end-of-2010 meme
For the eighth year, here's this thing. No FB-cross-posting; this is just for my LJ hizzles.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Getting married was the big one, of course. Otherwise, started volunteering at Recording For the Blind & Dyslexic, flew on a corporate jet, wrote the first draft of a 50,000-word novella, played in a zombie Wilco cover band, went to a Patriots game, played the House of Blues, managed a software intern, played putt-putt with some of the Red Sox, and saw Air, Alice in Chains, Bad Religion, Broken Bells, the Clientele, Dosh, Ben Folds (solo), the Futureheads, the classic Guided by Voices lineup, Kaki King, Kings of Convenience, Patton Oswalt, Pavement, Andre Rieu, Rush, and Superchunk for the first time.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My resolutions usually involve losing weight, and I usually do, and then it returns with reinforcements. But hey, there's always 2011.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Thom and Gretchen welcomed Webster, their 2nd, Jamie and Amy welcomed Sebastian, their 1st, Bill and Shea welcomed Zoe, their 1st, and Jen and Matt welcomed Ben, their 1st.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
An ex-co-worker of mine passed away earlier this year.
5. What countries did you visit?
Just the US, no new states either. That should change in 2011.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A promotion would be nice. Seems more likely than not, but not going in with any expectations either.
7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
October 10 was the big one, when Sarah and I finally got hitched.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
This meme is always a little repetitive, but again, having a great wedding and a big party. Outside of that, doing NaNoWriMo was a great success, and Hangman's Alphabet has finished its second record.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I'll just post verbatim from 2009: 'Just dealing with certain stresses less effectively than I could have.'
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
My asthma has been noticeably worse this year, but I've been managing it alright.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
In the abstract, paying for our own wedding felt like a real life accomplishment.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Our friends and family, who went above and beyond in helping us celebrate our marriage.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Virtually every Republican, especially in regards to their selective fiscal conservatism (hundreds of billions in tax breaks for the wealthy, yes; seven billion in aid to 9/11 first responders, no.)
14. Where did most of your money go?
Wedding, wedding, wedding, Chipotle.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Wedding, wedding, wedding, Chipotle.
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Dancing with Sarah to Ben Folds' "The Luckiest" was pretty amazing.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? about the same
iii. richer or poorer? poorer, definitely.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Hiking, and travelling in general.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Fretting about things beyond my control. Also, listening to anything said by Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, or any Tea Party psychopath.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Seeing our families, opening the remaining presents 'from Santa', maybe shovelling a little snow.
21. Where did question 21 go?
It was recalled by Toyota.
22. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I stayed in love, which is even better.
23. How many one-night stands?
Just the eight-year one.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Mad Men, again. Then Community, Party Down, Parks and Rec, and 30 Rock. There's tons of TV I'll need to catch on DVD, like Boardwalk Empire and the Walking Dead.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't think so; there are a few new GOP/Fox News retards to contend with, but so what.
26. What was the best book you read?
Have to go with Dave Eggers' brilliant, maddening, unputdownable "Zeitoun", closely followed by David Mitchell's "The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet", Reif Larsen's "The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet", TC Boyle's "Budding Prospects", and Chuck Pahlaniuk's "Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon".
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Looking back through my top 50, I'd have to go with new bands Broken Bells and How to Destroy Angels, the resurgent Junip, and say this was the first time I really paid attention to LCD Soundsystem.
28. What did you want and get?
A wonderful wedding, a completed first NaNoWriMo draft, some fun trips to Texas and California, a completed 2nd Hangman's record.
29. What did you want and not get?
Peace of mind in the political arena.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I never feel qualified to answer this question before I see all the Oscar movies. So far my favorite three movies of 2010 have been, in some order, Toy Story 3, Inception and the Town.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 33. Worked from home, then went out for dinner and to see Rush with my wife and the two guys who turned me onto them, Dan and Jesse.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If Rupert Mudoch woke up one morning, slapped his forehead, and said "Holy shit, I've been a complete fucking asshole!"
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
T-shirts, sweaters, jeans, sneakers. Not much changes here.
34. What kept you sane?
Not sure I was all that sane leading up to the wedding, but good friends and my lovely wife helped me keep my head on straight. And, as usual, listening to tons of records.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Either Emma Stone or Elizabeth Moss.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Probably the economy and all its far-ranging tentacles, from the national debt to housing prices.
