Monday, December 24, 2007

So I've sat and I've watched an ice-age thaw

Hello, and welcome to another installment of The Year That Was.

What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
A lot. It was a year of crossing things off of my list.

Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I tend not to make any. Less stress, less letdown.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! Click here for one! Click here for the other!

Did anyone close to you die?
No.

What countries did you visit?
I only made it out of California twice.
And ended up in Kansas one of those times.

What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A trip to New Zealand would do me just fine, thank you.

What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory?
June 12. June 23. August 12.
Cheese. Chalk. A beard.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Recording music.

What was your biggest failure?
No offense, Internet, but I'm not up for sharing that.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just run-of-the-mill-type stuff.

What was the best thing you bought?
It sounds dreary, but... therapy?

Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I'm surrounded by people whose behavior merits celebration! H, my mom, my uncle, my best friends, my son, my imaginary internet friends, my co-workers. There is inspiration everywhere.

Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Like last year, I think this one is not worth calling out.

Where did most of your money go?
This "mortgage" answer is getting dull, innit? Let's switch it up a bit, live on the edge. I'll answer as though the question were put thusly: After necessities, where did most of your money go? Gosh. Well, I'm going to have to go with "haircuts" and "therapy." Land sakes alive, Betty Lou, color me yuppified.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Lots of stuff! I went to New York City for the first time, got a job (!) with an ad agency, formed a band, recorded music, had a photo shoot, started taking linguistics courses, got a lot braver, made good friends, made better friends with my already-good friends, realized repeatedly that I'm married to the best man in the universe, and was constantly amazed by my son.

What song/album will always remind you of 2007?

Albums:
Neon Bible - the Arcade Fire
Baby 81 - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Abattoir Blues - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Back to Black - Amy Winehouse

Songs:
Anything by Flight of the Conchords
The Devil You Know - Split Enz
The Ship Song - Nick Cave
Haul Away - Split Enz
The Weeping Song - Nick Cave
Bold As Brass - Split Enz
No P*ssy Blues - Grinderman
[Perchance are you noticing a pattern?]

Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder? Much happier
Thinner or fatter?Vaguely thinner
Richer or poorer? Hm. Well, I'm more employed, anyway.
What do you wish you’d done more of? Enjoying.
What do you wish you’d done less of? Entertaining fretful thoughts.

How will you be spending/did you spend Christmas?
With my fellas.

Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
My mom and my best friend, in that order.

Did you fall in love in 2007?
Over and over again, yes.

How many one night stands in this last year?
I keep failing this question, year after year.

What was your favourite TV programme?
Ha! What is this, a trick question? Hoping I'd moved on? Listen, pal, House MD isn't going to obsess over itself, know what I mean?

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don't really hate much. It's bad for you. And me, for that matter.

What was the best book(s) you read?
Pattern Recognition, hands down. We were practically dating, if you must know.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Hm. "Discovery" is perhaps the wrong word, as I'd been aware of Mr. Cave and the Bad Seeds since age 12... "appreciation" is more fitting. He sort of just made sense one day, all in a blinding flash of light. In a similar fashion, one day it dawned on me that the Arcade Fire and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are effin' brilliant.

What did you want and get?
The constant reassurance that people I love, love me.
Ain't nothing like it in the world.

What did you want and not get?
A stronger body.

What were your favourite films of this year?
Eastern Promises was remarkable.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I spent it with family, and I turned 32.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Money, for traveling.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Thank You, God, That I Work In An Artsy Department Now!
Also: Thank You, God, For Cheap Accessories!

What kept you sane?
God, Zoloft, loved ones.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
1. Hugh Laurie
2. Tim Finn (this faded, for reasons I can't quite place. Please do not mention it to him.)
3. Jarvis Cocker (this faded, for reasons explained in #4.)
4. Nick Cave (aren't you glad I'm in therapy?)

What political issue stirred you the most?
It's a net that's been cast widely: the shameless mendacity and presumptions that we are stupid, courtesy of the American government.

Who did you miss?
Tanea, of course. Bob. Warwick.

Who was the best new person you met?
Lupe. And Myke.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
It may sound trite -- it may be trite -- but there is nothing so precious or so holy as love.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?

O we will know, won't we?
The stars will explode in the sky
O but they don't, do they?
Stars have their moment and then they die

Merry Christmas, to those of you celebrating.
Much warmth and peace, to all of you. Thank you for reading.

2 comments:

Erica said...

Ahem. Someone else close to you gave birth in 2007.

Emma said...

WHAT? Oh my goodness. Of course she did! Jimen is evidently much older in the US than she is in Australia. Off to change my answer now... xo, E