end-of-2009 meme
Seven years now, I've filled this thing out. Here we go:
1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
In chronological order: I published video game reviews on the Internet; bought a Dyson vac; visited New Orleans (twice); play-tested the Beatles: Rock Band and LEGO Rock Band; appeared on colored vinyl; got engaged; worked 56 hours in a four-day period in Maine; bought a brand-new guitar amp; went jet-skiing; got hooked on Mad Men; went on a whale watch; played guitar for hundreds of people at a corporate event; saw Paul McCartney at Fenway; joined Twitter; did an eight-mile, nine-hour hike in New Hampshire; bought a smart phone; went to three Sox games in one year; "went to college"; hiked in the Rocky Mountains; had some run-ins with ghosts; had my picture taken 50+ times in Salem dressed up as Edward Scissorhands; bought a car with less than 5,000 miles on it; and wrote a 23,000-word decade-end music summary. Whew.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Tried to lose some weight; actually ended up losing 10 lbs in the last three months. I'd like to continue that trend. No real resolutions for next year, but just a number of things I'd like to keep in mind.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yup: Max and Erika welcomed Xavier, Adam and Allison welcomed Jacob, Marc and Melissa welcomed Audrey, and Chris and Chris welcomed Ruby.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sarah lost both her maternal grandparents this year.
5. What countries did you visit?
Again, just stayed in the old US this year, although with Louisiana I'm now up to 40 states.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
The waistline of 20-year-old me.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 12 -- one-year anniversary at the job, definitely an accomplishment. April 1 -- an awesome show at the Middle East. June 23-26 -- four of the craziest work days of my life, in the middle of which Michael Jackson died. July 20 -- my sis's 30th birthday. August 8 -- the NH hike, the most physically exhausting day of my life. September 19-26 -- the week in Colorado. October 31 -- being a costumed celebrity on Halloween. Of course, the obvious day to mention would be when Sarah and I got engaged, but to be honest neither of us are sure exactly when we decided it.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I think it's probably everything we've already done for the wedding next year. We're pretty far ahead of the game.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Just dealing with certain stresses less effectively than I could have.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I've had a helluva cold for most of December, and my asthma was the worst it's been in recent memory.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I'm pretty excited about the caterer for our wedding, which we've paid for half of. I'm also fond of my new(er) Subaru and my Fender Blues Deluxe guitar combo amp.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Sarah went above and beyond at her job this year. My sister continues to flourish in her job and her life. My dad went through a couple of eye surgeries this year, and he's doing well. And Sarah's family grew stronger through their losses, I think.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The lunatics at Fox News had some real winners this year. And I've heard some incredibly moronic things said about health care this year, most often from Sarah Palin.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Wedding plans, mortgage, travel, musical expenses.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Gettin' hitched, hiking in Colorado.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
I gotta say, singing along with tens of thousands of people while Paul McCartney belted out the "Hey Jude" refrain for a good five minutes was a pretty amazing experience.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? about the same
ii. thinner or fatter? a good deal thinner, actually.
iii. richer or poorer? poorer, definitely.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Songwriting, reading, keeping up with friends.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Watching Transformers 2.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent Christmas Eve and Christmas in Jersey City with Sarah's family, and then the two days after Christmas in PA with my family. It was a nice holiday.
21. Where did question 21 go?
It was cut down by a death panel.
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I stayed in love, which is even better.
23. How many one-night stands?
Just the seven-year one.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Mad Men, by a distance. What an amazing show. Community and Man v. Food would be the runners-up for new favorite show, and I enjoyed many of my old favorites like How I Met Your Mother, LOST, The Office and more.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Do video game villains count?
26. What was the best book you read?
Probably James Morrow's novella "Shambling Towards Hiroshima", with Rudy Rucker's "Mathematicians in Love", Tom Perrotta's "Joe College", and Joshua Ferris' "Then We Came to the End" right behind it. I only read 11 books this year (assuming I finish "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" in the next 3 days), which is my lowest count since 2002. Although one of those was Roberto Bolano's mammoth "2666", which was my least favorite book of the year.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Though I'd heard them all before, this was the first year I really got into Maserati, the Dirty Projectors, and the Clientele.
28. What did you want and get?
An engagement, a lot of great travel, and some nice recognition at work.
29. What did you want and not get?
To make the wall of recognition at our gym (they forgot to count one of my visits, those bastards.)
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I may not have seen my favorite film of 2009 yet. So far I really liked Paranormal Activity, Anvil: the Story of Anvil, the Hurt Locker, Up, the Hangover, A Serious Man, 500 Days of Summer, District 9, Coraline, and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, in that order.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 32. Went to work on my birthday for the first time in four years, had lunch with coworkers, received many calls and Facebook wishes, went out to a delicious Afghan dinner with Sarah, and watched the Pats clinch their season opener while I opened presents.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If Hangman's Alphabet had gotten a ton of great reviews, instead of one.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
T-shirts, sweaters, jeans, sneakers. Not much changes here.
34. What kept you sane?
Sarah, music.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Zooey Deschanel is a perennial favorite, though Carey Mulligan is quite lovely too.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Health care reform and gay marriage.
