2007 year in review
Originally published at A schism in your day. Please leave any comments there.
End of the year, and time to take stock of the year gone by. I friggin’ barely wrote at all ths year. I wanted to blog more a couple years ago, but this year, I sorta totally lost it. I just never felt I had anything worthwhile to share, and that no one cared even if I did. Writing for the masses has sort of taken a back seat. I don’t know how much I’ll blog in the coming year. Seems it’s easier to share what little of interest happens in my megre life on Facebook. At least there, people tend to see it. Anyway, I still wanted to fill out the annual meme, mostly because I have a sense of tradition, and an afternoon off with the pooch. So, without further adeiu:
- What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
- Bought another Mac. I honestly doubt if I’ll ever buy a PC again.
- Completed a running course.
- Went to New York and saw a Broadway musical.
- Learned to ride a motorcycle, and then bought one.
- Did you keep your new years’ resolutions and will you make more for next year?
- In a word, no. I wanted to get my ass into a house this year, and I did not, nor do I think that it’s about to happen anytime soon. It isn’t the money that’s the issue. It’s the instability in my life right now caused by the fact that I don’t know where Suz will hang her hat in the next year. If she leaves here, and I must follow, then buying a house now and putting down roots is pointless. I wanted to get closer to God. Nope. God’s still hiding, and although I feel that if I looked hard enough I’d find him, I don’t seem to have the energy to do so. I also wanted to exercise more. I started out with the best intentions, and actually DID improve a little bit. I took the running course, and completed it. After that though, i totally fell flat, and did bugger-all for the rest of the year where my heath was concerned. I’m awful. I don’t think I want to make any resolutions this year. Things feel so unstable that any sort of prediction would be pretty tenuous. I do, however, want to simplify if I can. I wanted to declutter a little last year. I did get a start at that, and I hope to continue this year.
- Did anyone close to you give birth?
- Nope. There were a couple around in extended family, but no one close to me. Seems there’s baby stuff all around right now. I’m sure it will continue.
- Did anyone close to you die?
- No visits from the Grim Reaper this year.
- What countries did you visit?
- Heh. Does the USA count? I did visit there, which isn’t my own country. Aside from that, I have been as much of a homebody as ever.
- What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
- Gentlemen, start your photocopiers: The same things I lacked in 2006, 2005, AND 2004: Intangible things like serenity, happiness, security, optimism, joy. All the things that money can’t buy, and so I can’t go out and get from the store. I DEFINITELY sense a rut.
- What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
- No definitive dates this year either. While lots of stuff happened that I’d consider unusual or interesting, I couldn’t tell you the exact date of any of them.
- What was your biggest achievement of the year?
- New York. I haven’t been out of Southern Ontario since I was 9 years old. It was something I didn’t know how I’d accomplish, and somehow, I did, and it was even sorta fun. I guess that’s a baby step to better things… maybe.
- What was your biggest failure?
- I couldn’t seem to pull together any sort of contentment, no matter what changes I made or successes I had.
- Did you suffer illness or injury?
- No. Naturopathics seem to be keeping me pretty damned healthy overall, and I’m not danger-prone as a rule.
- What was the best thing you bought?
- My Mac.
- Where did most of your money go?
- Photocopiers, gentlemen: Rent. Bills. Eating out. I spent a boatload of money eating out. I really should improve on that one. Also, I guess you could say that the motorcycle took a load of cash this year, to buy, insure, and learn.
- What did you get really, really, really excited about?
- Pfft.
- What song will always remind you of 2007
- This is always a hard question. I don’t think I have one.
- Compared to this time last year, are you:
a. happier or sadder? Sadder.
b. thinner or fatter? Probably about the same.
c. richer or poorer? A little richer. - What do you wish you’d done more of?
- Photocopiers, gentlemen: Being silent. Being away from all the computers and enjoying living more.
- What do you wish you’d done less of?
- Surfing the internet without any sort of goal. I don’t know how many hours, indeed DAYS, I have wasted just clicking stories on Digg.
- How did you spend Christmas?
- The usual. My family on the 24th, and Suzanne’s on the 25th and 26th. Overall, I feel like all the old traditions are dead. It’s been a sorta sad Christmas. I wonder if they’ll ever be the same again.
- Did you fall in love in 2007?
- Nope. I love all the same people, and wish I could love more as an emotion in general.
- How many one-night stands?
- None. Thank God.
- What was your favorite TV program?
- That’d have to be Boston Legal. Didn’t watch too much TV, but I have found that it’s currently my fav. Dunno what I’ll watch when it’s done. However, Suz and I did order a copy of the complete series of “My So Called Life”. I hear it’s great.
- Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
- Nope.
- What was the best book you read?
- I really don’t know. Not a huge reading year, I fear. I think the best one was Strange Skies.
- What was your greatest musical discovery of 2007?
- That I am not hip anymore at all, and that I don’t really care. I was reading the top 100 songs list published by Rolling Stone and I realized that I only knew OF 3, nevermind liked any at all. The next time I’m at GenX, I’m buying the “I’m not old… your music really does suck” button and wear it with pride.
- What did you want and get?
- Mac.
- Motorcycle.
- What did you want and not get?
- A house.
- To enjoy getting up in the morning.
- Hope.
- To not be as negative or cynical.
- What was your favorite film of this year?
- I gave up keeping track this year, which was too bad. I’ll try to pick it up again for ‘08. Although this year, I recall enjoying Lars and the Real Girl, Ratatouille, Bridge To Terabithia, the obligatory Harry Potter and Spiderman.
- What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
- Not telling my age.
I spent the day with Tudor and Laura getting lost, and the evening with my family, watching my brother fall in love with motorcycling in ways that I had hoped I would, but never did.
- Not telling my age.
- What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
- I can’t imagine. You’d think anything would, but I tried everything I could think of to little avail.
- How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
- Virtually unchanged. I keep wating to do better than i do, and keep not doing it, even if I try. I guess I just am as I am.
- What kept you sane?
- Resignation.
- Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
- None, really. My two big celebrity points this year were meeting both Sarah Harmer, and Jean Chrétien. Doesn’t mean I FANCY them per se, but they did play a ‘celebrity’ role in my life that hasn’t happened before. I don’t often rub elbows with “known” people.
- What political issue stirred you the most?
- The environment. I want to help out, and I’ll go a lot further than I would have thought a few yers back. However, a growing part of me thinks this war is already lost.
- Who did you miss?
- Gentlemen: Yet again, the main one was Suz when she went away for more months than ever in a year, although I’ve missed pretty near all the people who were once so huge a part of me, who are now, for whatever reason, peripheral at best.
- Who was the best new person you met?
- I don’t think I met anyone new this year. In fact, i lost the few I did meet in years gone by.
- Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
- There comes a time where one should strive to mentor more than be mentored. I just can’t seem to believe that is the case for me yet, given how lost I commonly am. However, the funny quote that keeps haunting me comes from the dude on the CBC Suz found so amusing who said, “an optimist is one who believes we live in the best of all possible worlds, and a pessimist is one who fears this is actually the case.”
I guess it’s probably clear that overall, I feel a little lost and sad as this year draws to a close, I guess mostly because where I am doesn’t feel right, but I don’t have the courage to change it. I feel pretty trapped, and it’s pretty depressing. But, I do know that change is inevitable. It’s likely that it’ll switch around this year. I guess we’ll see. I wish all who might still be reading a good 2008. I’m not sure if I’ll write this year much. I don’t seem to have the drive anymore. But, I will pop by from time to time, I’m sure. Hope you’re all good.