the sun's gonna rise
Hey there, Happy New Year! Yes, a little late, but what can I say? This week has been a big week, I rang in the new year back in Maryland, made it back to the Mile High City after a lot of delays and such, and started back with classes. I had a good time with my peeps back home over the holidays, and I got to see almost everyone I wanted to see. I missed a couple people, but it is that way every time. In the hectic pace of my new year so far, I haven't really had time to think about the past year. So I will do one of these stupid surveys... because Joslyn did it and I enjoyed reading hers. So maybe you will actually want to read mine. or not.
1. Where did you ring in 2006?
I was here, in Denver. Actually, it sort of sucked because I was hanging out with a bunch of people I didn't know, except for Sophie and Amy, and we went out to this lame ass bar in LoDo and then we couldn't get a free cab or bus (Denver has free cabs and public transportation on New Year's Eve) to go home so we walked all the way from LoDo to our house. This walk is probably around ... 3 or 4 miles. So I was actually in sort of a poor mood starting 2006.
2. Were you in school (anytime this year)?
Indeed, I went back to skool and started my Masters' of Social Work at the University of Denver.
3. How did you earn your keep?
I had the skills to pay the bills! I was doing AmeriCorps and getting a living stipend from that, plus some major ice cream scooping this summer, and then I am still working there this winter, although right now is not really the height of the ice cream season... but hey, I'm a manager now...
4. Did you ever have to go to the hospital?
I went to an Urgent Care at the hospital, but it wasn't like I stayed there or was exactly in the hospital part... or well, maybe I was.
5. Have you ever encountered the police?
Yes, dammit, twice. Once when I got pulled over and got a warning for "swerving and speeding" because I had just picked Kelly and Scott up from the airport and was excited and lost in Cherry Hills on the way to free sushi that we actually missed because it was too late. It was hilarious, the cop said "I smell alcohol in the car" and Scott was like, "That would be me." Because he and Kelly had been boozing on the airplane. It was funny. I guess you had to be there.
I also got a ticket on 14th... that sucked. Other than that, we frequently saw the Aurora Po Po at events in the community (they gave me a sticker) and arresting people in the hotels we would visit for AmeriCorps.
6. Where did you go on vacation?
I went to Nashville for a conference and that was like a vacation, too. I went to California to visit Meena, and we were mostly in Berkeley and San Francisco. It was pretty sweet. I also went back to Maryland for Thanksgiving and Christmas and such.
7. What did you purchase that was over $500?
Nothing. I don't have money for things that cost over $500... or well, unless you count tuition payments. Yeah, I guess that does count.
8. Did you know anybody who got married?
Yeah, a shitload of people. Karen and Cason, Kelsey from my old hall, also Kristen from my old hall, Emily and Cole also from my freshman year hall, my boss Erin and her husband Seth, Meena's brother Raju.. people be getting married and engaged all over the place.
9. Did you know anybody who passed away?
No.
10. Have you ran into anybody you graduated high school with?
Yeah, we had a 5-year reunion, so I "ran into" a lot of people in my class there.
11. Did you move anywhere?
No, and it was AMAZING!
12. What sporting events did you go to?
Couple Rockies games, couple Nuggets games, I guess that's it. I saw MC Hammer do the halftime show at a Nuggets game! It was the shit!
13. What concerts did you go to?
A lot, the Flobots, the Calf Branders (both of them multiple times, we are groupies), Manu Chao, Full Belly (ah, Mark Anthony aka Lance), Ben Kweller, Steven Kellogg and the Sixers... hmm, maybe not as many as I thought.
14. Are you registered to vote?
Yes.
15. If so, did you do your patriotic duty on Nov. 7?
Yes, absentee stylie in MD.
16. Where do you live now?
Denver, CO
17. Describe your birthday.
It was good times. My sister was here visiting me, and my whole AmeriCorps crew planned a bunch of stuff for me, we went to get free sushi and drinks and dancing, and went karaoke-ing, I went backpacking up in Rocky Mountain with my sister, and Sophie snuck us into the Botanic Gardens for a picnic! It was a good birthday!
18. What's the one thing you thought you would never do but did in 2006?
I didn't think I would go skiing, but Sean made me... I guess that would be the biggest thing.
