Let's all meet up in the year 2000
1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Spent a summer in the Twin Cities, dated someone I met online, lived in an apartment, kissed a boy.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I tend not to make resolutions. Maybe this year. I should build things, make plans, make music, visit people, make decisions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My cousin.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not exactly anyone close to me, but someone I was friendly with in high school.
5. What countries did you visit?
Canada?
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A purpose.
7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 3 - May Day Parade. A classic time.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting a slightly better job? Winning the Drunken Spelling Bee? I didn't accomplish much this year.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not doing anything worth failing at?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nah.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
those tickets for my two-stop vacation were pretty good.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Oh, lots of folks. Elliott and Margaret for getting those novels done (or nearly done, anyway), Jenny for visiting the cities and being cool in general, Gretchen and Owen don't read this but those dudes keep things 100 to a ridiculous degree, most of my friends or they wouldn't be my friends, but it would take a long time to list and I'm tired.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Many members of Congress, Obama didn't appall me, but still. It was pretty lame when those people I met at the Mayday straight up bailed on our plans to go break into abandoned buildings. An ex-girlfriend (not anyone who would be reading this).
14. Where did most of your money go?
food 'n' rent
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The translation and release of The True Deceiver, by Tove Jansson. She's like the Tupac of Scandinavian authors - it's been almost a decade since she died and they keep coming out with more books.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Robyn Hitchcock - "I'm Falling"
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
a bit happier, i suppose
ii. thinner or fatter?
my weight never changes
iii. richer or poorer?
richer, last year i had only just gotten a job.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
oh, lots of things. Constructive type things. Songwriting. Letter writing. Creative writing. Staying in touch with people.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Fucking around wasting time.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent it with family, it was nice.
21. How will you be spending New Years'?
Worked, went to the Hard Times Cafe, ate some french toast. It was quite a time.
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
nah. some crushes, tho.
23. How many one-night stands?
366.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Didn't really watch anything regularly. I forget if I watched Slings and Arrows this year or last.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Well, last year I just disliked Joe Lieberman.
26. What was the best book you read?
Hard to say, maybe The Third Policeman, or VALIS, or Unforgiving Years.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Candi Staton, Richard Youngs, Game Theory
28. What did you want and get?
ehhh
29. What did you want and not get?
ideas
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Didn't see much, but I liked Up quite a lot.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Had a potluck, went to a local music festival, turned 23.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I could look back on it and have much of anything to show for it.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
More button-down shirts.
34. What kept you sane?
My own passive personality.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
This is kind of hard. I've been rather oblivious to public figures who aren't being hilarious.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Health care, and the protests in Iran.
37. Who did you miss?
Nikki, Erin, Liz, most everybody in Seattle.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Kirsten, Macey, Owen.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
oh, that would be difficult.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Won't it be strange when we're all fully grown?"
It's strange thinking back on this year, maybe because it all seemed to flow together. No more semester divisions, or large amounts of time in other places. And not much really changed. 2008 was a bizarre year, with moments of incredible happiness and quite a lot of misery. And it was unforgettable. But 2009, I might have some trouble remembering what I actually did this year. I just sort of floated along. No great tragedies or triumphs, or even any major decisions. A few really nice memories, though, and it ended well. I would say let's see what happens, but that seems wrong - let's make some awesome shit happen. OK?
Spent a summer in the Twin Cities, dated someone I met online, lived in an apartment, kissed a boy.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I tend not to make resolutions. Maybe this year. I should build things, make plans, make music, visit people, make decisions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My cousin.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not exactly anyone close to me, but someone I was friendly with in high school.
5. What countries did you visit?
Canada?
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A purpose.
7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 3 - May Day Parade. A classic time.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting a slightly better job? Winning the Drunken Spelling Bee? I didn't accomplish much this year.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not doing anything worth failing at?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nah.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
those tickets for my two-stop vacation were pretty good.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Oh, lots of folks. Elliott and Margaret for getting those novels done (or nearly done, anyway), Jenny for visiting the cities and being cool in general, Gretchen and Owen don't read this but those dudes keep things 100 to a ridiculous degree, most of my friends or they wouldn't be my friends, but it would take a long time to list and I'm tired.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Many members of Congress, Obama didn't appall me, but still. It was pretty lame when those people I met at the Mayday straight up bailed on our plans to go break into abandoned buildings. An ex-girlfriend (not anyone who would be reading this).
14. Where did most of your money go?
food 'n' rent
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The translation and release of The True Deceiver, by Tove Jansson. She's like the Tupac of Scandinavian authors - it's been almost a decade since she died and they keep coming out with more books.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Robyn Hitchcock - "I'm Falling"
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
a bit happier, i suppose
ii. thinner or fatter?
my weight never changes
iii. richer or poorer?
richer, last year i had only just gotten a job.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
oh, lots of things. Constructive type things. Songwriting. Letter writing. Creative writing. Staying in touch with people.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Fucking around wasting time.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent it with family, it was nice.
21. How will you be spending New Years'?
Worked, went to the Hard Times Cafe, ate some french toast. It was quite a time.
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
nah. some crushes, tho.
23. How many one-night stands?
366.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Didn't really watch anything regularly. I forget if I watched Slings and Arrows this year or last.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Well, last year I just disliked Joe Lieberman.
26. What was the best book you read?
Hard to say, maybe The Third Policeman, or VALIS, or Unforgiving Years.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Candi Staton, Richard Youngs, Game Theory
28. What did you want and get?
ehhh
29. What did you want and not get?
ideas
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Didn't see much, but I liked Up quite a lot.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Had a potluck, went to a local music festival, turned 23.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I could look back on it and have much of anything to show for it.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
More button-down shirts.
34. What kept you sane?
My own passive personality.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
This is kind of hard. I've been rather oblivious to public figures who aren't being hilarious.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Health care, and the protests in Iran.
37. Who did you miss?
Nikki, Erin, Liz, most everybody in Seattle.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Kirsten, Macey, Owen.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
oh, that would be difficult.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Won't it be strange when we're all fully grown?"
It's strange thinking back on this year, maybe because it all seemed to flow together. No more semester divisions, or large amounts of time in other places. And not much really changed. 2008 was a bizarre year, with moments of incredible happiness and quite a lot of misery. And it was unforgettable. But 2009, I might have some trouble remembering what I actually did this year. I just sort of floated along. No great tragedies or triumphs, or even any major decisions. A few really nice memories, though, and it ended well. I would say let's see what happens, but that seems wrong - let's make some awesome shit happen. OK?