2005 survey... I would put it behind a cut if I know how to!!!!!!!!
Okay, I know I haven't updated in awhile, but with the move to Florida and settling into a 9-5 routine (or an 8:30am-11:30pm routine, if you count Wednesday) is a bit tedious and... stressful. Honestly I've been hella busy down here in Florida, but now I have some downtime.
Well, I came across this survey, so I thought that I'd fill it out; I love surveys. It's a bit late in the year, but it offers some good reflections.
The 2005 Survey:
1) What was the best thing you did in 2005? I would have to say the best thing I did was... Eurotrashed and Frat party. I love parties and I love throwing them, and Evan, Nathan, Ben and I had a BLAST throwing these. Eurotrashed even became infamous as people we'd never met knew about it and stories about that magical night spread throughout the land of Athens.
2) What was the worst thing you did in 2005? I could say graduate, but it wasn't a bad thing. The time after graduation was a lot of fun as I thought I had a job, but we all know that story... The trip to California was genuinely fun and the Grand Canyon was fun, but boy those few days after I learned I had no job were not fun. So, the worst thing I did in 2005 was probably leave California--not that I regret that decision, but that isn't exactly what I wanted to do. I felt that I needed to and I still back that decision up, but I think that was the worst thing I did because it made me really sad, depressed, upset, etc.
3) What were your ten favorite movies of 2005 (or if you don't go to the movies often, any number will do): In order from least to most favorite on my top ten list are:
The Chronic-what-cles of Narnia
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The Family Stone
Jarhead
King Kong
Batman Begins
Red Eye
Serenity
Munich
Brokeback Mountain
Me and You and Everyone We Know
(okay, that's eleven, but I loved all of those movies!)
4) What were your ten least favorite movies of 2005?: I don't know if I have a LEAST favorite ten, but here were some bad ones (though I really enjoyed a few of these)...
Just Friends
Elektra (was that last year? I know the giant, 60-foot tall Jennifer Garner poster cardboard poster was...)
Fantastic Four... Not a GOOD movie, but a damn FUN one.
Elizabethtown. Could have been so good. Instead, it suffered from not knowing what type of film it was. *sigh*
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. HORRIBLE thing of NIGHTMARES.
ummm... I think I tried to distance myself from the other load of Crap.
5) What were your favorite TV Shows of 2005?:
Oh wow... Can I give reasons? Because I'm going to. Least favorite of my favorites to most favorite...
*24--Non-stop season, indeed. However, I think the show in its entire fourth season in 2005 suffered at first from the absence of characters we had come to know and love. The only person in the first few episodes that we knew was Jack! But, then they brought back most of our favorites at different points in the season. GOOD JOB, 24! The final few episodes were nailbiting. This doesn't go further down on my list becuase THIS was the season that DIDN'T know what was going on in the long run. In one hour, there was an EMP pulse and, because of it, a turf war that Jack got caught up in and the politically correct of-Middle-Eastern-descent characters that make sacrafices for America because the rest of the season only used people of their descent for evil... though that woman that was Beehrooz's mom was PHENOMENAL in her role.
*The 4400--Great second season. This show sucks you in, but becuase of its short seasons, doesn't make you tired trying to follow it. Its sci-fi premise can only be topped by...
*Invasion--(keep in mind I STILL haven't tried Battlestar Gallactica, despite my honest interest in it and also the wonderful things the critics say about it... apparently all the critics think that it's the best show on TV!) This show stars Eddie Cibbrian, who I think has star potential, as well as the young woman that plays his wife. They are both intellegent actors but they both know how to use their looks on camera to allign viewers with their characters. The story is creepy, confusing, muddled, and intriguing, but it still is relatively easy to follow if you watch a few episodes at a time on TiVo or DVR.