19. What is one thing you regretted this year?
Maybe not staying in touch with some people as well as I had hoped. And my lack of skills with men.
20. Any new additions to your family?
No.
21. What was your best month?
I don't know... July was good, when all that birthday stuff was going on, so was whatever month when Kelly and Scott came to visit... I also really enjoyed December, going home, having some time off from class to chill, fun snow in Denver.
22. What from pop culture will you remember 2006 by?
I don't know, maybe ummm certain songs, like "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley or um... people making a big deal about celebrities like Tom Cruise and Britney Spears and Paris Hilton...
23. How would you rate this year with a scale from 1 (horrible) to 10 (awesome)?
It was pretty good... maybe not my best year, but a good one... maybe 7 or 8...
24. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before? umm, like I said, went skiing, went snowshoeing, lived with a boy roomie, went to Nashville, saw some new places, new bands, met new people...
25. What foreign countries did you visit? None. Sad.
26. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? I don't know, lots of good and fun things happened, maybe whatever day I decided to go to the University of Denver... But I don't remember the exact date. Or maybe my birthday, because it was the shit.
27. What was your biggest achievement of this year? Getting into mutliple grad schools, getting good grades during my first quarter. Everything I did with AmeriCorps was a big achievement, as we were finishing, I started to realize how much people had appreciated the work we did.
28. What was your biggest failure? It sucked that I didn't get into Berkeley's school of social work... but they are #2 in the country.. Other than that, I don't know, I had some failures with dating boys, but it's more like they were failures...
29. Did you suffer illness or injury? I got a virus and that sucked a lot. Other than that, I was good.
30. What was the best thing you bought? School tuition, I think.
31. Whose behavior merited celebration? Umm... I don't know. My friends, because they rock my face off.
32. Where did most of your money go? Rent, school tuition, books, etc... also a large chunk went to getting my car fixed.
33. What did you get really, really excited about? Seeing friends and family, traveling, concerts, holidays, parties, school, my internship... lots of things.
34. What songs will always remind you of 2006? Umm, maybe Gnarls Barkley songs, I also got really into Imogen Heap, the Flobots, and the Calf Branders this year. I also got back into Roman Candle, this band I used to love in college.
35. What do you wish you'd done more of? Hiking, having fun, traveling, camping, being with my friends, making money.
36. What do you wish you'd done less of? Being lame, watching stupid crap on TV, being bored...
37. How will you be spending New Years Eve? I already did spend it with my chicas Kelly, Mel Mel and JT, as well as some people I didn't know and some I sort of knew from back in the day. It was a good party, we did some good dancing, played some beer pong with 15-year-olds, ate tasty food, drank a lot of Andre... made out 3-way stylie when the ball dropped...
38. Did you fall in love in 2006? No, I can't be having that type of shenanigans!
39. What was your favorite TV program? I watched a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel on DVD. I also watched a lot of Scrubs and Objetivo Fama (Telemundo American Idol). I blame Meridian, Mary Anna and David Boreanaz.
40. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Eh, no need to be a hater.
41. What was the best book you read? I really liked The Time Traveler's Wife. Also I re-read a bunch of Harry Potter books, which I always love.
42. What was your greatest musical discovery? Imogen Heap and the Flobots
43. What was your favorite film of this year? I really enjoyed Little Miss Sunshine and Nacho Libre, but I have to say, I didn't really see a whole lot of movies.
44. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? Umm, moon boots! Also, I got a sweet new pair of jeans that are actually long enough for me.
45. What kept you sane? Kickin it with my friends, or just relaxing at home. Also, good music.
46. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Fancy, haha... going along with the whole Buffy the Vampire Slayer thing, David Boreanaz. And of course, my usual baby daddys like Juanes, Enrique, Johnny Depp...
47. What political issue stirred you the most? lots, the AIDS crisis, immigration, education, gay marriage, the war in Iraq, environmental issues, minimum wage...
48. Who did you miss? my Maryland peeps and Wake peeps... the ones that aren't here with me! And my AmeriCorps peeps that left me (Eric and Soph-Dog)
49. Who was the best new person you met? I really like Jen and Charlie, I met them this year. I also like my new roomie, Danny! And Mary Anna, my social work friend! Also, I love all my kids and co-workers at the Bridge Project.
50. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
My mind is open and my heart is full
I ain't got any weight that I can't pull
And right now I know that anything is possible
It was a good year, 2006. Word.
1. Where did you ring in 2006?
I was here, in Denver. Actually, it sort of sucked because I was hanging out with a bunch of people I didn't know, except for Sophie and Amy, and we went out to this lame ass bar in LoDo and then we couldn't get a free cab or bus (Denver has free cabs and public transportation on New Year's Eve) to go home so we walked all the way from LoDo to our house. This walk is probably around ... 3 or 4 miles. So I was actually in sort of a poor mood starting 2006.
2. Were you in school (anytime this year)?
Indeed, I went back to skool and started my Masters' of Social Work at the University of Denver.
3. How did you earn your keep?
I had the skills to pay the bills! I was doing AmeriCorps and getting a living stipend from that, plus some major ice cream scooping this summer, and then I am still working there this winter, although right now is not really the height of the ice cream season... but hey, I'm a manager now...
4. Did you ever have to go to the hospital?
I went to an Urgent Care at the hospital, but it wasn't like I stayed there or was exactly in the hospital part... or well, maybe I was.
5. Have you ever encountered the police?
Yes, dammit, twice. Once when I got pulled over and got a warning for "swerving and speeding" because I had just picked Kelly and Scott up from the airport and was excited and lost in Cherry Hills on the way to free sushi that we actually missed because it was too late. It was hilarious, the cop said "I smell alcohol in the car" and Scott was like, "That would be me." Because he and Kelly had been boozing on the airplane. It was funny. I guess you had to be there.
I also got a ticket on 14th... that sucked. Other than that, we frequently saw the Aurora Po Po at events in the community (they gave me a sticker) and arresting people in the hotels we would visit for AmeriCorps.
6. Where did you go on vacation?
I went to Nashville for a conference and that was like a vacation, too. I went to California to visit Meena, and we were mostly in Berkeley and San Francisco. It was pretty sweet. I also went back to Maryland for Thanksgiving and Christmas and such.
7. What did you purchase that was over $500?
Nothing. I don't have money for things that cost over $500... or well, unless you count tuition payments. Yeah, I guess that does count.
8. Did you know anybody who got married?
Yeah, a shitload of people. Karen and Cason, Kelsey from my old hall, also Kristen from my old hall, Emily and Cole also from my freshman year hall, my boss Erin and her husband Seth, Meena's brother Raju.. people be getting married and engaged all over the place.
9. Did you know anybody who passed away?
No.
10. Have you ran into anybody you graduated high school with?
Yeah, we had a 5-year reunion, so I "ran into" a lot of people in my class there.
11. Did you move anywhere?
No, and it was AMAZING!
12. What sporting events did you go to?
Couple Rockies games, couple Nuggets games, I guess that's it. I saw MC Hammer do the halftime show at a Nuggets game! It was the shit!
13. What concerts did you go to?
A lot, the Flobots, the Calf Branders (both of them multiple times, we are groupies), Manu Chao, Full Belly (ah, Mark Anthony aka Lance), Ben Kweller, Steven Kellogg and the Sixers... hmm, maybe not as many as I thought.
14. Are you registered to vote?
Yes.
15. If so, did you do your patriotic duty on Nov. 7?
Yes, absentee stylie in MD.
16. Where do you live now?
Denver, CO
17. Describe your birthday.
It was good times. My sister was here visiting me, and my whole AmeriCorps crew planned a bunch of stuff for me, we went to get free sushi and drinks and dancing, and went karaoke-ing, I went backpacking up in Rocky Mountain with my sister, and Sophie snuck us into the Botanic Gardens for a picnic! It was a good birthday!
18. What's the one thing you thought you would never do but did in 2006?
I didn't think I would go skiing, but Sean made me... I guess that would be the biggest thing.
19. What is one thing you regretted this year?
Maybe not staying in touch with some people as well as I had hoped. And my lack of skills with men.
20. Any new additions to your family?
No.
