Annual End of Year Survey for 2010
I've been doing this survey every year for the last... four? Five years? Anyways, here it is. Goodbye, 2010. Hellooooo, 2011.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Although 2010 was not as crazy in the ‘new experiences’ department as it 2009 was, I did sleep in a middle school library, go to Central Park, go to a movie alone, visit Philly, drive 90 mph south on I-95, attend a grandparents’ funeral, attend mass at the oldest cathedral in the United States, get published in a literary magazine, and spend the night at the Philly Train Station.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t really make new year’s resolutions these days. Mostly, I just try to live my life well, be healthy, and be good people.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.
5. What countries did you visit?
No new countries this year.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
As always, I continue to work on being self-aware.
7. What day from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The day I graduated from AmeriCorps NCCC, for the second (and final) time. Seeing people cry as they watched my end of year slide show. The day my grandmother died. The day I stayed up for 42 hours. The night my Amtrak train blew by me in Aberdeen and Chelsea drove me to Philly, where a crazy-pants man named Don talked to me for three hours about the coming of the next Ice Age, among other things. Meeting Michelle Obama.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Realizing what I want to do with my life.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Nothing too big… I think just letting my job get the best of me during first round, and not taking control of myself earlier.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No new amazing injuries to report, sadly.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A train ticket to Boston (even if my train missed me)
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Chelsea Rae, who is an example of how to be positive and cheerful, genuinely kind, and never letting her circumstances get you down.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
The screw-up Corps Members who just couldn’t stop being STUPID. Sheesh. How hard is it not to get drunk when you're back already for discipline?
14. Where did most of your money go?
Books. Food. Alcohol. But mostly into savings.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Being a Team Leader. Seeing Team Green. Seeing Aunt Jan.
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Bad Romance, Lady Gaga. Home, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. That song by Matt and Kim. Take me home, Country Roads by John Denver. Wagon Wheel.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder?
Happier in some ways, sadder in others.
ii. Thinner or fatter?
Thinner.
iii. Richer or poorer?
Richer, but it’s not harder to be richer than a Corps Member salary of $167 every two weeks.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Be better at being myself (always).
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Adjusting myself to suit other people.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my parents, all three grandparents, brother, dogs.
21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Don’t…think so.
22. How many one-night stands?
None, technically.
23. What was your favourite TV program?
Didn’t really watch any TV. NCIS, I guess? My dad has all the seasons and we watch them together.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nah.
25. What was the best book you read?
I doubt I can list all the amazing books I read this year. I really enjoyed The Swan Thieves; The Tower, The Zoo and the Tortoise; The Good Novel; The Benedict Society; Little Bee; My Life in France; In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto; and a gazillion others.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes.
27. What did you want and get?
Laid.
28. What did you want and not get?
Dignity?
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
How to Train Your Dragon.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
All the STLs went to the wine bar in Havre De Grace and just sat around, shooting the shit. It was a lot of fun. Plus I like wine.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being less insecure, like always. But I'm improving.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Lots of khaki. (Not by choice)
33. What kept you sane?
Team Green and Team STL. The Crew. My parents.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Lee Pace, you will be in my heart forever.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I’m just so freaking sick of politics. Probably that the Supreme Court awarded corporations the right to free speech. As if they’re PEOPLE. What the hell.
36. Who did you miss?
My parents and the Crew.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
AmeriCorps NCCC is rife with them. I won’t list them all, but Wild Ones Love Force holds a special place in my heart, as does Team Green.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
No one can get you what you want or need but YOU, so stop feeling sorry for yourself, get off your ass and get things done.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
leaving ain't fair you know
parting ain't just
people got to move on
people got to do what they must
and we're back together again
and i'm never gonna lose you as a friend
growing up free
growing up wild
if you want to know the secret behind the smile
you got to ask a tuesday's child
and we're back together again
and i'm never gonna lose you as a friend
well i guess that highway got a hold of me
thinking crazy thoughts like it was going to set me free
this ain't my place you know
this ain't my home
and i'm not going to feel right
til you get us back behind the microphones
and we're back together again
and i'm never gonna lose you as a friend
no i'm never gonna lose you as a friend
no i'm never gonna lose you as a friend
-Indigo Girls, "Back Together Again"
More accurately, these lyrics describe my last two years with AmeriCorps. And, hopefully, my next adventures with WWOOF-ing and being a migrant farm worker.
So, that's that. Time for a Buffy marathon with Amanda. My, but I lead an exciting life.