End-of-Year Meme, v. 2008
Stolen from so many people. Here is 2007's version, for comparison purposes.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Went to grad school, worked out with a personal trainer. Turns out I don't particularly care for either.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Those were probably to organize my room, lose weight, and do well in school. I accomplished exactly none of those. Well, I had lost about 30 lbs until right after the hurricane (note: for our family, "after the hurricane" starts approximately September 25th, when we got power back, which is roughly two weeks after Hurricane Ike actually hit), at which point two or three solid months of stress and general upseted-ness caused me to gain it all back and then some. Between constant uterine tyrrany (on day 75 now, awesome*), school, a whole bunch of family obligations, getting sick, etc., I haven't worked out on a regular basis since the damn hurricane and my diet has gone to hell. On busy days I forget to eat or drink and for some reason never remember that my body does occasionally need water until I collapse in an exhausted, sweaty, dehydrated heap at around 10 PM. And we are not even going to talk about school.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A couple people on my friendslist have spawned this year, producing distressingly adorable infants.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
I think an elderly woman from my church who used to teach my Sunday school classes died. Or was that last year? My memory has become terrible. A beagle that I was quite fond of died.
5. What countries did you visit?
Stayed here. Only left the city once, actually... went to San Antonio in March.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Still working on that "not dying in a horribly embarrassing way" thing. It's sort of an ongoing project.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory?
September 12/13 and the two weeks or so that followed. Hurricane Ike.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I dunno. Pulling my GPA up? Being designated Laurels editor for next semester? That last one was kind of by default, though... I'm the only current staff member who's had more than one semester's experience. Also the most familiar with Photoshop and InDesign.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Academic probation and weight gain for the lose.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Had a couple ovarian cysts burst throughout the year, which meant horrific pain for days, I hurt my back something awful in early September, and had a pretty bad cold at some point. Also the bleeding forever thing (currently over 10 weeks*).
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I dunno.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I was pretty happy with the American public for electing Obama.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Gabe's, sometimes. But that's kind of a given. A few friends made me feel disappointed, but I wouldn't go so far as to say 'appalled'.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Groceries, school... I mooch off my parents, so I didn't really have any of 'my' money going anywhere. :(
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Um. Towards the end of the year, got pretty excited/terrified by the idea that I'm going to be Laurels editor next semester...
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Anything Jordin Sparks sings, since you cannot turn on a radio without hearing her.
17. Compared to this time last year, you are:
Happier or sadder: Sadder.
Thinner or fatter: Fatter, which pisses me off beyond all belief.
Richer or poorer: About the same. Unemployed.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercising... studying, possibly. Maybe sent out more job applications.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Wasting time online. Sleeping.
20. How will you be spending did you spend Christmas?
The usual way -- big family dinner on Christmas Eve, family gift exchange, churchings, and then presents on Christmas morning, followed by the one breakfast we have as a family per year. The remainder of Christmas is then spent in a contented post-holiday stupor. I was hoping to start a tradition of watching The Office DVDs on repeat at Christmastime, but Emma's new Xbox 360 took over the TV.
21. What was your favorite month of 2008?
I have no idea.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
No. I do seem to have developed an unusually strong crush, though, which distresses me. Do not want.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
The Office or Scrubs, I suppose. The Daily Show and Colbert Report are always up there as well.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
... Crap, did I even read any new books? I re-read World War Z a week or two ago. Wow. How sad is that. I re-read Watchmen during the hurricane. I'll go with that. Oh! Soon I Will Be Invincible was good.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Not sure.
28. What did you want and get?
To pass my classes.
29. What did you want and not get?
Still waiting on that pony**.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I think the only new film I saw was WALL-E, which was cute.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 24. There was some sort of family dinner, as always, at the same restaurant we always go to. My family tends to go out to eat for our birthdays. For everyone else's birthday, we go to a Japanese place. For mine, Mexican. Just gotta be different. :D
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
PONY**. Also, weight loss. But mostly the pony.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
"Cover that shit up, no one wants to see it." Same as always.
34. What kept you sane?
The literary magazine. Seriously, how sad is it that I like the class I'm not actually enrolled in more than all my other classes combined. Also, I actually had friends! Who live in Houston! And wanted to spend time with me! It was the weirdest feeling. AND NOW THEY ARE MOVING AWAY SERIOUSLY GUYS WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Have developed a horrible crush on David Tennant, though that was brewing since I first saw him. Ditto Stephen Colbert. Most of my major crushes tend to be people I actually know.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Gay marriage, abortion rights. I'm pro both, by the way.