*Grey's Anatomy--This show started out with a good pilot, but the following episodes lost me. I only saw the first three and the last two of season one (meaning I didn't watch the middle four), but as soon as season two started, this show really hit its stride. Who can forget the train wreck episode? And the quints storyline? Or the Christmas episode, when that little boy that needs the heart says "I don't believe in God. She's been praying that someone else would die so I can get his heart. Santa doesn't just bring you a new one; someone has to die to give it to you. Isn't that right?" That moment really got to me. Oh, and it's hilarious while tearing your soul apart at times. But I DO agree with Entertainment Weekly that Meredith Grey is the worst character of 2005. It's every OTHER character that makes the show worth watching (and Meredith has been semi-redeemed these last few episodes since January, but that doesn't count for this list).
*Wonderfalls--I'm including this because the DVD came out last year and I was finally able to see the entire series... about five times total. I can't get enough of this show and I have not found one person that didn't like it when I made them watch it. It is witty, intellegent, touching, hilarious, and brilliant and provides one of the best story arcs in only 13 episodes. BEST SHOW EVER and I still get sad thinking that we were robbed seasons two and three because Fox wouldn't even air the entire first season (especially since I read what seasons two and three would be about!)
*Veronica Mars--The second half of season one did not disappoint and the way the first season's mystery ended left nothing to be desired, except for a second season premiere. The culprit made sense, all the major plot points were respectfully tied up, and it paved a way for a second season. Also, the cliffhanger was simple yet left me wondering more than the cliffhanger on Lost. The acting on this show is top bar, as is the writing. The second season mystery was even larger and more intriguing than the first season's, and the last episode in December whet my appetite for the hiatus. I highly recommend this show on DVD if you haven't seen it--I made my dad watch the first episode last weekend and HE made ME watch nine more in the following days (we've been working late hours since Wednesday, though, so we haven't seen anything since!)
(And I think I found my calling in life! TV CRITIC!)
6) Least favorite show of 2005?
*Alias--Seasons one and two, next to Wonderfalls, are my all-time favorite TV seasons of any show in history. Season three was okay, but all of season four was in 2005 with no breaks in between for repeats, and the reason they scheduled it this was so the long storylines could play out. But the producers told the writers to write self-contained stories, so all the loose ends from season 1-3 were thrown out the window until mid-season 4. The show picked some steam back up, but a few storylines were resolved without any thought (Vaughn's major storyline that season), but the last three episodes were amazing, aside from the finale being Alias' version of Resident Evil... Then we had Season Five part one, where they had to write in J.Ga's pregnancy... and that worked for me. Most of this season did. However, knowing this is the last season, I have to think there is so much MORE that could be done... this season so far is better than seasons 3 and 4, but I really want the last few episodes to be back to the first two season's brilliance.
*Lost--The beginning of 2005 was good for the show, but after the drug plane crash (I don't want to give away too many spoilers for the people that haven't seen it but want to), this show became SO BORING... I feel the producers realized they had a hit and are trying to stretch a three or four season show (as the creaters intended it to be) into a six or seven season show... especially the first three episodes of season two in September/October when we kept getting the same story from three perspectives... the exact same shots, usually. Also, instead of each episode being about a day or two, each episode is part of a day, like three episodes make up a day. However, the last two or three of the year were really good, paving a way for 2006 to get back on track. That's why this wasn't the worst show of the year.
*Desperate Housewives--Did anyone else figure out the mystery about five weeks earlier? Because my Housewives group did. We are so smart! And it was such a let down of a reveal--instead of being a reveal, Mary Alice finally told us what happened in her voice over. It was almost like a deus ex machina ending . And the beginning of season two? ARE YOU SERIOUS? Some GREAT moments mixed in with piles of CRAP. And they keep dropping storylines and bringing them back up only when convenient. I'm just glad it's been back on (semi) track since January. This show really hit the sophomore slumps.
*Nip/Tuck--How do you top a stellar second season? Have a third season that is months late and choppy. And then, the storyline you've been building for two years? Resolve with the easiest solution. I called most of the big reveal coming from the beginning and instead hoped it would be someone else. I was in fact insisting on it by stretching logic to make it someone else. No, it had to end shittily. I don't even know if I want to watch it next season...
7) Favorite book(s): I don't knwo if these were written this year, but they were read this year. It's Superman! and The Amateur Marriage are my top two.
8) Least favorite book(s): The DaVinci Code. PIECE OF SHIT.
