By Any Meme Necessary, 2015
The annual recap.
1. Was 2015 a good year for you?
On balance, yes.
2. What was your favorite moment(s) of the year?
a) Having a bunch of my friends chip in to enable me to pay for my bankruptcy filing,
b) Getting the notice from the bankruptcy court that my chapter 7 had been approved,
c) Arriving in Las Vegas and nailing down a good apartment midway down the Strip,
d) Getting all my stuff back from the movers,
e) Finding an old friend from my Civil Air Patrol days, and last but not least,
f) Publishing my second book.
3. What was your least favorite moment(s) of the year?
Being stranded in Baytown for four days with a busted water pump on the tail end of the Houston floods.
4. What did you do in 2015 that you’d never done before?
Drove through several southern and western states en route to Las Vegas.
5. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't do New Year's resolutions because I suck at following through on them.
Having said that, I made attempts to:
a) stay rested and on track dietarily (sometimes yes, mostly no)
b) especially during tax season (definitely no)
c) keep better track of my money and put more of it away (nope)
For 2016, I'm going to spend more time at the range and get my Nevada CHP.
6. Where were you when 2015 began?
At Malek's, not paying attention to the time
7. Who were you with?
cipherpunk
8. Where will you be when 2015 ends?
Probably home.
9. Who will you be with when 2015 ends?
My teddy bear.
10. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope
11. Did you lose anybody close to you in 2015?
Nope
12. Who did you miss?
A number of people, at different times. Part of this will be addressed by my range time resolution, muahaha.
(No, not really. And if you thought so, you're a dumbass.)
13. Who was the best new person you met in 2015?
Jury's still out on that. I mean, I've only been here a little over six months.
The new district manager is a strong contender, though.
14. What was your favorite month of 2015?
November. Lots of weird financially positive stuff started happening, and there was the Second Portland Excursion as well.
15. Did you travel outside of the US in 2015?
No, why would I?
16. How many different states did you travel to in 2015?
Minnesota, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Oregon, not necessarily in that order.
17. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2015?
I think I have just about everything I need, I just have to use it properly.
18. What date from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
No particular day was that significant.
19. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Bankruptcy. It made a lot of other things possible, and like a lot of other things accomplished this year, it would not have been possible without the help of my friends.
20. What was your biggest failure?
Ongoing failure to get on top of the dietary horse and stay there.
21. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious. No time spent in the hospital, and I think I only lost a couple of days to colds or flu this year.
22. What was the best thing you bought?
Admiral Yi, my 2014 Hyundai Elantra, for which I traded in the Red Menace, a 1996 Jeep Cherokee whose main virtue was that it got me and my crap out here to Las Vegas.
Also, it was free.
23. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The list is really too long to go into here, especially since some of the folks included in this category would rather be anonymous;
suffice it to say that there are enough people this year who have done me good in sufficient quantity that I have no hope of ever repaying them and can only try to pay it forward.
24. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Various Puppy Kickers were appalling, including (but not limited to) David Gerrold, though he certainly stands out as the worst in a bad bunch.
Nobody's behavior depressed me. There's a reason I have that Spanish Legionary as my Facebook profile pic these days.
25. Where did most of your money go?
I think most of my money this year (aside from rent) was spent on the move to Las Vegas.
26. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting all my household goods back from the movers, and getting a real bed after a couple weeks of sleeping on a defective air mattress
and a recliner respectively. The offer from Block for 2016 was pretty exciting too.
27. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2015?
Less than last year, actually. A lot less. Except for a glass with my Christmas dinner, I've pretty much been on the wagon since coming out to the desert.
28. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2015?
They're not legal, you know.
29. Did you treat somebody badly in 2015?
Not that I am aware of.
30. Did somebody treat you badly in 2015?
My life is free of such people, thank God.
31. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? - Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? - Thinner, but not by much.
iii. richer or poorer? - Arguably richer.
32. What do you wish you’d done more of in 2015?
Eaten what I was supposed to, as opposed to what I wasn't.
33. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Eating what I wasn't supposed to.
34. Did you fall in love in 2015?
No. I can't think of anyone I particularly lusted after, either.
35. What was your favorite TV program(s)?
The Man In The High Castle. I should really finish watching that.
36. What song will always remind you of 2015?
David Bowie's "A New Career In A New Town" and/or is "Intro" by The XX.
37. How many concerts did you see in 2015?
None.
38. Did you have a favorite concert in 2015?
No.
39. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Finding out that the local classical station plays both "Music from the Hearts of Space" and "Pipe Dreams" on Sunday nights.
40. What was the best book you read?
S.M. Stirling's The Desert and the Blade.
Honorable mention to Islands Of Rage and Hope, Onward Drake!, and The Centurions.
41. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Martian.
Mad Max: Fury Road was okay, and so was the new Star Wars; but they were both disappointing for different reasons.
Note to self: stop going to 3D movies. You don't need the headaches.
42. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
This year I am Admiral Yamamoto. I didn't do anything particularly notable, just worked and took advantage of various birthday-oriented specials at various fast-food joints.
43. What did you want and get?
The same career in a new town.
44. What did you want and not get?
Once again, Ronda Rousey and Taylor Swift have failed to realize I am the perfect sire for their children.
I am disappointed. (no, not really)
45. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A trunk on my Hyundai that doesn't pop open in response to random radio signals.
46. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?
A cross between "The Color Of Survival is Khaki" and "It Only Comes Out At Night."
47. What kept you sane?
I'm not certain I am actually sane, but since I'm not a danger to myself or others, it's not an issue
48. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None of them, really, they're all utterly mad.
49. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015.
You have to have friends, but I knew that already.
50. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
David Bowie's "A New Career In A New Town" is an instrumental, and so is "Intro" by The XX.
