2010 in Review
I always feel that you can't really do a review on the year until it's completely over. That's probably because my birthday is on the 30th. So, for a little fun, here's a meme to help review 2010.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
I suppose the easiest thing that I can remember is winning NaNoWriMo.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I made several, and it's quite clear that I did not fulfill those resolutions. This year, I will be making some, but more achievable.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My uncle died in late March.
5. Which countries did you visit?
Didn't leave the country this past year, but hoping to do something about that this year. :O
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A year without depression.
7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
In April I visited Kansas for my uncle's funeral. In August, Kevin and I visited his family and got to spend five days at the beach. November 25th I won NaNoWriMo.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Aside from winning NaNoWriMo, I think mainly surviving is a big one. Not to make it sound like I was like suicidally depressed, but every quarter I think I contemplated dropping out of my classes and saying "fuck it" -- but I stuck it through and with two quarters left, the light is at the end of the tunnel.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I started a resolution to write everyday, and I did fairly well up until April. After that visit to Kansas, I just couldn't get back into the groove, and never bothered to try.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
October and November I suffered some pretty heavy depression. The worst I've felt since...2006 maybe?
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Scout. I didn't buy him from a pet store; I got him from the local animal shelter. But a lot of money goes into setting up kitty comforts, so all the money I spent on him has been well worth it. He brings me happiness that no material possession could ever give me.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Hmm... probably my parents for putting up with my bullshit, especially since I went six months without seeing them.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
That's kind of a rude thing to say. I will say that when Kevin gets stressed, I get stressed. I shouldn't have to own his stress, but I do. Something to work on. Also, I'm appalled at my own negativity.
14. Where did most of your money go?
What money? I'd say the 2 week vacation we took to California ate up the most money.
15. What were you really, really, really excited about?
Vacation was definitely something I desperately needed. Also, NaNoWriMo was pretty damn sexy.
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Oh, probably ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION's A New Century.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder?
I'd say equally determined.
b) Bigger or smaller?
20 pounds bigger.
c) Richer or poorer?
Equally poor.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercising and exploring the world.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being negative.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent it at my parents' house for a few hours, then came home and got intoxicated. woo!
21. What was your favourite month of 2010?
August probably.
22. Did you fall in love in 2010?
With my kitty. Continued to be in love with Kevin. We're coming up on two years.
23. What was your favourite TV programme?
Tosh.0, hands down.
24. How did you see in the New Year?
What's with this tense problem? Christmas hasn't happened yet but now New Years is past tense? Anyway, I spent it sitting on the couch, watching Tosh.0 and fucking around on the internet. How exciting.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't think so...
26. What was the best book you read?
Wicked by Gregory Mcguire. Probably the best writing I've read in a long, long time. Which is funny, because I read a lot of reviews about the book and how he "can't write", but then I read reviews for The Name of the Wind and see how everyone thinks he's a great writer. Well, to each their own, right?
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Sadly, I don't think I listened to any new bands in the last year. Maybe Jane's Addiction?
28. What did you want and get?
A kitty, and a kindle.
29. What did you want and not get?
Digital SLR.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
I have no idea. There really wasn't anything that I saw that made me go "Wow, I have to see that again!"
31. What did you do on your birthday?
Went to the bar, came home, played Portal.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less negativity.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
As I gained weight, sweat pants have become my friends. Probably the worst fashion concept ever.
34. What kept you sane?
Music, support from Kevin, kitteh.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't give a rats ass about celebrities.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Nothing enough to make me do anything about it.
37. Who did you miss?
Girl friends. I have trouble with female friends. :/
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Rose.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
Don't ever allow yourself to shut down completely. It's so hard to get started again...
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
No thanks.
Overall, I'd say 2010 was probably the most uneventful year I've experienced. Minus my uncle's passing and the two week vacation to Cali, nothing really happened. Spent a lot of time at home, becoming a little bit too comfortable with eating unhealthy food and not doing much of anything. I went to classes, of course, but again nothing memorable or exciting happened. I think this past year I plunged into a void of negativity that prevented me from getting out and doing stuff. I got so comfortable in my romantic relationship that I thought I didn't need much else. I can't tell you how many times I felt elated about something over the year, but I can certainly pinpoint times where I was depressed and feeling extremely negative.
The things that made me happy in 2010 were
-getting Scout
-vacationing in California for 2 weeks
-spending 5 of those days in an ocean-front room in Pismo Beach
-attending PAX
-winning NaNoWriMo
I learned more about photography. I learned a bit about writing and grammar and linguistics. I learned more about art history, and renewed my love for ceramics and pottery throwing. Over the summer I rediscovered my love for the Japanese language.
I also learned some things about myself. I'm insecure. I set expectations on everything way too high. I'm arrogant and stubborn. I allow myself to be influenced by the outside world. Yet at the same time, it's not exactly the outside world that influences me: it's my perceptions of the outside world. I create lofty and often unattainable goals for myself. I allow my laziness to control me.
