New Year's meme
I keep doing this one, might as well keep it up...
1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
I started therapy, started meds, managed Big Project, got my wisdom teeth out. I started cooking for real. I went to the local farmer's market for the first time. I went to my first con!
2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My resolution is to never make resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not that I know of...
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My grandma. Though I feel sort of bad because we weren't exactly close, but I am sad nonetheless.
5. What countries did you visit?
Taiwan and only Taiwan this year =(. Not that Taiwan is bad! But I wish I got a chance to visit Japan or something.
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
Last year's: This year (since this seems to work), I would like a stable brain (depression-wise), a bit more of an inkling as to what I want to do in life, and more friends to hang out with like fannishly
I have a bit more of an inkling as to what I want in life, if by that you mean I want to be happy and have fun and do things I like. Career-wise, I have decided I like where I am now but may move on waaaay down the line. But that is down the line. And I have more friends! Yay! And the brain is somewhat more stable.
This year, I would like still like a stable brain (or stabler), and... er... a KitchenAid stand mixer. I can't really think of anything else I want this year that I don't already have. I mean, I would like to continue to have good friends and happy fat rats and a fun job and my pretty apartment and books and LJ and scintillating conversation and movies and music and sunshine and blue sky and farmer's market trips. I can't think of anything else; life feels very full ^_^.
7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
10/24/05, day of Big Project launch. Very nerve-wracking!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I got myself on meds and in therapy, and I finally started really living again and enjoying things and being happy and satisfied.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I was very mean to the boy during the breakup. I know why I was and that they were some pretty nasty circumstances, but I was still mean, and I feel bad about that. And I really haven't been there enough for my mom, esp. considering what with my grandma and all. But... am trying, and things are better now than they were in the summer.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I got my wisdom teeth out! It was torturous and cruel! I also had a nasty cold in July, but that's mostly it. (knock on wood)
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My Denise circular knitting needle set! Oh how I love it and adore it!
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent! Rent and travel and dentistry. But I also got clothes and knitting needles and lots of yarn and books galore, so I am happy.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Meeting more LJ people! Going to NY for Thanksgiving and being able to see Mely and oracne! Meeting up with Yoon at NorWescon and having Rachel stay over! Having my whole family here for Christmas! Yarn! Steel-cut oats! Manga! Saiyuki!
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2005?
"Better Things," as covered by both Dar Williams and Fountains of Wayne, because it's my pulling-out-of-depression song.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Oh so much, much, much happier
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter. Yay drugs? Oh well.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer. Yay raise! And I feel like I am so lucky and have friends and people and so many happy things around.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Ummm. I dunno. I mean, there is stuff that I would have liked to do more of, but that probably would have meant doing even less of something else. IN general, I am actually quite satisfied with all the things I got to do.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
See above.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my family! At someone else's house, in which I promptly fell asleep on the sofa.
21. Did you fall in love in 2005?
Nope, fell out, heh ;).
But, I guess you can say I fell in love with life in general again, which is much, much better.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Good Eats and Scrubs! And VMars, but for some reason, I do not feel quite the same level of squee.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not really... I try not to hate people, it makes me feel bad.
25. What was the best book you read?
This is a silly question! I can't limit it to one book! I have an entire post dedicated to this very subject, which is of utmost importance!
26. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
audiography, which has introduced me to more music than I ever would have listened to.
27. What did you want and get?
A (mostly) working brain. A good life. Friends. Peace with myself.
It's not so much "getting." I feel like something finally shifted over to the right a bit and clicked into place, and things fit and are as they should be.
28. What did you want and not get?
The impossible ;). No mental health problems for my friends, people being happy. Ehm. Which is not to say that people should feel bad about feeling bad, obviously. But I wish I had a magic wand that I could wave and make depression and eating disorders and body image issues and bipolar and all those nasties go away.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Ummm... Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Guns! Assassins! Snark! And I didn't get to see many indie movies. I liked and admired Syriana and Brokeback Mountain but they were too painful to be favorites.
