1) What did you do this year that you'd never done before?
2008 Attended classes at a "real" school! Drove on public roads.
2009 Worked 2 jobs! I’m also enjoying cooking on a semi-regular basis & learned to drive a stick shift.
2) Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
2008 I don't make new year's resolutions for fear of breaking them, I suppose.
2009 I did not have a resolution for last year, but I will make one for this next year so that I have hope for living up to it.
3) Did anyone close to you give birth?
2008 The Pruetts (#3) had baby Macie. The Van Allens had baby Layla. The Dunns had baby Kate. The Morrises had baby Claire. The Beattys (#2) had baby Randy. 2009 No one comes to mind… this year was for engagements instead. SO many!
4) Did anyone close to you die?
2008 Friends of friends. Two Emily's. They were not close to me personally, but my heart still ached.
2009 No.
5) What countries did you visit?
2008 Just the U.S. Wow... probably the first year of my life that I've been in one state (or even one country) my whole life! I did move from Oxnard to Thousand Oaks to Simi to Santa Maria, though. :)
2009 I did not make it out of California. I’ve become very interested in Sweden though, and can’t wait to go back to Hong Kong some day (as well as the main land).
6) What would you like to have next year that you lacked this year?
2008 Some sort of financial plan for college.
2009 Healthy skin.
7) What date from this year will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
2008 Oo... hm. The summer was traumatic.
2009 I think I will remember the Urumqi riots this summer. Also some others. :)
8) What was your biggest achievement of the year?
2008 Possibly becoming much more secure with who I am and what I believe.
2009 Forgiveness and my first ever paycheck.
9) What was your biggest failure?
2008 I like to think that even mistakes I made taught me a valuable lesson.
2009 I remember thinking I’d failed at something, but I can’t remember what it was, so that’s kinda nice.
10) Did you suffer illness or injury?
2008 Mm.. I was sick a few times, but nothing major! I have been having lots of pain in my wrists which is a bummer. :( And braces to come. Not so exciting.
2009 I seem to have messed up my knees. I also had swine flu, like everyone else, I imagine.
11) What was the best thing you bought?
2008 Some stunning and impractical additions to my wardrobe, to be sure (cocktail dresses and stilettos all in strikingly uncommon hues ^^). I also joined mp3search.com and have bought loads of good music there. I bought an extraordinary British dictionary from 1912 as a gift which I am rather proud of.
2009 I don’t know what the best thing was. I like to buy beads at Michael’s… that’s not better than other stuff I bought, but I do like them and used them a lot in my mixed media class.
12) Whose behavior merited celebration?
2008 Alana. It was just one note, but it meant so much to me.
2009 Jonas, for hugging me and loving me every day, rain or shine, smiles or tears. And Miss Brittany, you are ever smiling - I love to see it. ^^ Annelise for patience and endurance and loyalty and sheer foolishness of the heart.
13) Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
2008 John McCain, possibly. (s'rry guys!)
2009 Probably some characters on Lost…(I feel like naming real people makes me appalling). I’m struggling with the whole idea that everyone has the capacity to torture (in real life).
14) Where did most of your money go?
2008 I tried not to spend much at all! Gifts and clothes were my biggest purchases though.
2009 That’s what I would like to know too! Every day small bills in 5s and 10s (food, gas, Thrift Store clothing, small antiques, cell phone credit, music), a vintage desk, a week-long trip with my school.
15) What did you get really, really, really excited about?
2008 Baby Claire Morris and baby Randy Beatty. There were many things that made me very happy, but those are the things that come to mind as really off my head EXCITED/overwhelmed.
2009 Even though I didn’t end up going, being accepted into SCAD with scholarships was really, really exciting.
16) What song will always remind you of this year?
2008 Oh man, that is such an unfair question. There are trillions. Definitely ApathyEdge stuff. Jose Gonzalez's "Hand on Your Heart", Dave Matthew's "Crash Into Me", Copeland's "Coffee", Diana Krall's "Case of You", Anberlin's "Dismantle.Repair", John Legend's "Where Did My Baby Go?", Brand New's "Jesus Christ"
2009 DMB’s “Where Are You Going?” Angus & Julia Stone’s “Mango Tree” JJ’s “Baby” Cleast Eatwood’s “Electric Feel” Rachael Yamagata’s “What If I Leave?” John Mark McMillan’s “Carbon Ribs” Joshua Morrison’s “Westport” Owl City’s “Saltwater Room” Jason Derulo’s “Whatcha Say” Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister” Anything by Fever Ray, Noisettes, the Temper Trap, the Notwist, Francis and the Lights or Bon Iver & the soundtracks to Once, the Curious Case of Benjamin Button & Slumdog Millionaire
17) Compared to this time last year, you are:
2008 More content, possibly a little more worried about how I'm going to make "the future" happen (basically school).
2009 A considerably better established blogger.
18) What do you wish you'd done more of?
