2008: that was the year that was...
old habits die hard, it seems...
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
been hit by a car (as in, while a pedestrian). thrown myself out of an airplane. gone rock-climbing and mountain biking.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
same as last year: nope, and probably not. i think they're overrated, and shouldn't be exclusive to the beginning of the year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
sister gini gave birth to riley in late march, and she's the cutest freaking thing i've seen in ages.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
thankfully, no.
5. What countries did you visit?
does stopping over for a night count? i suppose, if i slept there: england, and russia for two months. FINALLY. oh, and there was that delightful jaunt to paradise (aka st maarten) in march...
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
more sleep and a master's degree. i realize the two completely contradict one another...
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
october 12, since that's the day i threw myself out of an airplane. :)
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
getting myself back to russia and really learning something from it. also, passing the MA language exam was a pretty big thing, too. oh, and i quit smoking for real, and for good.
9. What was your biggest failure?
i am so. bad. at keeping in touch with my friends. i have no reason for it, i just am. sigh.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
aside from the usual twice-yearly sinus infection, no. even getting hit by a car didn't do too much damage. hopefully this will hold with all of the skiing i plan on doing in 2009...
11. What was the best thing you bought?
my plane ticket to russia, my skis (i have problems keeping things singular)
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
i can't believe i'm actually saying this, but america, for being sensible enough to elect the correct person for the office of the president.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
i don't name names, but anyone who was in russia this summer knows exactly who i'm thinking of right now.
14. Where did most of your money go?
the usual: bills, credit card payments, um, the things in #11, rent, food...
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
returning to russia! ski season starting again. teaching, again.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
the entire album "in rainbows" by radiohead.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier, for sure. i'm pretty satisfied with things at the moment, which means it'll soon be time to move on.
ii. thinner or fatter? i think about the same. i don't exercise as much as i should, but i eat a whole lot less and drink a lot more coffee these days.
iii. richer or poorer? ahhhahahaha poorer. that trip to russia kind of killed me financially, even though it was so worth it.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
sleeping, per usual. calling people just to talk. walking away at the right time.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
keeping my mouth shut. grading. :)
20. How did you spend Christmas?
for what was probably the last time (since the great move to north carolina is imminent), i was in maryland with the family; part one of the day was gift-unwrapping; part two was going to see "the day the world stood still" (sooooo very very bad); part three was lounging; part four was dinner and more gift-unwrapping, and part five was passing out. it was pretty sweet.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
i have no idea. probably my mom or kim or kat. i tend to text, these days, rather than actually talking to people.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
does russia count? (as in, the country, not one person specifically)
23. How many one-night stands?
um, one?
24. What was your favorite TV program?
tough call here, but i'm going to have to go with gossip girl. (I KNOW.)
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
...no. i had to think about that, but it's not strong enough to be hate. more of a complete disillusionment, really.
26. What was the best book you read?
this was the year i finally got around to reading "a heartbreaking work of staggering genius". i can't believe i waited this long!
also good: "on the road" (even though i'm still plowing through it), and tolstoy's "childhood".
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
nick warren. this was, for me, a pretty slow musical year, alas.
28. What did you want and get?
continued awesomeness from my students, lots of ski gear, a trip to russia, a passing grade on the MA language exam, better reliable sex
29. What did you want and not get?
a white christmas and a ton of money from the IRS.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
this one's easy: the dark knight, though slumdog millionaire is a pretty close second.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
i turned 28. since my birthday proper was on a sunday, i celebrated the night before. day of, i went on a run with the hash house harriers and hung out with friends. since a lot of folks were out of town, it had to be subdued, sort of, which was nice.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
i know that if i write down what i'm really thinking, the hand of jeebus himself will come down and smack me upside the head, so i'll keep this one to myself.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
the same as 2007, except that i've discovered the joys of boots.
34. What kept you sane?
mmm, coffee. tv nights with friends. knowing that i'm not alone in the sea of crazy.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
my polish professor would tell you rafael nadal, but i think ed westwick takes the cake here. SWOON.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
the one that got nicely resolved on november 4.
