Two, zero, one, zero. Get it?
This, for the fifth year in a row. Does Alyssa still do this?
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
By now I should warn you: my answers will go a certain direction. That said, the only thing that comes to mind (and I'm allowed to talk about) is that I had the full concert experience this year.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
As I said, no resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Tracy gave birth, but the unusual thing is that I didn't know anything about it until her daughter said hello on Facebook. Ale and Ranice have yet to give birth.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, nobody.
5. What countries did you visit?
I just came from Bangkok, which is pretty much an alternate-universe Manila with squiggly characters and sweeter fruits.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Apart from a stable job, you mean? (I didn't lack that in 2010. Or, at least, most of 2010.) Maybe a better social life is in order.
7. What date(s) from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
You mean apart from 4 May?
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Covering the second half of the first season of Glee, made complicated by the fact that I'd be asked to pass on coverage rights soon after. Not that it mattered, because the show started going down the drain. But hey, Wikipedia citations...
9. What was your biggest failure?
There was this text message I sent a couple of months back. Then again, it felt right at the time.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had surgery. Minor surgery.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Gah, I really don't keep track of my purchases, apart from my books, which are slightly hidden in the living room. And I won't mention my attempt to buy all issues of Spin in a certain year. So no, I don't know what to answer.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I prefer not to mention names, but there are people in the support group who kept me floating more than anyone else.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
I (still) prefer not to mention names, but you will be surprised at whose name pops up.
14. Where did most of your money go?
The answer to this question didn't really change, right?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Allison Iraheta in Manila. Okay, fine, you did see this coming, right? But the performers who come to Manila tend to be people that everybody else likes. And then someone I actually like (and am a huge fan of) comes, in the most unexpected of circumstances. And to think I almost didn't come because it fell on a Tuesday...
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
This is going to be hard. I'd pick that Manic Street Preachers song, but I was lining that up as an answer to the last question... so, fine, I'll go predictable and mention Allie's Don't Waste the Pretty, the album cut.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
I. happier or sadder?
The in-between.
II. thinner or fatter?
The latter. Maybe.
III. richer or poorer?
The latter. But this is all relative, right?
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Job hunting. There was this last-minute spurt but it will never really be enough for a 21-year-old like me.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Impulse buying?
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I can't answer that question. It's a year away.
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I think so.
22. How many one-night stands?
Can I just laugh this question off? Every single year...
23. What was your favourite TV program?
Apart from Fringe, which is proving to be the best television show at the moment, I "discovered" Raising Hope - but haven't really recommended it to anyone. My uncle and cousin found it by themselves and enjoy it, too. My sister refuses to watch it... for now. Locally? Face to Face. No, seriously.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Again, another hard question.
25. What was the best book you read?
Andrew Collins' third memoir, That's Me In The Corner, is a pretty enjoyable read. I had this look in my face going both "it's ridiculous!" and "will I ever get to do this?"
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I listened to a lot of music and didn't even make a single "discovery" that I myself reasonably stumbled upon. But thank you, 6 Music.
27. What did you want and get?
Last I heard they're not giving it away yet.
28. What did you want and not get?
As I said, they're still not giving it away yet.
29. What did you not ask for but get?
Again, I don't keep track of these things anymore.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
You mean apart from Inception? Hard to say it's my favorite, though. It's nice to get your fingers around on but it didn't have the effect that Lindelof and Cuse got with the Lost finale... which was a bit frustrating. So I don't really know.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turning twenty-one is uneventful.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
The feeling that what you're doing will get you somewhere. I spent most of 2010 feeling stuck and hopeless. People caught me, but people would disregard me anyway. (No, this is about something else. There's just no better way of putting it.) All this year I felt screwed by different people at different times, and in the end I don't know if I just didn't work that hard or my chances are really screwed.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
I drifted away from blacks and blues and went towards browns and greens. It's still a work in progress, though.
34. What kept you sane?
I don't really know.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
This was the time I went from Siobhan Magnus to Jessica Gomes to Dianna Agron. In other words, I looked really pathetic doing so.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Last year I hoped Noynoy Aquino doesn't win. Well, he won, and I think we'll be screwed, but I've taken a sit-and-wait approach. I just hate it that people still treat him as Superman. Remember, he may not get involved in GMA-style scandals, but that doesn't make things better.
37. Who did you miss?
It's all relative.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Gwen Foster. Yes, this sounds kinda swoony (and it's kinda meant that way) but we somehow get each other. That, and we have a collaboration coming, pending her.. schedule.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
It's more of a realization, really: there's no way anybody will see me as more than a person to talk to at certain points in their lives. That reminds me of a tweet I wrote a few months back: "who will like me back?"