37. Who did you miss?
Don't even ask.
38. Who were the best new people you met?
Met a few new folks through OKCupid, actually, and they are pretty cool. Got to know some classmates better, and met some new classmates who turned out to be quite awesome.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
It is entirely possible to feed and house 14 people for two weeks while planning two major events and dealing with midterms and illnesses. It will, however, drive both my mother and I insane.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
A fairly constant soundtrack for the majority of my life; Goo Goo Dolls, "Sympathy:
I'm not sure where I belong
Nowhere's home, and I'm all wrong...
(Okay, the interwebs is confused about whether the last bit is "I'm all wrong" or "no more wrong". I like it better this way.)
*Please spare me the "OMG BIRTH CONTROL" comments. I've tried hormonal BC. It makes me crazy and suicidal, without actually regulating the period. Not fun times.
** Emma and myself, in the AT&T store:
Me: Well, if you get an iPhone, there will be no pony for Christmas.
Emma: I'm getting a pony?
Me: I am not at liberty to speak about the pony. But know that it is either the pony or an iPhone. iPhones are expensive.
Emma: Isn't a pony like, thousands of dollars?
Me: Well, it's kind of a crappy pony.
Emma: Aww.
Me: One of it's legs is a broom.
Emma: ...
Me: We keep it in the closet.
Emma: Oh, no!
Me: It doesn't neigh, either it just kind of goes "bluhhh..."
Emma: It's tail is made of yarn.
Me: It has a turnip for a head.
Emma: We shouldn't have let Gabe make it.***
Me: That was a terrible idea. When did Gabe acquire the ability to make ponies?
Emma: Does he have a lab?
Me: It's his superpower. It is not so helpful.
Emma: He just goes "pfff" and there's a crappy pony.
Me: His only way to win a fight is to make them really big and squish people.
[we both begin laughing too hard to continue]
***Gabe has promised that when he becomes rich and famous, he will buy each of us a pony. When I annoy him, he will sometimes narrow his eyes and hiss at me, "I'm giving you the ugliest pony!"
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Went to grad school, worked out with a personal trainer. Turns out I don't particularly care for either.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Those were probably to organize my room, lose weight, and do well in school. I accomplished exactly none of those. Well, I had lost about 30 lbs until right after the hurricane (note: for our family, "after the hurricane" starts approximately September 25th, when we got power back, which is roughly two weeks after Hurricane Ike actually hit), at which point two or three solid months of stress and general upseted-ness caused me to gain it all back and then some. Between constant uterine tyrrany (on day 75 now, awesome*), school, a whole bunch of family obligations, getting sick, etc., I haven't worked out on a regular basis since the damn hurricane and my diet has gone to hell. On busy days I forget to eat or drink and for some reason never remember that my body does occasionally need water until I collapse in an exhausted, sweaty, dehydrated heap at around 10 PM. And we are not even going to talk about school.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A couple people on my friendslist have spawned this year, producing distressingly adorable infants.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
I think an elderly woman from my church who used to teach my Sunday school classes died. Or was that last year? My memory has become terrible. A beagle that I was quite fond of died.
5. What countries did you visit?
Stayed here. Only left the city once, actually... went to San Antonio in March.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Still working on that "not dying in a horribly embarrassing way" thing. It's sort of an ongoing project.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory?
September 12/13 and the two weeks or so that followed. Hurricane Ike.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I dunno. Pulling my GPA up? Being designated Laurels editor for next semester? That last one was kind of by default, though... I'm the only current staff member who's had more than one semester's experience. Also the most familiar with Photoshop and InDesign.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Academic probation and weight gain for the lose.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Had a couple ovarian cysts burst throughout the year, which meant horrific pain for days, I hurt my back something awful in early September, and had a pretty bad cold at some point. Also the bleeding forever thing (currently over 10 weeks*).
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I dunno.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I was pretty happy with the American public for electing Obama.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Gabe's, sometimes. But that's kind of a given. A few friends made me feel disappointed, but I wouldn't go so far as to say 'appalled'.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Groceries, school... I mooch off my parents, so I didn't really have any of 'my' money going anywhere. :(
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Um. Towards the end of the year, got pretty excited/terrified by the idea that I'm going to be Laurels editor next semester...
