2007 in a post
I'm sorry if the picture eats your layout, but it's perfect and I want it this way. I took it about a month ago, before my camera crashed. When I saw it, I decided it summarized 2007 perfectly, it it's own lulz-filled way. I seriously love the ring, though, and if there is one artefact from this year I want to put in my personal time capsule it would be this swenglish H&M blog ring.
So, 2007. As I wrote last year, it's only recently that I've started counting years in Jan-Dec years and not school years. And it looks like I'll go on doing that for a while, as my school years are now calendar years as well. Futhermore, just as last year and the year before that, I have pretty much signed up for a project that will colour this whole year just as I last year had a blook deal in the making, so last year will be a year of something just as last year was the year of home arrest and phone sex and this year was the year of the blook.
This year I've started school and after two semesters I'm not afraid to jinx it anymore - it really feels like I'm doing the right thing. I haven't felt such school flow since junior high. I'm slowly starting to feel capable again. Capable of turning small piles of dirt, and by the end of my education I'll turn hills, no less. I understand the theories, I can use them in a creative way and I feel like I will do a good job in field. Win comes easy, and once I stop acting like it's a bad thing, I'll have even more use for it.
What more. Relationships. People. There's been a lot of that going on, obvsly, new schoolmates and all. Um, there's been bad stuff too, but generally people have worked out well. I have met people in school that I like, some of them I'm just small-talking with sometimes, but we're going to study together for another four years, so I'm not in a hurry. What's maybe even more important, I didn't really lose any friends this year (was too busy doing that during last two years, I suppose) and I have grown closer to many people from before. In many ways, really, telling N that I've loved him since forever, bonding over second-hand shopping with N, coming a little step closer to solving our own private Israel-Palestine.
I've learned a lot about myself this year, being put in new situations and all that. I have learned some things I like and some I don't. I guess it all boils down to self-esteem. There's this (the step, mentioned in the post, has been taken btw, so I can) and there's me being so distanced all the time, and there's me feeling uncomfortable in all kinds of situations and there is general lose. And I have to start my therapy next year, and I'm quite happy about it. I'm looking forward to it. Next year I'll open up. Next year I'll do things and dare and all that. I know I promised it before, but I feel better now, I have the energy to fight.
Но не будем пессимистами. В этом году я дошла до медных труб, и ничего. Огонь, вода, медные трубы - mission cleared. Или, наверно все-таки, не настоящие огонь-вода-трубы, а учения. Холостые медные трубы. Прошла? Прошла! Хорошо прошла? Хорошо. Ну и молодец!
All in all, 2007 has been interesting and good for me, but some things must come to an end, and 2007 has to both in the calender and in spirit. There are new challenges, new shores, new missions. I've been playing too much games, it's time for serious business!
And now for the summary.
1. Was 2007 a good year for you?
Generally, I'd say yes. I have learned a lot, and the price I paid was usually modest.
2. What was your favorite moment of the year?
Hanging out with Johanne and Stangel just before school started. Dad visiting. Dancing a lot.
3. What was your least favorite moment of the year?
Preparing for the book to be released. That was not a moment, but rather a long period of nailbiting, discommunication that ruined my vacation (no one informed me about when the deadline really was, so I worked my ass of on my vacation instead of doing it afterwards) and me freaking out about the media.
4. What are your plans for 2008?
Get money for writing. Do something. Open up for people and for all that stuff mentioned in 7. Stop. Savour. "You've earned it" as You-Know-Who would have worded it.
Oh, and have tons of fun, make money, meet overseas people and learn to dance.
5. What countries did you visit?
I never went out of country, but I went to Uppsala for my ruined vacation.
6. What date in 2007 will remain etched in your memory?
Date-schdate. My book was released September 20th, so that would be it? I don't know. No one died or anything, so no dates.
