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allchildren) wrote2014-01-02 10:35 am
meow down mittens
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Live sustainably on my own. Have a cat. Buy a car. Sign a solo lease. Miss a flight. Drive in snow, and other weather-related tales of terror.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I said I wanted to be brave. I guess I did okay. For 2014 I have a statement of intent, which is to meditate regularly. I do not have any idea at this time how I will make this happen.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Everyone. sophia_helix, coworker Tiffany, ex-coworker Sarah, ex-coworker Jonathan's wife, old friend Laura, old friend Neva, my cousin Jessica, my cousin Brigid... probably some more babies I'm forgetting...
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Max the cat, though we were never very close. The most I felt death was the sudden awful suicide of a coworker’s brother. Another coworker and I took on the harrowing journey to get her home in torrential rain. Happy twist: after two weeks of her no-call no-show absence from work, she reappeared in the land of the living just before Christmas.
5. Which countries did you visit?
The Bear Flag Republic and ye olde Redwood Empire.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Last year's desires were: "a CAR!" ✔ "BENEFITS!" ✔ "A PET!" ✔ "and I would still like admission to university but at this point I'm like ehhh it's cool, it'll happen, it'll happen." - indeed it will once I can find a way to pay for it that I feel good about; this year I got halfway through the application process but ended up withdrawing due to unwillingness to put myself that much in debt. So basically I rocked this year and told it who was boss.
In 2014 I really need to find myself a therapist. I would also like: a raise, more of a social life, ADHD medication that works, and the aforementioned meditation practice.
7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I am too old and brain-holey to remember precise dates much anymore. I bought my car and saw Star Treks on the same day in May. That was a day.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I hiked miles through snow and ice and freezing wind for months to get to work. I got hired on permanently, and I got better at my job. I took on and maintained a fuckton of expenses but managed, if only just, to keep myself mostly in the black with a brightening financial future. I planned, coordinated, and executed the concurrent visit of ten or more people in a house I had to tear apart to get ready for it, all of this at least 85% by myself. I rammed my way through dozens of doctor's visits to do everything possible for my long-questionable health. I woke up like this.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I defaulted Yuletide on the plummiest assignment of my life. And, although I don't regret choosing to withdraw my Chatham application given the circumstances, I'm still bummed I couldn't find a way to make it work.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had what was probably the flu and a few other less than great days, but overall I had a pretty good run. Nearly all of my many doctor's appointments ended in a clean bill of health. Except for the one that ended in confirmation at last of my ADHD, plus a bonus cognitive disorder that came as a twist.
I certainly suffered Minette’s ear infection!
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Heart of Gold - a 2004 Honda Civic that is mine all mine.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Deanna not only continued to give me tons of rides, but also lent me her goddamn house and took my panic about it cleanliness in stride. Cara gave me a lot of rides, too, and advocated for me at work, without which I would probably have lost my job. Heather gave me her old Kindle after I lost Rawles's! Annadella was (is) so sweet and so kind. Carrie got through her first semester of grad school! Also Beyoncé. And you.
Special shout out to Tropie for being a trooper.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
The Shadyside Apple Genius Bar.
14. Where did most of your money go?
R-r-r-rent.
15. What were you really, really, really excited about?
I got a CAR. Also Bey Day and that time Nick and Jess made out!!!
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
"The Recipe" by Kendrick Lamar feat. Dr. Dre, perhaps. “Chairman Meow” (wait for it). “Night Still Comes," Neko Case. Probably “Get Lucky.” And, let’s be real, “22.”
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder? Happier.
b) Bigger or smaller? Possibly a tad bit smaller.
c) Richer or poorer? Defs richer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Talking to my old friends and making new ones. Being punctual. As always, reading.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Slumping at work. Griping.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I had Christmas Eve dinner with Kass and Deanna and Carrie et al, then accompanied Carrie to candlelight church question mark. On Christmas itself Carrie and I went out for Chinese food and a movie (Peeta Games), followed by an hour of terrified trudging along in the surprise snow to get us both home. I topped off the day in the bath with two Negra Modelos and the Call the Midwife special.
21. What was your favourite month of 2013?
IIIIII don't know. July or October probably.
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
Not quite.
23. What was your favourite TV programme?
Repeats from last year: Adventure Time, Elementary, Gravity Falls.
Rising stars: Bob's Burgers.
New loves: My Mad Fat Diary, Dracula, Almost Human, Sleepy Hollow, Brooklyn Nine Nine, Twisted, Orphan/ is the New Black.
24. How did you see in the New Year?
Pretty sure I slept through it.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
eh
26. What was the best book you read?
Bitterblue. The Piper's Son.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Kendrick Lamar. Also, WYEP.
28. What did you want and get?
A lot of things.
29. What did you want and not get?
Not enough to complain about.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Fruitvale Station was undoubtedly the best movie I saw, but the emotional destruction makes it hard to call "favorite." Thor 2 and The Heat were my most-liked without destroying me emotionally. Not of this year, but I spent a fair amount of time obsessing over Only Yesterday.
31. What did you do on your birthday?
I had a birthday partaaaaay at home! Prior to that, I ate a sandwich.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I spent a lot of the year sort of disgruntled for unclear reasons about my job, so I guess if my job were magically funner and/or if I got a cool promotion. That or not always being stressed about some major event or finances lolol.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Straight lines, cuz androgyny is a state of mind.
34. What kept you sane?
My kittyp;5[ lqv1 she sensed me writing about her and just walked across the keyboard to type that. Also, calls to my bffle. Twitter. Effexor.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Last year's "Kristen Stewart, Liu Wen, Neko Case, Lizzy Caplan..." is not un-accurate, although the last two loomed the largest.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Fuckin guns.
37. Who did you miss?
My BFF. My family. Tropie post-explosion, dang. Coworkers who were let go — Hangy Ball, Jonathan, T — and fav coworker, who is still there but sits too far awayyyy.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
My newbies are all great. Also nerdburgh nerds (special medal for Anna and blue ribbon to Coco)!!! And Heather!!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
In 2012 I said, In 2011 I said last year: "The Giants won the World Series." Is not the obvious update "The Giants can't win the World Series without Buster Posey"? Is not the obvious update that WITH Buster Posey, the Giants cannot help but win the World Series??? This has proven to be conclusively false. :(
I learned that I can do things. And that while doing things and being brave, I can also set boundaries and say no. I learned to listen for the difference between instinct and fear.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
she only consults for the very best, awooooh
she got a movie in the market that she's gonna test, awoooh
she got her modeling jobs back home, they go wow
she got a pretty little kitty named Chairman Meow
baby's got a crib in Koreatown
strolling through Hancock Park
dreaming in the Miracle Mile
yes, she's gonna go real far.
Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, “Chairman Meow.”