30. What did you do on your birthday?
I bought myself my knitting needle set and headed out to San Francisco with fannishly, yuneicorn and K., ate scones and lemon curd and tea sandwiches, bought vintage hats and clothes, and pet a hairless cat and bought books. It was very good.
31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
My Magic Wand of Doom, which would instantly ameliorate depression and sundry nastiness. I guess it wouldn't actually be a Wand of Doom. But if I had one I would name it that anyway because I like Things of Doom!
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Uh. Elastic waistbands and pajama pants! And cute grey flannel shoes.
33. What kept you sane?
My meds ;). LJ, my family, friends, my job, my rats. My therapist, obviously.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't really go for them?
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I remained sadly apolitical.
I suppose if you mean in general, it would be sexism and racism in all aspects.
36. Whom did you miss?
I missed the boy a lot at first, but am ok now. I miss my family and my extended family, who I got to see together at my grandma's funeral. I miss being able to talk to LJ friends in person.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
So many cool new people! Too hard to pick!
38. What valuable life lesson did you learn in 2005?
Eh. Life is happy? That you can't fix people but you can be there. That sometimes the only difference between happiness and misery is perspective, but that that change in perspective is the hardest thing to obtain, but worth it. That things do get better.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
And you make those mistakes that everybody does
And you deal with them as you go
From tripping on a shoelace to falling in love
You keep things under control
But wherever you go, whatever you do
You know that they won’t find a fool quite like you.
Yeah life is full
Yeah life is full
But when love comes you don't have no room
When life is full.
and
Here's wishing you the bluest sky,
And hoping something better comes tomorrow.
Hoping all the verses rhyme,
And the very best of choruses to
Follow all the doubt and sadness.
I know that better things are on the way.
And one addition, borrowed from coffeeandink via heres_luck:
40. What LJ entries prompted the most conversation this year?
The cooking posts! Either that, or maybe the depression posts. I dunno, I think my posts generally don't generate that much discussion because I just sort of ramble and don't ask questions?
1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
I started therapy, started meds, managed Big Project, got my wisdom teeth out. I started cooking for real. I went to the local farmer's market for the first time. I went to my first con!
2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My resolution is to never make resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not that I know of...
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My grandma. Though I feel sort of bad because we weren't exactly close, but I am sad nonetheless.
5. What countries did you visit?
Taiwan and only Taiwan this year =(. Not that Taiwan is bad! But I wish I got a chance to visit Japan or something.
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
Last year's: This year (since this seems to work), I would like a stable brain (depression-wise), a bit more of an inkling as to what I want to do in life, and more friends to hang out with like fannishly
I have a bit more of an inkling as to what I want in life, if by that you mean I want to be happy and have fun and do things I like. Career-wise, I have decided I like where I am now but may move on waaaay down the line. But that is down the line. And I have more friends! Yay! And the brain is somewhat more stable.
This year, I would like still like a stable brain (or stabler), and... er... a KitchenAid stand mixer. I can't really think of anything else I want this year that I don't already have. I mean, I would like to continue to have good friends and happy fat rats and a fun job and my pretty apartment and books and LJ and scintillating conversation and movies and music and sunshine and blue sky and farmer's market trips. I can't think of anything else; life feels very full ^_^.
7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
10/24/05, day of Big Project launch. Very nerve-wracking!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I got myself on meds and in therapy, and I finally started really living again and enjoying things and being happy and satisfied.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I was very mean to the boy during the breakup. I know why I was and that they were some pretty nasty circumstances, but I was still mean, and I feel bad about that. And I really haven't been there enough for my mom, esp. considering what with my grandma and all. But... am trying, and things are better now than they were in the summer.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I got my wisdom teeth out! It was torturous and cruel! I also had a nasty cold in July, but that's mostly it. (knock on wood)
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My Denise circular knitting needle set! Oh how I love it and adore it!