With all these things in mind, it's time for me to start making some changes, which will be detailed in the next post.
cross-posted from zabe.net.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
I suppose the easiest thing that I can remember is winning NaNoWriMo.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I made several, and it's quite clear that I did not fulfill those resolutions. This year, I will be making some, but more achievable.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My uncle died in late March.
5. Which countries did you visit?
Didn't leave the country this past year, but hoping to do something about that this year. :O
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A year without depression.
7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
In April I visited Kansas for my uncle's funeral. In August, Kevin and I visited his family and got to spend five days at the beach. November 25th I won NaNoWriMo.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Aside from winning NaNoWriMo, I think mainly surviving is a big one. Not to make it sound like I was like suicidally depressed, but every quarter I think I contemplated dropping out of my classes and saying "fuck it" -- but I stuck it through and with two quarters left, the light is at the end of the tunnel.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I started a resolution to write everyday, and I did fairly well up until April. After that visit to Kansas, I just couldn't get back into the groove, and never bothered to try.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
October and November I suffered some pretty heavy depression. The worst I've felt since...2006 maybe?
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Scout. I didn't buy him from a pet store; I got him from the local animal shelter. But a lot of money goes into setting up kitty comforts, so all the money I spent on him has been well worth it. He brings me happiness that no material possession could ever give me.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Hmm... probably my parents for putting up with my bullshit, especially since I went six months without seeing them.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
That's kind of a rude thing to say. I will say that when Kevin gets stressed, I get stressed. I shouldn't have to own his stress, but I do. Something to work on. Also, I'm appalled at my own negativity.
14. Where did most of your money go?
What money? I'd say the 2 week vacation we took to California ate up the most money.
15. What were you really, really, really excited about?
Vacation was definitely something I desperately needed. Also, NaNoWriMo was pretty damn sexy.
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Oh, probably ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION's A New Century.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder?
I'd say equally determined.
b) Bigger or smaller?
20 pounds bigger.
c) Richer or poorer?
Equally poor.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercising and exploring the world.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being negative.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent it at my parents' house for a few hours, then came home and got intoxicated. woo!
21. What was your favourite month of 2010?
August probably.
22. Did you fall in love in 2010?
With my kitty. Continued to be in love with Kevin. We're coming up on two years.
23. What was your favourite TV programme?
Tosh.0, hands down.
24. How did you see in the New Year?
What's with this tense problem? Christmas hasn't happened yet but now New Years is past tense? Anyway, I spent it sitting on the couch, watching Tosh.0 and fucking around on the internet. How exciting.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't think so...
26. What was the best book you read?
Wicked by Gregory Mcguire. Probably the best writing I've read in a long, long time. Which is funny, because I read a lot of reviews about the book and how he "can't write", but then I read reviews for The Name of the Wind and see how everyone thinks he's a great writer. Well, to each their own, right?
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Sadly, I don't think I listened to any new bands in the last year. Maybe Jane's Addiction?
28. What did you want and get?
A kitty, and a kindle.
29. What did you want and not get?
Digital SLR.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
I have no idea. There really wasn't anything that I saw that made me go "Wow, I have to see that again!"
31. What did you do on your birthday?
Went to the bar, came home, played Portal.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less negativity.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
As I gained weight, sweat pants have become my friends. Probably the worst fashion concept ever.
34. What kept you sane?
Music, support from Kevin, kitteh.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't give a rats ass about celebrities.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Nothing enough to make me do anything about it.
37. Who did you miss?
Girl friends. I have trouble with female friends. :/
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Rose.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
Don't ever allow yourself to shut down completely. It's so hard to get started again...
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
No thanks.
Overall, I'd say 2010 was probably the most uneventful year I've experienced. Minus my uncle's passing and the two week vacation to Cali, nothing really happened. Spent a lot of time at home, becoming a little bit too comfortable with eating unhealthy food and not doing much of anything. I went to classes, of course, but again nothing memorable or exciting happened. I think this past year I plunged into a void of negativity that prevented me from getting out and doing stuff. I got so comfortable in my romantic relationship that I thought I didn't need much else. I can't tell you how many times I felt elated about something over the year, but I can certainly pinpoint times where I was depressed and feeling extremely negative.
The things that made me happy in 2010 were
-getting Scout
-vacationing in California for 2 weeks
-spending 5 of those days in an ocean-front room in Pismo Beach
-attending PAX
-winning NaNoWriMo
I learned more about photography. I learned a bit about writing and grammar and linguistics. I learned more about art history, and renewed my love for ceramics and pottery throwing. Over the summer I rediscovered my love for the Japanese language.
I also learned some things about myself. I'm insecure. I set expectations on everything way too high. I'm arrogant and stubborn. I allow myself to be influenced by the outside world. Yet at the same time, it's not exactly the outside world that influences me: it's my perceptions of the outside world. I create lofty and often unattainable goals for myself. I allow my laziness to control me.
With all these things in mind, it's time for me to start making some changes, which will be detailed in the next post.
cross-posted from zabe.net.