37. Who did you miss?
Every person near and dear to me to whom I only spoke for a few minutes at the wedding.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Co-workers can really make or break a working environment, and I've been lucky to be a part of a great new team this year.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
No matter how much unnecessary hand-wringing you do, you will not anticipate the skunk that shows up at your wedding ceremony.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"This was a real nice clambake." (from Carousel, the worst musical of all time)
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Getting married was the big one, of course. Otherwise, started volunteering at Recording For the Blind & Dyslexic, flew on a corporate jet, wrote the first draft of a 50,000-word novella, played in a zombie Wilco cover band, went to a Patriots game, played the House of Blues, managed a software intern, played putt-putt with some of the Red Sox, and saw Air, Alice in Chains, Bad Religion, Broken Bells, the Clientele, Dosh, Ben Folds (solo), the Futureheads, the classic Guided by Voices lineup, Kaki King, Kings of Convenience, Patton Oswalt, Pavement, Andre Rieu, Rush, and Superchunk for the first time.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My resolutions usually involve losing weight, and I usually do, and then it returns with reinforcements. But hey, there's always 2011.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Thom and Gretchen welcomed Webster, their 2nd, Jamie and Amy welcomed Sebastian, their 1st, Bill and Shea welcomed Zoe, their 1st, and Jen and Matt welcomed Ben, their 1st.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
An ex-co-worker of mine passed away earlier this year.
5. What countries did you visit?
Just the US, no new states either. That should change in 2011.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A promotion would be nice. Seems more likely than not, but not going in with any expectations either.
7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
October 10 was the big one, when Sarah and I finally got hitched.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
This meme is always a little repetitive, but again, having a great wedding and a big party. Outside of that, doing NaNoWriMo was a great success, and Hangman's Alphabet has finished its second record.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I'll just post verbatim from 2009: 'Just dealing with certain stresses less effectively than I could have.'
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
My asthma has been noticeably worse this year, but I've been managing it alright.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
In the abstract, paying for our own wedding felt like a real life accomplishment.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Our friends and family, who went above and beyond in helping us celebrate our marriage.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Virtually every Republican, especially in regards to their selective fiscal conservatism (hundreds of billions in tax breaks for the wealthy, yes; seven billion in aid to 9/11 first responders, no.)
14. Where did most of your money go?
Wedding, wedding, wedding, Chipotle.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Wedding, wedding, wedding, Chipotle.
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Dancing with Sarah to Ben Folds' "The Luckiest" was pretty amazing.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? about the same
iii. richer or poorer? poorer, definitely.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Hiking, and travelling in general.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Fretting about things beyond my control. Also, listening to anything said by Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, or any Tea Party psychopath.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Seeing our families, opening the remaining presents 'from Santa', maybe shovelling a little snow.
21. Where did question 21 go?
It was recalled by Toyota.
22. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I stayed in love, which is even better.
23. How many one-night stands?
Just the eight-year one.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Mad Men, again. Then Community, Party Down, Parks and Rec, and 30 Rock. There's tons of TV I'll need to catch on DVD, like Boardwalk Empire and the Walking Dead.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't think so; there are a few new GOP/Fox News retards to contend with, but so what.
26. What was the best book you read?
Have to go with Dave Eggers' brilliant, maddening, unputdownable "Zeitoun", closely followed by David Mitchell's "The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet", Reif Larsen's "The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet", TC Boyle's "Budding Prospects", and Chuck Pahlaniuk's "Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon".
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Looking back through my top 50, I'd have to go with new bands Broken Bells and How to Destroy Angels, the resurgent Junip, and say this was the first time I really paid attention to LCD Soundsystem.
28. What did you want and get?
A wonderful wedding, a completed first NaNoWriMo draft, some fun trips to Texas and California, a completed 2nd Hangman's record.
29. What did you want and not get?
Peace of mind in the political arena.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I never feel qualified to answer this question before I see all the Oscar movies. So far my favorite three movies of 2010 have been, in some order, Toy Story 3, Inception and the Town.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 33. Worked from home, then went out for dinner and to see Rush with my wife and the two guys who turned me onto them, Dan and Jesse.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If Rupert Mudoch woke up one morning, slapped his forehead, and said "Holy shit, I've been a complete fucking asshole!"
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
T-shirts, sweaters, jeans, sneakers. Not much changes here.
34. What kept you sane?
Not sure I was all that sane leading up to the wedding, but good friends and my lovely wife helped me keep my head on straight. And, as usual, listening to tons of records.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Either Emma Stone or Elizabeth Moss.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Probably the economy and all its far-ranging tentacles, from the national debt to housing prices.
37. Who did you miss?
Every person near and dear to me to whom I only spoke for a few minutes at the wedding.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Co-workers can really make or break a working environment, and I've been lucky to be a part of a great new team this year.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
No matter how much unnecessary hand-wringing you do, you will not anticipate the skunk that shows up at your wedding ceremony.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"This was a real nice clambake." (from Carousel, the worst musical of all time)