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent! Rent and travel and dentistry. But I also got clothes and knitting needles and lots of yarn and books galore, so I am happy.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Meeting more LJ people! Going to NY for Thanksgiving and being able to see Mely and oracne! Meeting up with Yoon at NorWescon and having Rachel stay over! Having my whole family here for Christmas! Yarn! Steel-cut oats! Manga! Saiyuki!
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2005?
"Better Things," as covered by both Dar Williams and Fountains of Wayne, because it's my pulling-out-of-depression song.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Oh so much, much, much happier
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter. Yay drugs? Oh well.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer. Yay raise! And I feel like I am so lucky and have friends and people and so many happy things around.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Ummm. I dunno. I mean, there is stuff that I would have liked to do more of, but that probably would have meant doing even less of something else. IN general, I am actually quite satisfied with all the things I got to do.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
See above.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my family! At someone else's house, in which I promptly fell asleep on the sofa.
21. Did you fall in love in 2005?
Nope, fell out, heh ;).
But, I guess you can say I fell in love with life in general again, which is much, much better.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Good Eats and Scrubs! And VMars, but for some reason, I do not feel quite the same level of squee.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not really... I try not to hate people, it makes me feel bad.
25. What was the best book you read?
This is a silly question! I can't limit it to one book! I have an entire post dedicated to this very subject, which is of utmost importance!
26. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
audiography, which has introduced me to more music than I ever would have listened to.
27. What did you want and get?
A (mostly) working brain. A good life. Friends. Peace with myself.
It's not so much "getting." I feel like something finally shifted over to the right a bit and clicked into place, and things fit and are as they should be.
28. What did you want and not get?
The impossible ;). No mental health problems for my friends, people being happy. Ehm. Which is not to say that people should feel bad about feeling bad, obviously. But I wish I had a magic wand that I could wave and make depression and eating disorders and body image issues and bipolar and all those nasties go away.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Ummm... Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Guns! Assassins! Snark! And I didn't get to see many indie movies. I liked and admired Syriana and Brokeback Mountain but they were too painful to be favorites.
30. What did you do on your birthday?
I bought myself my knitting needle set and headed out to San Francisco with fannishly, yuneicorn and K., ate scones and lemon curd and tea sandwiches, bought vintage hats and clothes, and pet a hairless cat and bought books. It was very good.
31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
My Magic Wand of Doom, which would instantly ameliorate depression and sundry nastiness. I guess it wouldn't actually be a Wand of Doom. But if I had one I would name it that anyway because I like Things of Doom!
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Uh. Elastic waistbands and pajama pants! And cute grey flannel shoes.
33. What kept you sane?
My meds ;). LJ, my family, friends, my job, my rats. My therapist, obviously.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't really go for them?
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I remained sadly apolitical.
I suppose if you mean in general, it would be sexism and racism in all aspects.
36. Whom did you miss?
I missed the boy a lot at first, but am ok now. I miss my family and my extended family, who I got to see together at my grandma's funeral. I miss being able to talk to LJ friends in person.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
So many cool new people! Too hard to pick!
38. What valuable life lesson did you learn in 2005?
Eh. Life is happy? That you can't fix people but you can be there. That sometimes the only difference between happiness and misery is perspective, but that that change in perspective is the hardest thing to obtain, but worth it. That things do get better.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
And you make those mistakes that everybody does
And you deal with them as you go
From tripping on a shoelace to falling in love
You keep things under control
But wherever you go, whatever you do
You know that they won’t find a fool quite like you.
Yeah life is full
Yeah life is full
But when love comes you don't have no room
When life is full.
and
Here's wishing you the bluest sky,
And hoping something better comes tomorrow.
Hoping all the verses rhyme,
And the very best of choruses to
Follow all the doubt and sadness.
I know that better things are on the way.
And one addition, borrowed from coffeeandink via heres_luck:
40. What LJ entries prompted the most conversation this year?
The cooking posts! Either that, or maybe the depression posts. I dunno, I think my posts generally don't generate that much discussion because I just sort of ramble and don't ask questions?