7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I fucken wrote a book and handled the media. School has gone really smoothlike. I have exercised and stretched and stuff, something I started doing last year for the first time in my life and managed to make a habit out of. I HAVE BEEN SOCIAL WITH PEOPLE LIKE CLASSMATES AND BAND PEOPLE AND STUFF! Oh, and I can hear myself speaking Swedish now without becoming petrified for days!
I've done an awful good job livin' my life.
8. What was your biggest failure?
Overusing of my usual defences. A WHOLE FUCKING LOT.
9. Did you suffer any illness or injury?
Chronic cold. And I scalded my arms, which was a very interesting experience.
10. What was the best thing you bought?
My peach-and-rose ball dress. I got Stangel an iPod for his birthday and I think it was this year's best buy.
11. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Let's keep it professional-like, kay?
12. Where did most of your money go?
Coffee and schoolbooks.
13. What did you get really really really excited about?
School! Book.
14. What songs will always remind you of 2007?
Stronger by Kanye West
Jimmy by M.I.A
Umbrella by Rihanna
Oh My God by Whatshisface feat Lily Allen
Yes, it's MTV music that defines years. Because that's what you keep hearing all the time.
15. Compared to this time last year are you:
a) Fatter or thinner? Dunno, but I'm in better shape now.
b) Happier or sadder? About same. By this time last year I knew I got in
c) Richer or poorer? Richer. Within statistic margins.
16. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Vacation. Having balls. Not in the dancing sense (although that too), but in the guts meaning.
17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Angsting. Defence.
18. How will you be spending Christmas?
Stanja went on a three day Christmas tour food-and-gift orgy. I'll post about it separately.
19. Which LJ/MySpace users did you meet for the first time?
I met reallyreally IRL for the first time, and met stef_g properly for the first time as well. Also some people who last year only knew me as PhPh.
20. Did you fall in love in 2007?
"Petra is always in love" (Ingmar Bergman's Smiles of a summer night)
"It's complicated" (Facebook)
21. How many one night stands?
Ask Jonne, he knows. He won't tell you, but he knows.
22. What was your favourite TV show?
The Odyssey. And while I'm at it, it's like my rec of the year! Brad is rad and all that.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, I have new people to be annoyed over, but it's not that bad.
24. What was/were the best books you read?
I don't know about the best, the most noteable ones are Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand), HP7 (JKR), His Dark Materials trilogy (Philip Pullman)... Um. I can't quite remember, because the recently-read Houellebecq's Platform blocks other readfing experiences out of my conscious right now. Platform sucked, btw, your odl while man shit.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ohhhh. Discovery, huh? Um, I've listened to music, sure, but have I discovered something? Did I listen to Shostakovich a year ago? I did. Hm. I have extended my horizons, but not really discovered any new continents or anything. Maybe Браво, if anything.
26. What did you want and get?
A camera. And then I killd it.
27. What did you want and not get?
More company of N. (or A, all anonymous people in this LJ are referred to as either A or N, randomly)
28. What was your favourite film this year?
I liked Persepolis, and it's the only film from 2007 year that I really remember watching.
29. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
I turned 23 and I celebrated it by having a brunch party. It turned out to be a great idea because people showed up early and we had time for food, movies and TP. It was one of my favourite days of 2007.
30. What one thing would have made your year more satisfying?
Money.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Layers, overmatching and colours! Cloooothes!
32. What kept you sane?
Having something to do and knowing I'll go in therapy soon.
33. Which celebrity did you fancy the most?
Dan Radcliffe. Roy Mustang. M.I.A. Half the cast of The Odyssey.
34. Which political issue stirred you the most?
Sex politics is normally my domain, so I pretty much stayed there, making small excursions to other Swedish political happenings, since I have opinions on our current government's doings.
35. Who did you miss?
bartholdy . Jonne. Dad.
36. Did you treat somebody badly in 2007?
You bet. But nothing major.
37. Did somebody treat you badly in 2007?
You bet. But nothing major.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned this year?
Live TV is not that dangerous at all! Nor are people, really.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year...
Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still I'm still Jenny from the block.