9) Favorite friend of 2005: Favorite friend that I made or just like, favorite person? Well, I met Anya in 2004, but we became HELLA close in 2005. Also, at the end of the year, Katie O'Dell and I got back in contact and we are pretty good friends again. I can't choose a favorite person, though, I love ALL my friends, except for Eric.
10) Least favorite friend of 2005: Wow, that's kind of a weird one. I'm going to go with... Kim, because I never get to see her enough and I hold her personally accountable. No, I LOVE KIM! I can't pick someone that was my least favorite. If I had made an anti-friend...
11) What is your favorite memory of the year?: Road Trip to Helen. That was spontaneous and I didn't think I wanted to do it because I was in a mood, but it was extremely fun. Good memories were made. And it was the first thing that came to my mind.
12) Biggest accomplishment of the 2005?: I finished my first novel, EVER. Thanks Amy for convincing me to NaNoWriMo!
13) Most embarassing moment of 2005: Farting in Chris, my trainer's, face
14) Biggest crush of 2005: Hmm... I'm going to have to go with my trainer. Nice, charming, funny, and built. Really built. And kind of Southern. Scruffy at times, but always in that "I shaved to make it look this way but no one will know..." Great teeth. AMAZING arms. So, my ideal. And I farted in his face.
15) Biggest celebrity crush of 2005: Hmm, there were three Jake Gyllenhal movies...
16) Favorite haunt of 2005: I'm going with K-Bob as a dining haunt (Tuesdays and Thursdays were MADE for Evan, me, and Achim's wonderful food) and Molly's as the bar haunt. And I think I Krushed a fair amount in 2005. That IS how I ended the year.
17) Weirdest thing you did in 2005: Um... talked to myself on a tape recorder for a few hours? I can't think of anything weirder.
18) Saddest moment of the year: When I found out Midnight had died. I miss my little buddy.
19) Happiest moment of the year: Probably when Eric and I dropped off Rachel's friend and listened to Sigur Ros, blaring, with the windows down, driving down 85, only to shout out to Dashboard as we neared Steak n Shake where we proceeded to laugh nonstop for over an hour. That was just a very happy few hours.
20) Finally, did 2005 live up to your expectations?: Sure. I had a blast. I learned a lot about the year and myself and what not. It was fun.
Well, I came across this survey, so I thought that I'd fill it out; I love surveys. It's a bit late in the year, but it offers some good reflections.
The 2005 Survey:
1) What was the best thing you did in 2005? I would have to say the best thing I did was... Eurotrashed and Frat party. I love parties and I love throwing them, and Evan, Nathan, Ben and I had a BLAST throwing these. Eurotrashed even became infamous as people we'd never met knew about it and stories about that magical night spread throughout the land of Athens.
2) What was the worst thing you did in 2005? I could say graduate, but it wasn't a bad thing. The time after graduation was a lot of fun as I thought I had a job, but we all know that story... The trip to California was genuinely fun and the Grand Canyon was fun, but boy those few days after I learned I had no job were not fun. So, the worst thing I did in 2005 was probably leave California--not that I regret that decision, but that isn't exactly what I wanted to do. I felt that I needed to and I still back that decision up, but I think that was the worst thing I did because it made me really sad, depressed, upset, etc.
3) What were your ten favorite movies of 2005 (or if you don't go to the movies often, any number will do): In order from least to most favorite on my top ten list are:
The Chronic-what-cles of Narnia
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The Family Stone
Jarhead
King Kong
Batman Begins
Red Eye
Serenity
Munich
Brokeback Mountain
Me and You and Everyone We Know
(okay, that's eleven, but I loved all of those movies!)
4) What were your ten least favorite movies of 2005?: I don't know if I have a LEAST favorite ten, but here were some bad ones (though I really enjoyed a few of these)...
Just Friends
Elektra (was that last year? I know the giant, 60-foot tall Jennifer Garner poster cardboard poster was...)
Fantastic Four... Not a GOOD movie, but a damn FUN one.
Elizabethtown. Could have been so good. Instead, it suffered from not knowing what type of film it was. *sigh*
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. HORRIBLE thing of NIGHTMARES.
ummm... I think I tried to distance myself from the other load of Crap.
