2009/2010 Meme
Welcome 2010! Reading through 2009's entries, I realized how old I feel already in this lifetime and how incredibly quickly the year 2009 passed me by. It's alarming and sobering feeling actually. I don't want to let life just sift through my fingers.
I'm back in Toronto. This return was a little tougher emotionally and situationally (I made up the word for context purposes). In short, my luggage is in downtown Toronto, and apparently I am expected to pick it up. I am awaiting a call from the supervisor to resolve this issue that was their fault. More on that later.
Anyway, onto the meme.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Developed film photography :) Went to Greece and Austria
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any. Having been raised to never make New Years resolutions, I've never thought much of them. This year will be my first resolution. I think my two big ones are: become more flexible and more accepting of change and stop obsessing over what people think of me.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
"Close"? Nah... Some old friends did, though.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
"Close?" No again. Though my last grandparent did die.
5. What travels did you embark upon?
Went to Europe and NYC. Pretty much it :)
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
flexibility, adaptability, confidence
7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Graduating, I guess
9. What was your biggest failure?
Hm didn't have major ones, but just typical mess-ups: ruining Chandra's phone
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just colds.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Well I helped purchased the iPhone, and it was great while I was able to use it
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Chandra's.... definitely.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Strong words, but sometimes I was sad to see what B was doing to himself
14. Where did most of your money go?
Travelling (bus & plane trips, and trip to Europe)
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My brand-spanking new wickedly sick and awesome Canon dslr :) And the house being listed!
16. What songs will always remind you of 2009?
Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling, Third Day - Born Again, Matt Maher - Alive Again
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? happier
ii. Thinner or fatter? slightly fatter, probably
iii. richer or poorer? hmmm... poorer and richer. Currently technically poorer, but I've got a job so that lack of funds is only temporary (as it was caused by Christmas!)
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Read books, and exercise
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worrying, stressing, complaining
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Day - with Laurelle's family.
21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Nope. Still waiting :)
22. What was your favourite TV program?
Dog Whisperer, LOL. But still loved the Office.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope.
24. What was the best book you read?
I don't think I read that much this year :/ sad I think I reread "Where is God When it Hurts?" and that was good. I may have read the Shack last year, and that was good.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Brave Saint Saturn (didn't know Fire Iron Frenzy had formed this! what a terrible fan I am) and Jon Foreman.
26. What did you want and get?
a spanking new lovely Canon DSLR!!!
27. What did you want and not get?
Move to Colorado, staying in US
28. What was your favourite film of this year?
2012. XD
29. What was your most shameful moment of 2009?
Don't have "most shameful" but just all the small screw-ups
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 21. :D :D So of course I went out drinking with C&B in the US. Had Easton Buffet for dinner (the night before), and drove to tax-free Delaware where I was given $200 to shop (specifically Teavana and Lush).
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
"Growing up" haha. Been trying to accumulate clothing that is less teen-ish, and more suitable for work and sophisticated.
32. What kept you sane?
Journalling, music, C&B, God
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
no one
34. What current events stirred you the most?
Events in Middle East, Obama administration
35. Who did you miss?
C&B and fam (being in Toronto)
36. Who was the best new person you met?
A few but specifically Kimmie and Joanne
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
1. God's grace for me (all of us) is far too deep and wide to be hindered by my limited perspective/understanding or mistakes. 2) I truly can trust God fully with my life and heart, and even in the seemingly hopeless times, God is working out amazing things. And 3) God can't be contained in a box or even regulated by rules, so I my life for Him needs to be a deeply personal walk with Him, continually seeking Him in everything I do.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Let me quote a song:
I’ve given up on giving up slowly, I’m blending in so
You won’t even know me apart from this whole world that shares my fate
This one last bullet you mention is my one last shot at redemption
because I know to live you must give your life away
And I’ve been housing all this doubt and insecurity and
I’ve been locked inside that house all the while You hold the key
And I’ve been dying to get out and that might be the death of me
And even though, there’s no way in knowing where to go, promise I’m going because
I gotta get outta here
I’m stuck inside this rut that I fell into by mistake
I gotta get outta here
And I’m begging You, I’m begging You, I’m begging You to be my escape.
I’m giving up on doing this alone now
Cause I’ve failed and I’m ready to be shown how
He’s told me the way and I’m trying to get there
And this life sentence that I’m serving
I admit that I’m every bit deserving
But the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair
I am a hostage to my own humanity
Self detained and forced to live in this mess I’ve made
And all I’m asking is for You to do what You can with me
But I can’t ask You to give what You already gave
I fought You for so long
I should have let You in
Oh how we regret those things we do
And all I was trying to do was save my own skin
But so were You
So were You
I'm back in Toronto. This return was a little tougher emotionally and situationally (I made up the word for context purposes). In short, my luggage is in downtown Toronto, and apparently I am expected to pick it up. I am awaiting a call from the supervisor to resolve this issue that was their fault. More on that later.