37. Who did you miss?
sister gini and the family, marylandfolk.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
there were quite a few in russia... :)
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
people show you who they really are in moments of great duress... and sometimes, it's not at all what you'd expected.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
you know, i will do no such thing, because i can't think of one, and i have to go for a run soon and try not to get blown over by the sudden and random blusteriness of the day. so there. :P
so that's that! happy new year, friends.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
been hit by a car (as in, while a pedestrian). thrown myself out of an airplane. gone rock-climbing and mountain biking.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
same as last year: nope, and probably not. i think they're overrated, and shouldn't be exclusive to the beginning of the year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
sister gini gave birth to riley in late march, and she's the cutest freaking thing i've seen in ages.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
thankfully, no.
5. What countries did you visit?
does stopping over for a night count? i suppose, if i slept there: england, and russia for two months. FINALLY. oh, and there was that delightful jaunt to paradise (aka st maarten) in march...
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
more sleep and a master's degree. i realize the two completely contradict one another...
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
october 12, since that's the day i threw myself out of an airplane. :)
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
getting myself back to russia and really learning something from it. also, passing the MA language exam was a pretty big thing, too. oh, and i quit smoking for real, and for good.
9. What was your biggest failure?
i am so. bad. at keeping in touch with my friends. i have no reason for it, i just am. sigh.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
aside from the usual twice-yearly sinus infection, no. even getting hit by a car didn't do too much damage. hopefully this will hold with all of the skiing i plan on doing in 2009...
11. What was the best thing you bought?
my plane ticket to russia, my skis (i have problems keeping things singular)
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
i can't believe i'm actually saying this, but america, for being sensible enough to elect the correct person for the office of the president.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
i don't name names, but anyone who was in russia this summer knows exactly who i'm thinking of right now.
14. Where did most of your money go?
the usual: bills, credit card payments, um, the things in #11, rent, food...
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
returning to russia! ski season starting again. teaching, again.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
the entire album "in rainbows" by radiohead.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier, for sure. i'm pretty satisfied with things at the moment, which means it'll soon be time to move on.
ii. thinner or fatter? i think about the same. i don't exercise as much as i should, but i eat a whole lot less and drink a lot more coffee these days.
iii. richer or poorer? ahhhahahaha poorer. that trip to russia kind of killed me financially, even though it was so worth it.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
sleeping, per usual. calling people just to talk. walking away at the right time.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
keeping my mouth shut. grading. :)
20. How did you spend Christmas?
for what was probably the last time (since the great move to north carolina is imminent), i was in maryland with the family; part one of the day was gift-unwrapping; part two was going to see "the day the world stood still" (sooooo very very bad); part three was lounging; part four was dinner and more gift-unwrapping, and part five was passing out. it was pretty sweet.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
i have no idea. probably my mom or kim or kat. i tend to text, these days, rather than actually talking to people.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
does russia count? (as in, the country, not one person specifically)
23. How many one-night stands?
um, one?
24. What was your favorite TV program?
tough call here, but i'm going to have to go with gossip girl. (I KNOW.)
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
...no. i had to think about that, but it's not strong enough to be hate. more of a complete disillusionment, really.
26. What was the best book you read?
this was the year i finally got around to reading "a heartbreaking work of staggering genius". i can't believe i waited this long!
also good: "on the road" (even though i'm still plowing through it), and tolstoy's "childhood".
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
nick warren. this was, for me, a pretty slow musical year, alas.
28. What did you want and get?
continued awesomeness from my students, lots of ski gear, a trip to russia, a passing grade on the MA language exam, better reliable sex
29. What did you want and not get?
a white christmas and a ton of money from the IRS.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
this one's easy: the dark knight, though slumdog millionaire is a pretty close second.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
i turned 28. since my birthday proper was on a sunday, i celebrated the night before. day of, i went on a run with the hash house harriers and hung out with friends. since a lot of folks were out of town, it had to be subdued, sort of, which was nice.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
i know that if i write down what i'm really thinking, the hand of jeebus himself will come down and smack me upside the head, so i'll keep this one to myself.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
the same as 2007, except that i've discovered the joys of boots.
34. What kept you sane?
mmm, coffee. tv nights with friends. knowing that i'm not alone in the sea of crazy.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
my polish professor would tell you rafael nadal, but i think ed westwick takes the cake here. SWOON.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
the one that got nicely resolved on november 4.
37. Who did you miss?
sister gini and the family, marylandfolk.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
there were quite a few in russia... :)
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
people show you who they really are in moments of great duress... and sometimes, it's not at all what you'd expected.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
you know, i will do no such thing, because i can't think of one, and i have to go for a run soon and try not to get blown over by the sudden and random blusteriness of the day. so there. :P
so that's that! happy new year, friends.