I don’t do memes but it’s Holidailies and I just can’t stand being below that damned line, so here are my answers to Sundry’s annual end of the year thingy.
1.What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
I did a lot of business travel this year. Probably the most of my life. I had a meal at a five star restaurant with friends. I started liking wine.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I object to the idea of New Year’s resolutions, because I think that you should just make a decision and do it, rather than waiting for some magical first day of the year. But as for making resolutions in general, I believe that I wanted to finish the dining room to den transformation and no, that’s totally stagnated.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not that I noticed. Actually, I take that back’ Joel and Cheri had a baby boy this year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank goodness.
5. What countries did you visit?
None. Wow, I am boring. That will be remedied in 2007.
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
The words “Doctoral Candidate” after my name on the departmental list at school.
7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 24th. The day that Esteban was told that he had internally bled out two thirds of his blood and had to have emergency transfusions. Meanwhile, thirty or so people were descending upon Green Bay for a convention. It was probably the most harrowing day of my year.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Man, I’ve got nothing. Probably reclaiming my statistics geekery and passing my Six Sigma certification.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Overcommitting. I tend to think that I can do everything and be all things to everyone, but I can’t.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I tore two ligaments in my foot, but it was pretty minor and it healed within a few weeks.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A video iPod.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My friends continue to rock.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Politicians in Washington and also in Shermer, Illinois. The people who force feed geese to make foie gras.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Shopping, travel and various home improvements/disaster avoidances.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Halloween in San Francisco. I started planning for that six months in advance. Crazy!
16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
“Here (In Your Arms)” by HelloGoodbye, “The Adventure” by Angels and Airwaves.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier. About the same. Poorer, thanks to various components of the house giving out.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Home improvements. It was the big area where I dropped the ball last year.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Working. I worked way too much during the first half of the year. WAY too much.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I’m assuming this question is for Christmas 2006, and it was spent at home, doing the family merry-go-round.
21. Did you fall in love in 2006?
The fall didn’t begin in 2006 but there was continued descent.
22. How many one-night stands?
365
23. What was your favorite TV program?
A tie between “How I Met Your Mother” and “The Office”. Although I do very much love “Project Runway”, this season just wasn’t there for me.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No new hates, although I did perform maintenance on several existing hatreds.
25. What was the best book you read?
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, maybe. Or You Remind Me Of Me by Dan Chaon. No, wait, it’s totally Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The music group Stars. I love them very very much.
27. What did you want and get?
To travel a lot. To go on a long vacation with Esteban.
28. What did you want and not get?
For Wisconsin voters to reject the state’s violation of the rights of gays and lesbians.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
V for Vendetta, maybe? It was released in 2005, but I didn’t see it until this year, so it counts, right?
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 35 and went to a funeral. Then I went to lunch with friends, got a massage and went out to dinner with Esteban and Mopie, then we went home and ate birthday cake and probably drank wine and played Karaoke Revolution. It was a happy day, despite the funeral.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If only my project at work had gotten funding. God, how career-minded is that? But seriously, it totally bugs me that I did all of that work and messed with my life, both personal and professional, solely for the sake of that project and then it fell on its face for lack of a relatively small sum of money.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Minimalist with a side of boobies.
33. What kept you sane?
My friends. Totally my friends. They are awesome and they will never know how much I value them. I had one truly inescapably bad weekend but had the great fortune that many of the people I lean on emotionally were all in one place and could be strong for me.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Eddie Izzard, maybe?
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Looking back at my charity contributions over the year, it seems to be the protection and welfare of animals, but emotionally, it would definitely have to be the idiocy running rampant in our government.
36. Who did you miss?
Mopie
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Paco and Evelyn, definitely. Also, after years of hearing Eben stories, I finally got to meet him and he’s even more fun in real life.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
The worst thing that you are afraid of happening will happen, but you will survive.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Oh Jesus Christ, what am I, 12?