37. Who did you miss?
My family and friends, who I'd always love to see more.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Probably my co-worker Evan, who I've had some great musical conversations with.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Eventually you outgrow the "I'll sleep when I'm dead" mentality.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Obstacles are stepping stones/that guide us to our goals/and the light is growing brighter now." (Phish, "Light")
1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
In chronological order: I published video game reviews on the Internet; bought a Dyson vac; visited New Orleans (twice); play-tested the Beatles: Rock Band and LEGO Rock Band; appeared on colored vinyl; got engaged; worked 56 hours in a four-day period in Maine; bought a brand-new guitar amp; went jet-skiing; got hooked on Mad Men; went on a whale watch; played guitar for hundreds of people at a corporate event; saw Paul McCartney at Fenway; joined Twitter; did an eight-mile, nine-hour hike in New Hampshire; bought a smart phone; went to three Sox games in one year; "went to college"; hiked in the Rocky Mountains; had some run-ins with ghosts; had my picture taken 50+ times in Salem dressed up as Edward Scissorhands; bought a car with less than 5,000 miles on it; and wrote a 23,000-word decade-end music summary. Whew.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Tried to lose some weight; actually ended up losing 10 lbs in the last three months. I'd like to continue that trend. No real resolutions for next year, but just a number of things I'd like to keep in mind.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yup: Max and Erika welcomed Xavier, Adam and Allison welcomed Jacob, Marc and Melissa welcomed Audrey, and Chris and Chris welcomed Ruby.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sarah lost both her maternal grandparents this year.
5. What countries did you visit?
Again, just stayed in the old US this year, although with Louisiana I'm now up to 40 states.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
The waistline of 20-year-old me.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 12 -- one-year anniversary at the job, definitely an accomplishment. April 1 -- an awesome show at the Middle East. June 23-26 -- four of the craziest work days of my life, in the middle of which Michael Jackson died. July 20 -- my sis's 30th birthday. August 8 -- the NH hike, the most physically exhausting day of my life. September 19-26 -- the week in Colorado. October 31 -- being a costumed celebrity on Halloween. Of course, the obvious day to mention would be when Sarah and I got engaged, but to be honest neither of us are sure exactly when we decided it.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I think it's probably everything we've already done for the wedding next year. We're pretty far ahead of the game.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Just dealing with certain stresses less effectively than I could have.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I've had a helluva cold for most of December, and my asthma was the worst it's been in recent memory.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I'm pretty excited about the caterer for our wedding, which we've paid for half of. I'm also fond of my new(er) Subaru and my Fender Blues Deluxe guitar combo amp.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Sarah went above and beyond at her job this year. My sister continues to flourish in her job and her life. My dad went through a couple of eye surgeries this year, and he's doing well. And Sarah's family grew stronger through their losses, I think.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The lunatics at Fox News had some real winners this year. And I've heard some incredibly moronic things said about health care this year, most often from Sarah Palin.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Wedding plans, mortgage, travel, musical expenses.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Gettin' hitched, hiking in Colorado.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
I gotta say, singing along with tens of thousands of people while Paul McCartney belted out the "Hey Jude" refrain for a good five minutes was a pretty amazing experience.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? about the same
ii. thinner or fatter? a good deal thinner, actually.
iii. richer or poorer? poorer, definitely.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Songwriting, reading, keeping up with friends.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Watching Transformers 2.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent Christmas Eve and Christmas in Jersey City with Sarah's family, and then the two days after Christmas in PA with my family. It was a nice holiday.
21. Where did question 21 go?
It was cut down by a death panel.
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I stayed in love, which is even better.
23. How many one-night stands?
Just the seven-year one.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Mad Men, by a distance. What an amazing show. Community and Man v. Food would be the runners-up for new favorite show, and I enjoyed many of my old favorites like How I Met Your Mother, LOST, The Office and more.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Do video game villains count?
26. What was the best book you read?
Probably James Morrow's novella "Shambling Towards Hiroshima", with Rudy Rucker's "Mathematicians in Love", Tom Perrotta's "Joe College", and Joshua Ferris' "Then We Came to the End" right behind it. I only read 11 books this year (assuming I finish "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" in the next 3 days), which is my lowest count since 2002. Although one of those was Roberto Bolano's mammoth "2666", which was my least favorite book of the year.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Though I'd heard them all before, this was the first year I really got into Maserati, the Dirty Projectors, and the Clientele.
28. What did you want and get?
An engagement, a lot of great travel, and some nice recognition at work.
29. What did you want and not get?
To make the wall of recognition at our gym (they forgot to count one of my visits, those bastards.)
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I may not have seen my favorite film of 2009 yet. So far I really liked Paranormal Activity, Anvil: the Story of Anvil, the Hurt Locker, Up, the Hangover, A Serious Man, 500 Days of Summer, District 9, Coraline, and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, in that order.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 32. Went to work on my birthday for the first time in four years, had lunch with coworkers, received many calls and Facebook wishes, went out to a delicious Afghan dinner with Sarah, and watched the Pats clinch their season opener while I opened presents.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If Hangman's Alphabet had gotten a ton of great reviews, instead of one.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
T-shirts, sweaters, jeans, sneakers. Not much changes here.
34. What kept you sane?
Sarah, music.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Zooey Deschanel is a perennial favorite, though Carey Mulligan is quite lovely too.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Health care reform and gay marriage.
37. Who did you miss?
My family and friends, who I'd always love to see more.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Probably my co-worker Evan, who I've had some great musical conversations with.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Eventually you outgrow the "I'll sleep when I'm dead" mentality.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Obstacles are stepping stones/that guide us to our goals/and the light is growing brighter now." (Phish, "Light")