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Anything Jordin Sparks sings, since you cannot turn on a radio without hearing her.
17. Compared to this time last year, you are:
Happier or sadder: Sadder.
Thinner or fatter: Fatter, which pisses me off beyond all belief.
Richer or poorer: About the same. Unemployed.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercising... studying, possibly. Maybe sent out more job applications.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Wasting time online. Sleeping.
20. How will you be spending did you spend Christmas?
The usual way -- big family dinner on Christmas Eve, family gift exchange, churchings, and then presents on Christmas morning, followed by the one breakfast we have as a family per year. The remainder of Christmas is then spent in a contented post-holiday stupor. I was hoping to start a tradition of watching The Office DVDs on repeat at Christmastime, but Emma's new Xbox 360 took over the TV.
21. What was your favorite month of 2008?
I have no idea.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
No. I do seem to have developed an unusually strong crush, though, which distresses me. Do not want.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
The Office or Scrubs, I suppose. The Daily Show and Colbert Report are always up there as well.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
... Crap, did I even read any new books? I re-read World War Z a week or two ago. Wow. How sad is that. I re-read Watchmen during the hurricane. I'll go with that. Oh! Soon I Will Be Invincible was good.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Not sure.
28. What did you want and get?
To pass my classes.
29. What did you want and not get?
Still waiting on that pony**.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I think the only new film I saw was WALL-E, which was cute.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 24. There was some sort of family dinner, as always, at the same restaurant we always go to. My family tends to go out to eat for our birthdays. For everyone else's birthday, we go to a Japanese place. For mine, Mexican. Just gotta be different. :D
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
PONY**. Also, weight loss. But mostly the pony.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
"Cover that shit up, no one wants to see it." Same as always.
34. What kept you sane?
The literary magazine. Seriously, how sad is it that I like the class I'm not actually enrolled in more than all my other classes combined. Also, I actually had friends! Who live in Houston! And wanted to spend time with me! It was the weirdest feeling. AND NOW THEY ARE MOVING AWAY SERIOUSLY GUYS WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Have developed a horrible crush on David Tennant, though that was brewing since I first saw him. Ditto Stephen Colbert. Most of my major crushes tend to be people I actually know.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Gay marriage, abortion rights. I'm pro both, by the way.
37. Who did you miss?
Don't even ask.
38. Who were the best new people you met?
Met a few new folks through OKCupid, actually, and they are pretty cool. Got to know some classmates better, and met some new classmates who turned out to be quite awesome.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
It is entirely possible to feed and house 14 people for two weeks while planning two major events and dealing with midterms and illnesses. It will, however, drive both my mother and I insane.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
A fairly constant soundtrack for the majority of my life; Goo Goo Dolls, "Sympathy:
I'm not sure where I belong
Nowhere's home, and I'm all wrong...
(Okay, the interwebs is confused about whether the last bit is "I'm all wrong" or "no more wrong". I like it better this way.)
*Please spare me the "OMG BIRTH CONTROL" comments. I've tried hormonal BC. It makes me crazy and suicidal, without actually regulating the period. Not fun times.
** Emma and myself, in the AT&T store:
Me: Well, if you get an iPhone, there will be no pony for Christmas.
Emma: I'm getting a pony?
Me: I am not at liberty to speak about the pony. But know that it is either the pony or an iPhone. iPhones are expensive.
Emma: Isn't a pony like, thousands of dollars?
Me: Well, it's kind of a crappy pony.
Emma: Aww.
Me: One of it's legs is a broom.
Emma: ...
Me: We keep it in the closet.
Emma: Oh, no!
Me: It doesn't neigh, either it just kind of goes "bluhhh..."
Emma: It's tail is made of yarn.
Me: It has a turnip for a head.
Emma: We shouldn't have let Gabe make it.***
Me: That was a terrible idea. When did Gabe acquire the ability to make ponies?
Emma: Does he have a lab?
Me: It's his superpower. It is not so helpful.
Emma: He just goes "pfff" and there's a crappy pony.
Me: His only way to win a fight is to make them really big and squish people.
[we both begin laughing too hard to continue]
***Gabe has promised that when he becomes rich and famous, he will buy each of us a pony. When I annoy him, he will sometimes narrow his eyes and hiss at me, "I'm giving you the ugliest pony!"