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Quoting the Manic Street Preachers' (It's Not War) Just The End of Love: To feel forgiveness, you've got to forgive. It's lost on me. I believe in revenge.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
By now I should warn you: my answers will go a certain direction. That said, the only thing that comes to mind (and I'm allowed to talk about) is that I had the full concert experience this year.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
As I said, no resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Tracy gave birth, but the unusual thing is that I didn't know anything about it until her daughter said hello on Facebook. Ale and Ranice have yet to give birth.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, nobody.
5. What countries did you visit?
I just came from Bangkok, which is pretty much an alternate-universe Manila with squiggly characters and sweeter fruits.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Apart from a stable job, you mean? (I didn't lack that in 2010. Or, at least, most of 2010.) Maybe a better social life is in order.
7. What date(s) from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
You mean apart from 4 May?
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Covering the second half of the first season of Glee, made complicated by the fact that I'd be asked to pass on coverage rights soon after. Not that it mattered, because the show started going down the drain. But hey, Wikipedia citations...
9. What was your biggest failure?
There was this text message I sent a couple of months back. Then again, it felt right at the time.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had surgery. Minor surgery.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Gah, I really don't keep track of my purchases, apart from my books, which are slightly hidden in the living room. And I won't mention my attempt to buy all issues of Spin in a certain year. So no, I don't know what to answer.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I prefer not to mention names, but there are people in the support group who kept me floating more than anyone else.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
I (still) prefer not to mention names, but you will be surprised at whose name pops up.
14. Where did most of your money go?
The answer to this question didn't really change, right?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Allison Iraheta in Manila. Okay, fine, you did see this coming, right? But the performers who come to Manila tend to be people that everybody else likes. And then someone I actually like (and am a huge fan of) comes, in the most unexpected of circumstances. And to think I almost didn't come because it fell on a Tuesday...
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
This is going to be hard. I'd pick that Manic Street Preachers song, but I was lining that up as an answer to the last question... so, fine, I'll go predictable and mention Allie's Don't Waste the Pretty, the album cut.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
I. happier or sadder?
The in-between.
II. thinner or fatter?
The latter. Maybe.
III. richer or poorer?
The latter. But this is all relative, right?
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Job hunting. There was this last-minute spurt but it will never really be enough for a 21-year-old like me.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Impulse buying?
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I can't answer that question. It's a year away.
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I think so.
22. How many one-night stands?
Can I just laugh this question off? Every single year...
23. What was your favourite TV program?
Apart from Fringe, which is proving to be the best television show at the moment, I "discovered" Raising Hope - but haven't really recommended it to anyone. My uncle and cousin found it by themselves and enjoy it, too. My sister refuses to watch it... for now. Locally? Face to Face. No, seriously.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Again, another hard question.
25. What was the best book you read?
Andrew Collins' third memoir, That's Me In The Corner, is a pretty enjoyable read. I had this look in my face going both "it's ridiculous!" and "will I ever get to do this?"
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I listened to a lot of music and didn't even make a single "discovery" that I myself reasonably stumbled upon. But thank you, 6 Music.
27. What did you want and get?
Last I heard they're not giving it away yet.
28. What did you want and not get?
As I said, they're still not giving it away yet.
29. What did you not ask for but get?
Again, I don't keep track of these things anymore.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
You mean apart from Inception? Hard to say it's my favorite, though. It's nice to get your fingers around on but it didn't have the effect that Lindelof and Cuse got with the Lost finale... which was a bit frustrating. So I don't really know.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turning twenty-one is uneventful.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
The feeling that what you're doing will get you somewhere. I spent most of 2010 feeling stuck and hopeless. People caught me, but people would disregard me anyway. (No, this is about something else. There's just no better way of putting it.) All this year I felt screwed by different people at different times, and in the end I don't know if I just didn't work that hard or my chances are really screwed.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
I drifted away from blacks and blues and went towards browns and greens. It's still a work in progress, though.
34. What kept you sane?
I don't really know.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
This was the time I went from Siobhan Magnus to Jessica Gomes to Dianna Agron. In other words, I looked really pathetic doing so.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Last year I hoped Noynoy Aquino doesn't win. Well, he won, and I think we'll be screwed, but I've taken a sit-and-wait approach. I just hate it that people still treat him as Superman. Remember, he may not get involved in GMA-style scandals, but that doesn't make things better.
37. Who did you miss?
It's all relative.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Gwen Foster. Yes, this sounds kinda swoony (and it's kinda meant that way) but we somehow get each other. That, and we have a collaboration coming, pending her.. schedule.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
It's more of a realization, really: there's no way anybody will see me as more than a person to talk to at certain points in their lives. That reminds me of a tweet I wrote a few months back: "who will like me back?"
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Quoting the Manic Street Preachers' (It's Not War) Just The End of Love: To feel forgiveness, you've got to forgive. It's lost on me. I believe in revenge.