Anyway, onto the meme.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Developed film photography :) Went to Greece and Austria
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any. Having been raised to never make New Years resolutions, I've never thought much of them. This year will be my first resolution. I think my two big ones are: become more flexible and more accepting of change and stop obsessing over what people think of me.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
"Close"? Nah... Some old friends did, though.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
"Close?" No again. Though my last grandparent did die.
5. What travels did you embark upon?
Went to Europe and NYC. Pretty much it :)
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
flexibility, adaptability, confidence
7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Graduating, I guess
9. What was your biggest failure?
Hm didn't have major ones, but just typical mess-ups: ruining Chandra's phone
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just colds.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Well I helped purchased the iPhone, and it was great while I was able to use it
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Chandra's.... definitely.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Strong words, but sometimes I was sad to see what B was doing to himself
14. Where did most of your money go?
Travelling (bus & plane trips, and trip to Europe)
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My brand-spanking new wickedly sick and awesome Canon dslr :) And the house being listed!
16. What songs will always remind you of 2009?
Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling, Third Day - Born Again, Matt Maher - Alive Again
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? happier
ii. Thinner or fatter? slightly fatter, probably
iii. richer or poorer? hmmm... poorer and richer. Currently technically poorer, but I've got a job so that lack of funds is only temporary (as it was caused by Christmas!)
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Read books, and exercise
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worrying, stressing, complaining
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Day - with Laurelle's family.
21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Nope. Still waiting :)
22. What was your favourite TV program?
Dog Whisperer, LOL. But still loved the Office.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope.
24. What was the best book you read?
I don't think I read that much this year :/ sad I think I reread "Where is God When it Hurts?" and that was good. I may have read the Shack last year, and that was good.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Brave Saint Saturn (didn't know Fire Iron Frenzy had formed this! what a terrible fan I am) and Jon Foreman.
26. What did you want and get?
a spanking new lovely Canon DSLR!!!
27. What did you want and not get?
Move to Colorado, staying in US
28. What was your favourite film of this year?
2012. XD
29. What was your most shameful moment of 2009?
Don't have "most shameful" but just all the small screw-ups
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 21. :D :D So of course I went out drinking with C&B in the US. Had Easton Buffet for dinner (the night before), and drove to tax-free Delaware where I was given $200 to shop (specifically Teavana and Lush).
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
"Growing up" haha. Been trying to accumulate clothing that is less teen-ish, and more suitable for work and sophisticated.
32. What kept you sane?
Journalling, music, C&B, God
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
no one
34. What current events stirred you the most?
Events in Middle East, Obama administration
35. Who did you miss?
C&B and fam (being in Toronto)
36. Who was the best new person you met?
A few but specifically Kimmie and Joanne
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
1. God's grace for me (all of us) is far too deep and wide to be hindered by my limited perspective/understanding or mistakes. 2) I truly can trust God fully with my life and heart, and even in the seemingly hopeless times, God is working out amazing things. And 3) God can't be contained in a box or even regulated by rules, so I my life for Him needs to be a deeply personal walk with Him, continually seeking Him in everything I do.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Let me quote a song:
I’ve given up on giving up slowly, I’m blending in so
You won’t even know me apart from this whole world that shares my fate
This one last bullet you mention is my one last shot at redemption
because I know to live you must give your life away
And I’ve been housing all this doubt and insecurity and
I’ve been locked inside that house all the while You hold the key
And I’ve been dying to get out and that might be the death of me
And even though, there’s no way in knowing where to go, promise I’m going because
I gotta get outta here
I’m stuck inside this rut that I fell into by mistake
I gotta get outta here
And I’m begging You, I’m begging You, I’m begging You to be my escape.
I’m giving up on doing this alone now
Cause I’ve failed and I’m ready to be shown how
He’s told me the way and I’m trying to get there
And this life sentence that I’m serving
I admit that I’m every bit deserving
But the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair
I am a hostage to my own humanity
Self detained and forced to live in this mess I’ve made
And all I’m asking is for You to do what You can with me
But I can’t ask You to give what You already gave
I fought You for so long
I should have let You in
Oh how we regret those things we do
And all I was trying to do was save my own skin
But so were You
So were You