1. Was 2015 a good year for you?
On balance, yes.
2. What was your favorite moment(s) of the year?
a) Having a bunch of my friends chip in to enable me to pay for my bankruptcy filing,
b) Getting the notice from the bankruptcy court that my chapter 7 had been approved,
c) Arriving in Las Vegas and nailing down a good apartment midway down the Strip,
d) Getting all my stuff back from the movers,
e) Finding an old friend from my Civil Air Patrol days, and last but not least,
f) Publishing my second book.
3. What was your least favorite moment(s) of the year?
Being stranded in Baytown for four days with a busted water pump on the tail end of the Houston floods.
4. What did you do in 2015 that you’d never done before?
Drove through several southern and western states en route to Las Vegas.
5. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't do New Year's resolutions because I suck at following through on them.
Having said that, I made attempts to:
a) stay rested and on track dietarily (sometimes yes, mostly no)
b) especially during tax season (definitely no)
c) keep better track of my money and put more of it away (nope)
For 2016, I'm going to spend more time at the range and get my Nevada CHP.
6. Where were you when 2015 began?
At Malek's, not paying attention to the time
7. Who were you with?
cipherpunk
8. Where will you be when 2015 ends?
Probably home.
9. Who will you be with when 2015 ends?
My teddy bear.
10. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope
11. Did you lose anybody close to you in 2015?
Nope
12. Who did you miss?
A number of people, at different times. Part of this will be addressed by my range time resolution, muahaha.
(No, not really. And if you thought so, you're a dumbass.)
13. Who was the best new person you met in 2015?
Jury's still out on that. I mean, I've only been here a little over six months.
The new district manager is a strong contender, though.
14. What was your favorite month of 2015?
November. Lots of weird financially positive stuff started happening, and there was the Second Portland Excursion as well.
15. Did you travel outside of the US in 2015?
No, why would I?
16. How many different states did you travel to in 2015?
Minnesota, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Oregon, not necessarily in that order.
17. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2015?
I think I have just about everything I need, I just have to use it properly.
18. What date from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
No particular day was that significant.
19. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Bankruptcy. It made a lot of other things possible, and like a lot of other things accomplished this year, it would not have been possible without the help of my friends.
20. What was your biggest failure?
Ongoing failure to get on top of the dietary horse and stay there.
21. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious. No time spent in the hospital, and I think I only lost a couple of days to colds or flu this year.
22. What was the best thing you bought?
Admiral Yi, my 2014 Hyundai Elantra, for which I traded in the Red Menace, a 1996 Jeep Cherokee whose main virtue was that it got me and my crap out here to Las Vegas.
Also, it was free.
23. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The list is really too long to go into here, especially since some of the folks included in this category would rather be anonymous;
suffice it to say that there are enough people this year who have done me good in sufficient quantity that I have no hope of ever repaying them and can only try to pay it forward.
24. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Various Puppy Kickers were appalling, including (but not limited to) David Gerrold, though he certainly stands out as the worst in a bad bunch.
Nobody's behavior depressed me. There's a reason I have that Spanish Legionary as my Facebook profile pic these days.
25. Where did most of your money go?
I think most of my money this year (aside from rent) was spent on the move to Las Vegas.
26. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting all my household goods back from the movers, and getting a real bed after a couple weeks of sleeping on a defective air mattress
and a recliner respectively. The offer from Block for 2016 was pretty exciting too.
27. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2015?
Less than last year, actually. A lot less. Except for a glass with my Christmas dinner, I've pretty much been on the wagon since coming out to the desert.
28. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2015?
They're not legal, you know.
29. Did you treat somebody badly in 2015?
Not that I am aware of.
30. Did somebody treat you badly in 2015?
My life is free of such people, thank God.
31. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? - Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? - Thinner, but not by much.
iii. richer or poorer? - Arguably richer.
32. What do you wish you’d done more of in 2015?
Eaten what I was supposed to, as opposed to what I wasn't.
33. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Eating what I wasn't supposed to.
34. Did you fall in love in 2015?
No. I can't think of anyone I particularly lusted after, either.
35. What was your favorite TV program(s)?
The Man In The High Castle. I should really finish watching that.
36. What song will always remind you of 2015?
David Bowie's "A New Career In A New Town" and/or is "Intro" by The XX.
37. How many concerts did you see in 2015?
None.
38. Did you have a favorite concert in 2015?
No.
39. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Finding out that the local classical station plays both "Music from the Hearts of Space" and "Pipe Dreams" on Sunday nights.
40. What was the best book you read?
S.M. Stirling's The Desert and the Blade.
Honorable mention to Islands Of Rage and Hope, Onward Drake!, and The Centurions.
41. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Martian.
Mad Max: Fury Road was okay, and so was the new Star Wars; but they were both disappointing for different reasons.
Note to self: stop going to 3D movies. You don't need the headaches.
42. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
This year I am Admiral Yamamoto. I didn't do anything particularly notable, just worked and took advantage of various birthday-oriented specials at various fast-food joints.
43. What did you want and get?
The same career in a new town.
44. What did you want and not get?
Once again, Ronda Rousey and Taylor Swift have failed to realize I am the perfect sire for their children.
I am disappointed. (no, not really)
45. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A trunk on my Hyundai that doesn't pop open in response to random radio signals.
46. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?
A cross between "The Color Of Survival is Khaki" and "It Only Comes Out At Night."
47. What kept you sane?
I'm not certain I am actually sane, but since I'm not a danger to myself or others, it's not an issue
48. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None of them, really, they're all utterly mad.
49. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015.
You have to have friends, but I knew that already.
50. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
David Bowie's "A New Career In A New Town" is an instrumental, and so is "Intro" by The XX.