5) What were your favorite TV Shows of 2005?:
Oh wow... Can I give reasons? Because I'm going to. Least favorite of my favorites to most favorite...
*24--Non-stop season, indeed. However, I think the show in its entire fourth season in 2005 suffered at first from the absence of characters we had come to know and love. The only person in the first few episodes that we knew was Jack! But, then they brought back most of our favorites at different points in the season. GOOD JOB, 24! The final few episodes were nailbiting. This doesn't go further down on my list becuase THIS was the season that DIDN'T know what was going on in the long run. In one hour, there was an EMP pulse and, because of it, a turf war that Jack got caught up in and the politically correct of-Middle-Eastern-descent characters that make sacrafices for America because the rest of the season only used people of their descent for evil... though that woman that was Beehrooz's mom was PHENOMENAL in her role.
*The 4400--Great second season. This show sucks you in, but becuase of its short seasons, doesn't make you tired trying to follow it. Its sci-fi premise can only be topped by...
*Invasion--(keep in mind I STILL haven't tried Battlestar Gallactica, despite my honest interest in it and also the wonderful things the critics say about it... apparently all the critics think that it's the best show on TV!) This show stars Eddie Cibbrian, who I think has star potential, as well as the young woman that plays his wife. They are both intellegent actors but they both know how to use their looks on camera to allign viewers with their characters. The story is creepy, confusing, muddled, and intriguing, but it still is relatively easy to follow if you watch a few episodes at a time on TiVo or DVR.
*Grey's Anatomy--This show started out with a good pilot, but the following episodes lost me. I only saw the first three and the last two of season one (meaning I didn't watch the middle four), but as soon as season two started, this show really hit its stride. Who can forget the train wreck episode? And the quints storyline? Or the Christmas episode, when that little boy that needs the heart says "I don't believe in God. She's been praying that someone else would die so I can get his heart. Santa doesn't just bring you a new one; someone has to die to give it to you. Isn't that right?" That moment really got to me. Oh, and it's hilarious while tearing your soul apart at times. But I DO agree with Entertainment Weekly that Meredith Grey is the worst character of 2005. It's every OTHER character that makes the show worth watching (and Meredith has been semi-redeemed these last few episodes since January, but that doesn't count for this list).
*Wonderfalls--I'm including this because the DVD came out last year and I was finally able to see the entire series... about five times total. I can't get enough of this show and I have not found one person that didn't like it when I made them watch it. It is witty, intellegent, touching, hilarious, and brilliant and provides one of the best story arcs in only 13 episodes. BEST SHOW EVER and I still get sad thinking that we were robbed seasons two and three because Fox wouldn't even air the entire first season (especially since I read what seasons two and three would be about!)
*Veronica Mars--The second half of season one did not disappoint and the way the first season's mystery ended left nothing to be desired, except for a second season premiere. The culprit made sense, all the major plot points were respectfully tied up, and it paved a way for a second season. Also, the cliffhanger was simple yet left me wondering more than the cliffhanger on Lost. The acting on this show is top bar, as is the writing. The second season mystery was even larger and more intriguing than the first season's, and the last episode in December whet my appetite for the hiatus. I highly recommend this show on DVD if you haven't seen it--I made my dad watch the first episode last weekend and HE made ME watch nine more in the following days (we've been working late hours since Wednesday, though, so we haven't seen anything since!)
(And I think I found my calling in life! TV CRITIC!)
6) Least favorite show of 2005?
*Alias--Seasons one and two, next to Wonderfalls, are my all-time favorite TV seasons of any show in history. Season three was okay, but all of season four was in 2005 with no breaks in between for repeats, and the reason they scheduled it this was so the long storylines could play out. But the producers told the writers to write self-contained stories, so all the loose ends from season 1-3 were thrown out the window until mid-season 4. The show picked some steam back up, but a few storylines were resolved without any thought (Vaughn's major storyline that season), but the last three episodes were amazing, aside from the finale being Alias' version of Resident Evil... Then we had Season Five part one, where they had to write in J.Ga's pregnancy... and that worked for me. Most of this season did. However, knowing this is the last season, I have to think there is so much MORE that could be done... this season so far is better than seasons 3 and 4, but I really want the last few episodes to be back to the first two season's brilliance.
