2008 Retrospective Survey
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Study abroad - and also vote from overseas.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made any resolutions. I only have one for next year, which seems doable.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes - my cousin Laurie.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Depends on what you mean by close. A close childhood friend of mine died, but we weren't close in high school or college.
5. What countries did you visit?
England, the Netherlands, Italy, France.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Better musical ability and various other things - you'd think I'd have a less vague answer.
7. What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
September 17 - the day I left for England; November 4 - the presidential election; I'm sure there are a few others. My last time at UNCG was also this year.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Does study abroad count as an achievement?
9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn't really fail a lot this year.
10. Did you suffer any illness or injury?
I had a bad cold for a while in England.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I've bought several things, but I guess if I had to pick, I finally bought an external hard drive for my laptop. I don't need to worry about space anymore! Yay!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I don't know. Nobody really did anything particularly spectacular this year. I will, however, throw out Sarah, for being able to withstand the worst job on earth and not going in there one day with an Uzi.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
George W. Bush, that Illinois governor.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Staying alive in England, and trips.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Study abroad.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I don't have one specific song.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? I don't remember. I'd say about the same.
ii. thinner or fatter? I'm fairly certain fatter. Much to my chagrin.
iii. richer or poorer? Way poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercising, traveling in England (despite the fact I don't have the money to really do so).
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I don't know. The bad things I did this year?
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my family back in the States!
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
No.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Deadwood/Dexter/The Sopranos/Rome/Fringe/The IT Crowd/I'm Alan Partridge/any number of new shows I fell in love with this year.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
I actually started reading heavily again this year, so this is a hard one. I shall list some of my favorites (I'm sure there are more than this, but as you all probably know my memory sucks):
- Watership Down (Richard Adams)
- Watchmen (Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons)
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Frank Miller)
- Mrs. Bridge (Evan S. Connell)
- The Yiddish Policemen's Union (Michael Chabon)
- White Noise (Don DeLillo)
I'm currently reading "In The Lake Of The Woods" by Tim O'Brien which is also quite good; I would have normally finished it weeks ago, but I'm still in England and tend to keep myself quite busy. That is why it is not on the list.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I'm going to go with Brian Wilson on this one. Yes, I know, a music nerd like me should have been listening to Brian Wilson for years. Sue me.
28. What did you want and get?
To go to Italy for the first time.
29. What did you want and not get?
Uh . . . the ability to instantly lose weight.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
"The Dark Knight," no question. "WALL-E" was also great.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I hung around with people next door who barely knew me, but it was still in the top three birthdays of my adult life so far. I turned 23.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not having to write six essays at the end of the term.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Yet another attempt to become more fashionable, but then discovering I had neither the money or patience to fully invest in it.
34. What kept you sane?
Friends, family, music, movies. All the typical stuff.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hmm . . . I don't think I started watching "House" until this year, so I'll go with Jesse Spencer.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Anything infuriating the conservatives did.
37. Who did you miss?
Friends and family back at home while I was in England.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Dan/Dre/Jimbo.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
"You can't have a pie without Cool Hwip."
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I don't really have one. However, I will pick one a quote from one of my favorite songs that came out this year - "So so what? I'm still a rock star, I got my rock moves, and I don't need you." Those lines stroke my ego and support my sense of self-sufficiency. Rock on.
Study abroad - and also vote from overseas.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made any resolutions. I only have one for next year, which seems doable.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes - my cousin Laurie.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Depends on what you mean by close. A close childhood friend of mine died, but we weren't close in high school or college.
5. What countries did you visit?
England, the Netherlands, Italy, France.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Better musical ability and various other things - you'd think I'd have a less vague answer.
7. What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
September 17 - the day I left for England; November 4 - the presidential election; I'm sure there are a few others. My last time at UNCG was also this year.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Does study abroad count as an achievement?
9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn't really fail a lot this year.
10. Did you suffer any illness or injury?
I had a bad cold for a while in England.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I've bought several things, but I guess if I had to pick, I finally bought an external hard drive for my laptop. I don't need to worry about space anymore! Yay!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I don't know. Nobody really did anything particularly spectacular this year. I will, however, throw out Sarah, for being able to withstand the worst job on earth and not going in there one day with an Uzi.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
George W. Bush, that Illinois governor.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Staying alive in England, and trips.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Study abroad.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I don't have one specific song.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? I don't remember. I'd say about the same.
ii. thinner or fatter? I'm fairly certain fatter. Much to my chagrin.
iii. richer or poorer? Way poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercising, traveling in England (despite the fact I don't have the money to really do so).
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I don't know. The bad things I did this year?
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my family back in the States!
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
No.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Deadwood/Dexter/The Sopranos/Rome/Fringe/The IT Crowd/I'm Alan Partridge/any number of new shows I fell in love with this year.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
I actually started reading heavily again this year, so this is a hard one. I shall list some of my favorites (I'm sure there are more than this, but as you all probably know my memory sucks):
- Watership Down (Richard Adams)
- Watchmen (Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons)
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Frank Miller)
- Mrs. Bridge (Evan S. Connell)
- The Yiddish Policemen's Union (Michael Chabon)
- White Noise (Don DeLillo)
I'm currently reading "In The Lake Of The Woods" by Tim O'Brien which is also quite good; I would have normally finished it weeks ago, but I'm still in England and tend to keep myself quite busy. That is why it is not on the list.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I'm going to go with Brian Wilson on this one. Yes, I know, a music nerd like me should have been listening to Brian Wilson for years. Sue me.
28. What did you want and get?
To go to Italy for the first time.
29. What did you want and not get?
Uh . . . the ability to instantly lose weight.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
"The Dark Knight," no question. "WALL-E" was also great.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I hung around with people next door who barely knew me, but it was still in the top three birthdays of my adult life so far. I turned 23.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not having to write six essays at the end of the term.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Yet another attempt to become more fashionable, but then discovering I had neither the money or patience to fully invest in it.
34. What kept you sane?
Friends, family, music, movies. All the typical stuff.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hmm . . . I don't think I started watching "House" until this year, so I'll go with Jesse Spencer.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Anything infuriating the conservatives did.
37. Who did you miss?
Friends and family back at home while I was in England.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Dan/Dre/Jimbo.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
"You can't have a pie without Cool Hwip."
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I don't really have one. However, I will pick one a quote from one of my favorite songs that came out this year - "So so what? I'm still a rock star, I got my rock moves, and I don't need you." Those lines stroke my ego and support my sense of self-sufficiency. Rock on.