2008 Singing! I miss it.
2009 I am missing travel.
19) What do you wish you'd done less of?
2008 Falling into bitterness.
2009 Doubting.
20) How will you be spending Christmas?
2008 I spent Christmas at home with my immediate family as well as my grandparents and an aunt.
2009 In San Francisco with my family & day trip to Morro Bay with Jonas.
21) Did you fall in love this year?
2008 I decided that I think I will.. does that count?
2009 Yes.
22) What was your favorite TV program?
2008 I watched fewer shows, consistently, than I have in the past. I started watching the Office, and saw season 1 of Heroes. I watched an episode here and there of Bravo TV shows as well. OH! and Creature Comforts. ^^
2009 The IT Crowd, Invader Zim, Kath & Kim, Lost (started from season 1 - on 3 now), House (not new to this year though) & Modern Family.
23) Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
2008 Sadly, I think so. Though hate is such a big word.
2009 No! :)
24) What was the best book you read?
2008 Oh! There were several phenomenal ones! The Last Chinese Chef (Nicole Mones), The Tao of Pooh (Benjamin Hoff), and The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand) will remain some of my favorites forever. I also read lots more Dorothy Sayers (always excellent), Wild Swans, Funny in Farsi... I'm happy to have gotten so many good reads in! I was not impressed with Kafka's Metamorphosis (at... all).
2009 Wicked (Gregory Maguire), Wired Magazine, Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger).
25) What was your greatest musical discovery?
2008 Overall, probably Dave Matthews (thanks Jns!). I met someone who plays music for me when I ask, too, which is actually pretty amazing (thanks Jns... kxkx).
2009 I have discovered more bands in the last year than the whole rest of my life put together… possibly. Karen Dalton, Neon Hitch, Francis & the Lights, Coeur de Pirate, Tiny Vipers…
26) What did you want and get?
2008 My family was amazed when we actually finally got the house we wanted.
2009 A computer. I love it! (Thank you mom & dad)
27) What did you want and not get?
2008 $40,000+ to go to school with
2009 A job I enjoyed… and a kitty. :(
29) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
2008 I turned 17, and it was the first day of *community* college. :) Jonas and Jordan came over and it was awesome.
2009 My parents threw a big 18th birthday-graduation-4th of July weekend in July which was special and hectic ^^. On my actual birthday, Jonas & Jordan came for dinner and I got a full on small desert garden as a gift.
30) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
2008 My behaving less rebelliously & having had a faith that would have carried me through hard times.
2009 Feeling as if what I spent my time on at work and school was worth something or pointing me in a worthwhile direction.
31) How would you describe your personal fashion concept this year?
2008 Oh.. hm. I would say I've been able to solidify a style more, now that I actually have a selection of places to shop from! But I hope that I've remained versatile. I'm enjoying a very odd mixture of Grace Kelly and Janis Joplin.
2009 I wore more color and more patterns and less make up. I’m very much still into classic though, especially the 40s.
32) What kept you sane?
2008 Writing. It also kept me insane.
2009 Companionship.
33) Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
2008 Agyness Deyn & Obama
2009 Cate Blanchett.
34) What political issue stirred you the most?
2008 Well the whole 2008 election was obviously huge! Not many of my friends were too pleased with me supporting Obama. kxkx. I was somewhat undecided on Prop. 8 as well, which makes "stirring" an understatement.
2009 I haven’t paid attention to US politics. China’s anniversary of Tiananmen and the ensuing firewall as well as the riots in XJ troubled me though.
35) Who did you miss?
2008 LILY!
2009 My Chinese friends.
36) Who was the best new person you met?
2008 Jns. No question about it.
2009 I’m glad to have met Rocky & the FC kids.
37) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned this year:
2008 Woah. Um... don't lie to yourself. Even if facing the truth is... exorbitantly risky and scary, at least it's the truth!
2009 The presence of [continuous/unforgiving] anger is the absence of love.
38) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
2008 I'm going to go with Edith Piaf's "La Vie En Rose" - both truthfully and satirically.
2009 The Killer’s “Sam’s Town”:
I've got this energy beneath my feet like something underground
I took a shuttle on a shockwave ride where people on the pen pull the trigger for accolades I took a bullet and I looked inside it Running through my veins an American masquerade/
Have you ever seen the light?/ ...holds my hand and let's my hair down Rolls that world right off my shoulder
{New questions, to make an even 40 :)}
39) Did you spiritual life change in any way?
2009: I’ve been questioning everything - stripping down to the basics and trying to think/work from there.
40) What was one thing you were happy to learn this year?
2009: Well, I discovered boiling pasta in saltwater - I am a fan.
i liked this post. especially "Annelise for patience and endurance and loyalty and sheer foolishness of the heart" nice little jab there ;) it made me laugh. I love you sister of mine. i also love the fact that my comments look like i'm writing them on a type writer.
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