*Lost--The beginning of 2005 was good for the show, but after the drug plane crash (I don't want to give away too many spoilers for the people that haven't seen it but want to), this show became SO BORING... I feel the producers realized they had a hit and are trying to stretch a three or four season show (as the creaters intended it to be) into a six or seven season show... especially the first three episodes of season two in September/October when we kept getting the same story from three perspectives... the exact same shots, usually. Also, instead of each episode being about a day or two, each episode is part of a day, like three episodes make up a day. However, the last two or three of the year were really good, paving a way for 2006 to get back on track. That's why this wasn't the worst show of the year.
*Desperate Housewives--Did anyone else figure out the mystery about five weeks earlier? Because my Housewives group did. We are so smart! And it was such a let down of a reveal--instead of being a reveal, Mary Alice finally told us what happened in her voice over. It was almost like a deus ex machina ending . And the beginning of season two? ARE YOU SERIOUS? Some GREAT moments mixed in with piles of CRAP. And they keep dropping storylines and bringing them back up only when convenient. I'm just glad it's been back on (semi) track since January. This show really hit the sophomore slumps.
*Nip/Tuck--How do you top a stellar second season? Have a third season that is months late and choppy. And then, the storyline you've been building for two years? Resolve with the easiest solution. I called most of the big reveal coming from the beginning and instead hoped it would be someone else. I was in fact insisting on it by stretching logic to make it someone else. No, it had to end shittily. I don't even know if I want to watch it next season...
7) Favorite book(s): I don't knwo if these were written this year, but they were read this year. It's Superman! and The Amateur Marriage are my top two.
8) Least favorite book(s): The DaVinci Code. PIECE OF SHIT.
9) Favorite friend of 2005: Favorite friend that I made or just like, favorite person? Well, I met Anya in 2004, but we became HELLA close in 2005. Also, at the end of the year, Katie O'Dell and I got back in contact and we are pretty good friends again. I can't choose a favorite person, though, I love ALL my friends, except for Eric.
10) Least favorite friend of 2005: Wow, that's kind of a weird one. I'm going to go with... Kim, because I never get to see her enough and I hold her personally accountable. No, I LOVE KIM! I can't pick someone that was my least favorite. If I had made an anti-friend...
11) What is your favorite memory of the year?: Road Trip to Helen. That was spontaneous and I didn't think I wanted to do it because I was in a mood, but it was extremely fun. Good memories were made. And it was the first thing that came to my mind.
12) Biggest accomplishment of the 2005?: I finished my first novel, EVER. Thanks Amy for convincing me to NaNoWriMo!
13) Most embarassing moment of 2005: Farting in Chris, my trainer's, face
14) Biggest crush of 2005: Hmm... I'm going to have to go with my trainer. Nice, charming, funny, and built. Really built. And kind of Southern. Scruffy at times, but always in that "I shaved to make it look this way but no one will know..." Great teeth. AMAZING arms. So, my ideal. And I farted in his face.
15) Biggest celebrity crush of 2005: Hmm, there were three Jake Gyllenhal movies...
16) Favorite haunt of 2005: I'm going with K-Bob as a dining haunt (Tuesdays and Thursdays were MADE for Evan, me, and Achim's wonderful food) and Molly's as the bar haunt. And I think I Krushed a fair amount in 2005. That IS how I ended the year.
17) Weirdest thing you did in 2005: Um... talked to myself on a tape recorder for a few hours? I can't think of anything weirder.
18) Saddest moment of the year: When I found out Midnight had died. I miss my little buddy.
19) Happiest moment of the year: Probably when Eric and I dropped off Rachel's friend and listened to Sigur Ros, blaring, with the windows down, driving down 85, only to shout out to Dashboard as we neared Steak n Shake where we proceeded to laugh nonstop for over an hour. That was just a very happy few hours.
20) Finally, did 2005 live up to your expectations?: Sure. I had a blast. I learned a lot about the year and myself and what not. It was fun.