There are things worth hiding just a little bit longer.
Seven years, huh? Really, Nicksy? You're still doing this? And on a PC with a temperamental mouse. Because they won't replace it.
1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
Hit a car. Fix some paperwork in a police station. Travel for work. Travel alone. Buy myself concert tickets. Drink seven bottles of beer and not get drunk. I have so many things to list here.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
You know my answer to this one.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
The three friends that have gotten pregnant have since given birth. Hello, Jessica.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Two granduncles, but I'm not close to them.
5. What countries did you visit?
Singapore. Again. It's a work thing. Well, half of it. Was there for eight days. Spent four days training, one night watching David Cook, and three days catching up with friends and feeling more tourist-y than ever before. I remain proud of the fact that I sent someone to the roof deck of the Esplanade on the basis of good views of the Singapore skyline.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Some fortitude, to put it one way.
7. What date(s) from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I was prepared, all year, to answer 15 March, but then 9 December and 22 December came along...
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
This.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I could've dealt with the March 15 thing better. Meaning, I could've spoken less about it, if not none at all.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Mostly coughs and the occasional asthma attack. I had a terrible evening allergy in the middle of the year, which forced me to switch the spot where I lie down.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I... don't know. I never really had a major purchase this year, mostly because I was still paying off my laptop.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My new colleagues. It helps that I already know them, but I must point out nonetheless, that they are much better at being human beings than my past (offline) colleagues.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
I hereby withdraw my answer to question 38 of the 2010 edition of this review.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Chocolate bars. No, not really. The laptop. Yeah. And food. More food.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
That Singapore trip, because it's my first time to travel alone. Also, the prospect of getting to shop for CDs again.
16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
First Aid Kit's "Emmylou".
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
I. happier or sadder?
Happier.
II. thinner or fatter?
Fatter. All the walking I did before went kaput once I started my new job, a place where people throw blow-outs for every birthday.
III. richer or poorer?
I'd rather be modest.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Being more open.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Spending money on taxis. Not that I had any choice. But sometimes it makes sense, and sometimes it doesn't, like that P700 trip to heartbreak...
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I already spent Christmas. I thought this was a yearend survey?
21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
I must be more open. Yes.
22. How many one-night stands?
I want to answer "yes" just for kicks. No.
23. What was your favourite TV program?
I quit my job at BuddyTV so I watch less television now - well, actually, I watch the same amount, but not as intensively. (I mean, I still have Castle backlog. And a bigger Glee backlog.) This year I got int Homeland like everybody else. Also Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes.
25. What was the best book you read?
Just finished Danny Wallace' Friends Like These, which is a pretty good book, if you ask me. It's hard having to go through all these new books I bought over the past year though...
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ren Harvieu. I would've answered Kimbra but technically I didn't discover her: Alyssa told me about her. This is the year I began a music blog, so it's pretty hard to answer this question, if you ask me.
27. What did you want and get?
An actual new chapter.
28. What did you want and not get?
I don't know. I never really thought about it.
29. What did you not ask for but get?
An actual new chapter. I know. It's contradictory. But I didn't pester my dad to give me a job. It just fell on my lap.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Same as last year: I didn't see a lot of films this year.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned twenty-three with a trip to the bookstore and some French... well, no, Filipino... cuisine... umm...
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I don't have any complaints. This year was a really good year. So good, even I find my happiness a little off-putting. But there are some things that have yet to pay off, and I'm the long-term overthinker here, so I'd say it's knowing that what you're doing will pay off.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
I found myself buying more corporate stuff this year because, you know, work. I'm slightly gravitating towards stripes. Fine, vertical stripes in appropriate outfits.
34. What kept you sane?
I don't know, but I think I definitely was. Except for that stretch from March to July.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
How do I answer this without being stalker-y? Leanne Decker. Umm... and Linda Marigliano. She read my tweets at least seventeen times this year. Yes, I counted.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Cybercrime Prevention Act. The TRO is almost over and our politicians have dragged their feet on it. Granted, it's because they passed the RH Bill and the Sin Tax Bill (now a law) and sort of dilly-dallied on the FOI bill... okay, lemme change my answer. What political issue stirred me the most? It's Noynoy Aquino's hatred of freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
37. Who did you miss?
I never thought of these things this year.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I don't want to jinx it, so no, I won't mention her. Edited mantra: be more open, but some things are worth hiding just a little bit longer.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
You have to say yes more often. I know, it sounds like a Yes Man rip-off. (Danny, I haven't read that book. Nor seen the movie.) But I realized this when, on my first free day in Singapore, I bumped into a colleague (who wasn't due to leave until the next day) who invited me to just walk around... places. I said yes, and we went walking, and five hours later I felt fine. Had a bunch of adventures, good conversation, you get the idea. Tried it again, and I find myself having... this.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
From Duran Duran's "What Happens Tomorrow": you've got to believe it'll be all right in the end.
