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Tuesday, January 26, 2010
2009
I've so far failed to take stock of 2009, and this has been bugging me since the beginning of January. I've done this year-end survey every year for a long time now, and I need to keep it up, for posterity and all those other things blogs are good at, like being embarrassing. Okay:
1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
I sat on a review committee for a conference, adopted mostly-grown cats from a shelter, interned somewhere, drove part of the way from Toronto to PEI, played an online RPG (don't want to talk about it don't want to talk about it), pushed a cart full of our junk down a busy Toronto street a million times (relatedly: moved into a basement apartment).
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year, I wrote "I suppose my new resolution will be continuing to get strong and fit again. I walk a ton in Toronto, and it's treating me well." Yeah... moving a bit further away from the subway station--just far enough to make walking a real pain (and enough to make an always-late me even more late)--really put a cramp in my style. I did, however, successfully complete the 100 push-ups/200 sit-ups challenges, and am kind of in the middle of doing them again. I guess my new resolution is the same. Along with: Battle my introvert tendencies a little less half-heartedly, attempt to be friendly and engaging instead of shy and emotionally cold, become a better public speaker.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Shannon! Note: her baby looks better in sunglasses than anyone I have ever met.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My favourite professor, the woman who made me feel comfortable and welcome in my program despite my initial misgivings. She had a lot of confidence in me and my work, and encouraged me to foster my academic interests in this new framework instead of starting from scratch.
5. What countries did you visit?
I barely leave the house, guys.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Motivation, less procrastination, confidence.... uh, a job. Yeah, a job.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 10th, we picked up Sam and Hailey from the Shelter! Also, June 22nd, the day the City of Toronto strike started and my internship got cut short (and the streets slowly filled with garbage).
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting mostly As in my courses, getting my scholarship renewed.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Still not feeling comfortable speaking in public, not communicating in class enough, not continuing to walk a ton every day, not eating as healthily as I should be. Bummer city.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
For the first week of my internship, I was incredibly ill. Horrific timing; I could barely understand anything going on around me. They taught me how to drive the manually operated freight elevator during all this.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Oh man, my new glasses. My eyes finally forgive me for all the hell I've put them through for the past 11 or 12 years. I wear contacts about twice a week now. Also, ipod touch, honestly--winner of the Device That Makes Me Feel Like I'm in a Sci Fi Movie Award.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Daniel, as always, for being patient and suffering through working an incredibly shitty job while we live in Toronto.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
For those of you that follow the WM3 case, Judge David Burnett. :/ That's my simple answer. In reality, it could probably go on for pages because I'm a Negative Nancy.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, food, wine, vet bills, electronic devices.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Not much. School is a drag. Oh, seeing The Get Up Kids with my brother, Daniel, Kelly, and Taylor! Dream come true. I still knew all the words.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2009?
Nothing really stands out. I haven't been listening to anything different or new. Maybe all of Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement. Maybe.
Oh, maybe "Sincerely, Liza (Bucket Song)" by Richard Laviolette!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Probably the same, if not more stressed about school.
b) thinner or fatter? Pretty much exactly the same.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, by one more student loan.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Walking/running, taking the time to talk to classmates, reading for pleasure, making things, sewing my clothes, taking advantage of living in this city.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being anxious, procrastinating, eating junky food.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent it gorging on ridiculous hors d'oeuvres in my apartment with my family (who drove here from PEI). We also went out for Christmas brunch buffet at a place that had six different kinds of fish and a chocolate fountain.
21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
With some CATS.
22. How many one-night stands?
-100
23. What was your favourite TV program?
We spent the entirety of 2009 going through every Star Trek series (still working on it). Yes, it is true. That is one time consuming endeavour, let me tell you.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't think so.
25.What was the best book you read?
My reading list was pretty thin this year. I really dove into Bret Easton Ellis, though. I think I enjoyed American Psycho and Glamorama way, way too much (enough to make me miss subway stops)--it makes me feel kind of haunted inside. Yikes. I have a huge compulsion to read more, and I feel like I could very easily consume everything he's ever written, but I would be a broken shell of a person afterward (for the record, I know that not all Ellis's stuff is along the same vein as AP).
I also liked Jose Saramago's Seeing, the Zadie Smith edited anthology The Book of Other People, and Jeanette Winterson's The Stone Gods.
Least favourite? In a SHOCKING DISCOVERY, Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. What a creepy bastard.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Nothin'.
27. What did you want and get?
Cats, tuition paid for again, an apartment that isn't scary, less house centipedes.
28. What did you want and not get?
The ability to do things on time. :/
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
Synecdoche, New York, Wendy and Lucy
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I can't even remember. I know that I was working on a huge assignment that was due the next day, though. Having a birthday at the end of term SUCKS HARD. Also, I turned 26.
31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not having to unexpectedly move in August. Expensive, time consuming, and stressful. We did, however, score pretty hard on a nice cheap find.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Awful. A hint of Grad Student With No Time To Shower Wearing Whatever Clothes Were On The Floor.
33. What kept you sane?
Daniel, weekends, and coffee.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't have time, man. I don't have time.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I can't keep track of my political outrages anymore.
36. Who did you miss?
I don't know, people on PEI sometimes. Other times I breathe a sigh of relief that I'm away from crazy shit.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
I don't even think I've met anyone new this year, besides in networking situations.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009?
Breathing really deeply helps.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
God, what a mess, on the ladder of success
Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung
Not really, that song's just in my head on repeat most of the time.
4:40 PM
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