21. What was your best month?
I don't know... July was good, when all that birthday stuff was going on, so was whatever month when Kelly and Scott came to visit... I also really enjoyed December, going home, having some time off from class to chill, fun snow in Denver.
22. What from pop culture will you remember 2006 by?
I don't know, maybe ummm certain songs, like "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley or um... people making a big deal about celebrities like Tom Cruise and Britney Spears and Paris Hilton...
23. How would you rate this year with a scale from 1 (horrible) to 10 (awesome)?
It was pretty good... maybe not my best year, but a good one... maybe 7 or 8...
24. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before? umm, like I said, went skiing, went snowshoeing, lived with a boy roomie, went to Nashville, saw some new places, new bands, met new people...
25. What foreign countries did you visit? None. Sad.
26. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? I don't know, lots of good and fun things happened, maybe whatever day I decided to go to the University of Denver... But I don't remember the exact date. Or maybe my birthday, because it was the shit.
27. What was your biggest achievement of this year? Getting into mutliple grad schools, getting good grades during my first quarter. Everything I did with AmeriCorps was a big achievement, as we were finishing, I started to realize how much people had appreciated the work we did.
28. What was your biggest failure? It sucked that I didn't get into Berkeley's school of social work... but they are #2 in the country.. Other than that, I don't know, I had some failures with dating boys, but it's more like they were failures...
29. Did you suffer illness or injury? I got a virus and that sucked a lot. Other than that, I was good.
30. What was the best thing you bought? School tuition, I think.
31. Whose behavior merited celebration? Umm... I don't know. My friends, because they rock my face off.
32. Where did most of your money go? Rent, school tuition, books, etc... also a large chunk went to getting my car fixed.
33. What did you get really, really excited about? Seeing friends and family, traveling, concerts, holidays, parties, school, my internship... lots of things.
34. What songs will always remind you of 2006? Umm, maybe Gnarls Barkley songs, I also got really into Imogen Heap, the Flobots, and the Calf Branders this year. I also got back into Roman Candle, this band I used to love in college.
35. What do you wish you'd done more of? Hiking, having fun, traveling, camping, being with my friends, making money.
36. What do you wish you'd done less of? Being lame, watching stupid crap on TV, being bored...
37. How will you be spending New Years Eve? I already did spend it with my chicas Kelly, Mel Mel and JT, as well as some people I didn't know and some I sort of knew from back in the day. It was a good party, we did some good dancing, played some beer pong with 15-year-olds, ate tasty food, drank a lot of Andre... made out 3-way stylie when the ball dropped...
38. Did you fall in love in 2006? No, I can't be having that type of shenanigans!
39. What was your favorite TV program? I watched a lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel on DVD. I also watched a lot of Scrubs and Objetivo Fama (Telemundo American Idol). I blame Meridian, Mary Anna and David Boreanaz.
40. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Eh, no need to be a hater.
41. What was the best book you read? I really liked The Time Traveler's Wife. Also I re-read a bunch of Harry Potter books, which I always love.
42. What was your greatest musical discovery? Imogen Heap and the Flobots
43. What was your favorite film of this year? I really enjoyed Little Miss Sunshine and Nacho Libre, but I have to say, I didn't really see a whole lot of movies.
44. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? Umm, moon boots! Also, I got a sweet new pair of jeans that are actually long enough for me.
45. What kept you sane? Kickin it with my friends, or just relaxing at home. Also, good music.
46. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Fancy, haha... going along with the whole Buffy the Vampire Slayer thing, David Boreanaz. And of course, my usual baby daddys like Juanes, Enrique, Johnny Depp...
47. What political issue stirred you the most? lots, the AIDS crisis, immigration, education, gay marriage, the war in Iraq, environmental issues, minimum wage...
48. Who did you miss? my Maryland peeps and Wake peeps... the ones that aren't here with me! And my AmeriCorps peeps that left me (Eric and Soph-Dog)
49. Who was the best new person you met? I really like Jen and Charlie, I met them this year. I also like my new roomie, Danny! And Mary Anna, my social work friend! Also, I love all my kids and co-workers at the Bridge Project.
50. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
My mind is open and my heart is full
I ain't got any weight that I can't pull
And right now I know that anything is possible
It was a good year, 2006. Word.