1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
Hit a car. Fix some paperwork in a police station. Travel for work. Travel alone. Buy myself concert tickets. Drink seven bottles of beer and not get drunk. I have so many things to list here.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
You know my answer to this one.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
The three friends that have gotten pregnant have since given birth. Hello, Jessica.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Two granduncles, but I'm not close to them.
5. What countries did you visit?
Singapore. Again. It's a work thing. Well, half of it. Was there for eight days. Spent four days training, one night watching David Cook, and three days catching up with friends and feeling more tourist-y than ever before. I remain proud of the fact that I sent someone to the roof deck of the Esplanade on the basis of good views of the Singapore skyline.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Some fortitude, to put it one way.
7. What date(s) from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I was prepared, all year, to answer 15 March, but then 9 December and 22 December came along...
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
This.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I could've dealt with the March 15 thing better. Meaning, I could've spoken less about it, if not none at all.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Mostly coughs and the occasional asthma attack. I had a terrible evening allergy in the middle of the year, which forced me to switch the spot where I lie down.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I... don't know. I never really had a major purchase this year, mostly because I was still paying off my laptop.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My new colleagues. It helps that I already know them, but I must point out nonetheless, that they are much better at being human beings than my past (offline) colleagues.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
I hereby withdraw my answer to question 38 of the 2010 edition of this review.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Chocolate bars. No, not really. The laptop. Yeah. And food. More food.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
That Singapore trip, because it's my first time to travel alone. Also, the prospect of getting to shop for CDs again.
16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
First Aid Kit's "Emmylou".
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
I. happier or sadder?
Happier.
II. thinner or fatter?
Fatter. All the walking I did before went kaput once I started my new job, a place where people throw blow-outs for every birthday.
III. richer or poorer?
I'd rather be modest.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Being more open.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Spending money on taxis. Not that I had any choice. But sometimes it makes sense, and sometimes it doesn't, like that P700 trip to heartbreak...
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I already spent Christmas. I thought this was a yearend survey?
21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
I must be more open. Yes.
22. How many one-night stands?
I want to answer "yes" just for kicks. No.
23. What was your favourite TV program?
I quit my job at BuddyTV so I watch less television now - well, actually, I watch the same amount, but not as intensively. (I mean, I still have Castle backlog. And a bigger Glee backlog.) This year I got int Homeland like everybody else. Also Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes.
25. What was the best book you read?
Just finished Danny Wallace' Friends Like These, which is a pretty good book, if you ask me. It's hard having to go through all these new books I bought over the past year though...
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ren Harvieu. I would've answered Kimbra but technically I didn't discover her: Alyssa told me about her. This is the year I began a music blog, so it's pretty hard to answer this question, if you ask me.
27. What did you want and get?
An actual new chapter.
28. What did you want and not get?
I don't know. I never really thought about it.
29. What did you not ask for but get?
An actual new chapter. I know. It's contradictory. But I didn't pester my dad to give me a job. It just fell on my lap.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Same as last year: I didn't see a lot of films this year.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned twenty-three with a trip to the bookstore and some French... well, no, Filipino... cuisine... umm...
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I don't have any complaints. This year was a really good year. So good, even I find my happiness a little off-putting. But there are some things that have yet to pay off, and I'm the long-term overthinker here, so I'd say it's knowing that what you're doing will pay off.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
I found myself buying more corporate stuff this year because, you know, work. I'm slightly gravitating towards stripes. Fine, vertical stripes in appropriate outfits.
34. What kept you sane?
I don't know, but I think I definitely was. Except for that stretch from March to July.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
How do I answer this without being stalker-y? Leanne Decker. Umm... and Linda Marigliano. She read my tweets at least seventeen times this year. Yes, I counted.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Cybercrime Prevention Act. The TRO is almost over and our politicians have dragged their feet on it. Granted, it's because they passed the RH Bill and the Sin Tax Bill (now a law) and sort of dilly-dallied on the FOI bill... okay, lemme change my answer. What political issue stirred me the most? It's Noynoy Aquino's hatred of freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
37. Who did you miss?
I never thought of these things this year.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I don't want to jinx it, so no, I won't mention her. Edited mantra: be more open, but some things are worth hiding just a little bit longer.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
You have to say yes more often. I know, it sounds like a Yes Man rip-off. (Danny, I haven't read that book. Nor seen the movie.) But I realized this when, on my first free day in Singapore, I bumped into a colleague (who wasn't due to leave until the next day) who invited me to just walk around... places. I said yes, and we went walking, and five hours later I felt fine. Had a bunch of adventures, good conversation, you get the idea. Tried it again, and I find myself having... this.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
From Duran Duran's "What Happens Tomorrow": you've got to believe it'll be all right in the end.