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
I remained in love with the same person, if even more.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
The American version of the Office turned out to be quite hilarious. I also enjoyed Heroes tremendously, if only the first season. Oh, 2007 was also the year I discovered the crack in television form that is America's Next Top Model.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate anyone at all.
24. What was the best book you read?
I don't know if I'd say best, but Disgrace definitely shook me the most. I probably enjoyed the Shadow Lines the most or perhaps the Buddha of Suburbia.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Not exactly a discovery, but I got really into the Buzzcocks, the Damned and Hot Hot Heat in 2007.
26. What did you want and get?
A new job, new city, etc.
27. What did you want and not get?
Nothing. I got everything I wanted. I am totally spoiled.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
It didn't come out this year, but I saw it for the first time: Everything is Illuminated.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 26 and spent the day dumpster (or giant trash pile) diving behind the Fab Mall grocery near my house in Bangalore, looking for usable cardboard boxes. The joys of having a birthday a week before a major move.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A huge pile of money with no strings attach wouldn't have gone amiss.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
slightly prissy mod boho meets lazy slob
32. What kept you sane?
love of husband
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I cannot say that I have any celebrity crushes of any sort. I am horribly boring.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I've had the same (extremely strong and deeply felt) political convictions for years, so this year was more of the usual suspects. Jason and I got in some amazing fights about immigration and ended up declaring it a forbidden topic in the house, so maybe that one more than others.
35. Whom did you miss?
My parents, especially my dad, and some of my favorite ladies.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
No idea... probably the Renda gang.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
live slow, die old
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Needles and pins