2011 Year in review
( 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006)
1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Went to Costa Rica, Went to New York Comic Con
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't really remember what they were, and I suspect I know what they would have been (mostly living healthier), but I didn't keep them. I'll try next year with renewed vigor -- reposted from last year.. and the year before
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Lots of people! firefly21 makes an appearance for the second year in a row. Susie from Australia, and co-worker S, mentioned in last years post.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
A long time IRC friend, Dianne, died of lung cancer after fighting it for 20 years.
5. What countries did you visit?
Australia, Canada, USA, Japan, Singapore, Costa Rica
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
2010's wish was Canadian Permanent Residency, which is still underway, hopefully should finish up in May 2012.
7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
October 10 - 23, visiting NYC and Washington DC. Saw Terry Pratchett in the street, met Felicia Day, met up with lots of IRC friends from Australia.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Being manager of the Systems team for 4 months went pretty well. Helped hire new manager. Resisted letting loose the hounds on an employee who HR offered to have fired, and would have accepted if I was in a worse mood.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I'm still addicted to junk food.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No! This year actually has been one of my best ever in those regards. I did get a tiny burn on my arm from a fireplace last week though :P
11. What was the best thing you bought?
iPad :D
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
lizbyrd, for continuing to be awesome.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
So many people in politics *headdesk*, attention seekers I read about on the internet
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, with a travel a close second. My bank now has a really nifty feature that automatically classifies all of your spending into a number of buckets. For example, I know that having a car cost me $7009 last year, of which $3484 was insurance+roadside assistance, $999 was fuel and $794 was maintainance, and $1532 on panelbeating/repairs, only $700 of which was my fault :P
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to NYCC, meeting Felicia Day. Yeah, I'm a fanboy.
16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
I don't think there's a clear winner this year. But I do like Big Blue Wave, from my tofu-cousin David Vertesi's band Hey Ocean.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier I think
ii. thinner or fatter? About the same
iii. richer or poorer? Richer. UBC continues to put dumptrucks of money into our bank account every two weeks.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercise? :P
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Watching TV
20. How will you spend Christmas?
In a oceanside retreat in Tofino BC with Elizabeth and her family
21. What LJ users did you meet for the first time?
shifuimam! We had an awesome time hanging out around DC. Also ozgoober and nufmeister, who I've known since 1996, are from Australia, and only I just met in person this year, in New York, of all places.
22. Did you fall in love in 2011?
With the iPad. I also stayed in love with Elizabeth :)
23. How many one-night stands?
None
24. What was your favourite TV program?
NCIS and CSI:NY remain awesome.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nah, don't think so.
26. What was the best book you read?
I read a few Kathy Reichs books.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Nothing new
28. What did you want and get?
An iPad :D
29. What did you want and not get?
A Canon 60D
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
The new Sherlock Holmes was good.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went out to dinner with Liz at Alfa Greco-Roman. I was 32.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Hmm not sure. I was pretty happy all things considered. Being able to talk to more people on Skype? :D
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
"Hi, I'm a Mac"
34. What kept you sane?
Liz. TV.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I think I got over my crush on Felicia Day :P
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Internet Censorship. I remain fundamentally opposed to ISPs being required to implement a government run framework for censorship of the internet, regardless of the purposes. I'm saddened to see the US go down this route too. Jerkwads.
37. Who did you miss?
I still miss lots of my friends from Perth.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Hanging with Shifuimam was pretty awesome.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011
Stay out of LAX. For the love of god.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
If I can make here, I'll make it anywhere, it's up to you, New York, New York!
1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Went to Costa Rica, Went to New York Comic Con
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't really remember what they were, and I suspect I know what they would have been (mostly living healthier), but I didn't keep them. I'll try next year with renewed vigor -- reposted from last year.. and the year before
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Lots of people! firefly21 makes an appearance for the second year in a row. Susie from Australia, and co-worker S, mentioned in last years post.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
A long time IRC friend, Dianne, died of lung cancer after fighting it for 20 years.
5. What countries did you visit?
Australia, Canada, USA, Japan, Singapore, Costa Rica
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
2010's wish was Canadian Permanent Residency, which is still underway, hopefully should finish up in May 2012.
7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
October 10 - 23, visiting NYC and Washington DC. Saw Terry Pratchett in the street, met Felicia Day, met up with lots of IRC friends from Australia.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Being manager of the Systems team for 4 months went pretty well. Helped hire new manager. Resisted letting loose the hounds on an employee who HR offered to have fired, and would have accepted if I was in a worse mood.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I'm still addicted to junk food.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No! This year actually has been one of my best ever in those regards. I did get a tiny burn on my arm from a fireplace last week though :P
11. What was the best thing you bought?
iPad :D
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
lizbyrd, for continuing to be awesome.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
So many people in politics *headdesk*, attention seekers I read about on the internet
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, with a travel a close second. My bank now has a really nifty feature that automatically classifies all of your spending into a number of buckets. For example, I know that having a car cost me $7009 last year, of which $3484 was insurance+roadside assistance, $999 was fuel and $794 was maintainance, and $1532 on panelbeating/repairs, only $700 of which was my fault :P
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to NYCC, meeting Felicia Day. Yeah, I'm a fanboy.
16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
I don't think there's a clear winner this year. But I do like Big Blue Wave, from my tofu-cousin David Vertesi's band Hey Ocean.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier I think
ii. thinner or fatter? About the same
iii. richer or poorer? Richer. UBC continues to put dumptrucks of money into our bank account every two weeks.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercise? :P
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Watching TV
20. How will you spend Christmas?
In a oceanside retreat in Tofino BC with Elizabeth and her family
21. What LJ users did you meet for the first time?
shifuimam! We had an awesome time hanging out around DC. Also ozgoober and nufmeister, who I've known since 1996, are from Australia, and only I just met in person this year, in New York, of all places.
22. Did you fall in love in 2011?
With the iPad. I also stayed in love with Elizabeth :)
23. How many one-night stands?
None
24. What was your favourite TV program?
NCIS and CSI:NY remain awesome.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nah, don't think so.
26. What was the best book you read?
I read a few Kathy Reichs books.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Nothing new
28. What did you want and get?
An iPad :D
29. What did you want and not get?
A Canon 60D
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
The new Sherlock Holmes was good.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went out to dinner with Liz at Alfa Greco-Roman. I was 32.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Hmm not sure. I was pretty happy all things considered. Being able to talk to more people on Skype? :D
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
"Hi, I'm a Mac"
34. What kept you sane?
Liz. TV.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I think I got over my crush on Felicia Day :P
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Internet Censorship. I remain fundamentally opposed to ISPs being required to implement a government run framework for censorship of the internet, regardless of the purposes. I'm saddened to see the US go down this route too. Jerkwads.
37. Who did you miss?
I still miss lots of my friends from Perth.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Hanging with Shifuimam was pretty awesome.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011
Stay out of LAX. For the love of god.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
If I can make here, I'll make it anywhere, it's up to you, New York, New York!