Big Huge New Year Quiz
My last day in Kuwait for a while, and I can't say I'm going to shed any tears. You're a strange, messed up, doomed little country, Kuwait, but you have taught me much. Good luck; you'll need it.
1. What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before?
Wrote a novel. A whole boatload of other stuff.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My resolution for 2003 was to turn 19. As a matter of fact, I kept it twice. I think I might shoot for 20 this year. I like to make resolutions I can actually keep.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Eeew. You mean, like, close enough to get stuff on my shirt?
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not too close, no.
5. What countries did you visit?
India, the UK, Ethiopia, Italy, Slovenia, the USA, Kuwait, Syria, Lebanon (if sneaking across the border counts), Oman
6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003?
Nothing in paricular. I'll take what I can get.
7. What dates from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory?
The last day and night in London. My first 19th birthday party in London. The day I hiked to the dead city of Serjilla and got taken in for espionage by the Syrian Secret Police.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I guess the novel wins that one.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Reaching supreme enlightenment. And fluency in Arabic.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious. A day of the flu in the Ethiopian Highlands, a skinned elbow from falling off a ruin in Palmyra, and a mild sunburn from the beach in Oman. I think I might have pulled a groin muscle too.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My sister's Christmas present: an Omani Bedu necklace decorated with Hyderabadi silver coins, very unusual and old.
14. Where did most of your money go?
My [parents'] money went mostly into Long Island University's coffers, and plane tickets. I don't have any money.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
So many, many, many things. I was rather excitable this year. I can't list them all, so I'll just say that I started the year excited about the Asian Social Forum, at the six-month point I was excited about the North American prairies, and I'm finishing up excited about joining a deeply maligned internet subculture. Does that sound a little downhill?
16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
The first half: that Fire in the Disco song, by whoever. Second half: The Beatles - Paperback Writer, the official theme song of NaNoWriMo 2003.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: older or wiser? Older.
Thinner or fatter? The same.
Richer or poorer? I still don't have any money.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Being with real friends.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Armed robbery.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With the family, with the Kuwait Hash House Harriers, and with a former Friends Worlder from Iraq.
22. Did you fall in love in 2003?
Eeew. No.
23. How many one-night stands?
Less than five.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Various two/three part dramas on the BBC.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I love everybody!
26. What was the best book you read?
Mossflower. Or if we're only counting books I haven't read countless times before since I was in 4th grade, it has to be The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton AKA Democritus II. I'm still in love with the author, in a Platonic sort of way.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Open Source Audio (ancient public domain records) on archive.org, and KEXP Seattle's webcast at kexp.org
28. What did you want and get for christmas?
Some very interesting books.
29. What did you want and not get for christmas?
Peace on Earth, et cetera.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Werckmeister Harmonies
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 19, twice. The first time I had a killer picnic with the FYP in Rose's homestay's backyard, the second time I didn't do much of anything.
32. What was one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If all that marching, protesting and 24-hour-vigil-ing in London had had any actual effect on events.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?
Whatever's comfortable.
34. What kept you sane?
Sane? Who said anything about sane?
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
"fancy"? What are you, a British schoolgirl?
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Every decision the American, UK, Indian, Kuwaiti, Ethiopian, Zimbabwean and Syrian regimes made. Mostly the American ones, actually.
37. Who did you miss?
The Pace Posse, after leaving London.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Abdel Latif. You don't know him.
1. What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before?
Wrote a novel. A whole boatload of other stuff.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My resolution for 2003 was to turn 19. As a matter of fact, I kept it twice. I think I might shoot for 20 this year. I like to make resolutions I can actually keep.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Eeew. You mean, like, close enough to get stuff on my shirt?
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not too close, no.
5. What countries did you visit?
India, the UK, Ethiopia, Italy, Slovenia, the USA, Kuwait, Syria, Lebanon (if sneaking across the border counts), Oman
6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003?
Nothing in paricular. I'll take what I can get.
7. What dates from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory?
The last day and night in London. My first 19th birthday party in London. The day I hiked to the dead city of Serjilla and got taken in for espionage by the Syrian Secret Police.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I guess the novel wins that one.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Reaching supreme enlightenment. And fluency in Arabic.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious. A day of the flu in the Ethiopian Highlands, a skinned elbow from falling off a ruin in Palmyra, and a mild sunburn from the beach in Oman. I think I might have pulled a groin muscle too.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My sister's Christmas present: an Omani Bedu necklace decorated with Hyderabadi silver coins, very unusual and old.
14. Where did most of your money go?
My [parents'] money went mostly into Long Island University's coffers, and plane tickets. I don't have any money.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
So many, many, many things. I was rather excitable this year. I can't list them all, so I'll just say that I started the year excited about the Asian Social Forum, at the six-month point I was excited about the North American prairies, and I'm finishing up excited about joining a deeply maligned internet subculture. Does that sound a little downhill?
16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
The first half: that Fire in the Disco song, by whoever. Second half: The Beatles - Paperback Writer, the official theme song of NaNoWriMo 2003.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: older or wiser? Older.
Thinner or fatter? The same.
Richer or poorer? I still don't have any money.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Being with real friends.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Armed robbery.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With the family, with the Kuwait Hash House Harriers, and with a former Friends Worlder from Iraq.
22. Did you fall in love in 2003?
Eeew. No.
23. How many one-night stands?
Less than five.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Various two/three part dramas on the BBC.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I love everybody!
26. What was the best book you read?
Mossflower. Or if we're only counting books I haven't read countless times before since I was in 4th grade, it has to be The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton AKA Democritus II. I'm still in love with the author, in a Platonic sort of way.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Open Source Audio (ancient public domain records) on archive.org, and KEXP Seattle's webcast at kexp.org
28. What did you want and get for christmas?
Some very interesting books.
29. What did you want and not get for christmas?
Peace on Earth, et cetera.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Werckmeister Harmonies
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 19, twice. The first time I had a killer picnic with the FYP in Rose's homestay's backyard, the second time I didn't do much of anything.
32. What was one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If all that marching, protesting and 24-hour-vigil-ing in London had had any actual effect on events.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?
Whatever's comfortable.
34. What kept you sane?
Sane? Who said anything about sane?
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
"fancy"? What are you, a British schoolgirl?
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Every decision the American, UK, Indian, Kuwaiti, Ethiopian, Zimbabwean and Syrian regimes made. Mostly the American ones, actually.
37. Who did you miss?
The Pace Posse, after leaving London.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Abdel Latif. You don't know him.