27 questions, 2011 in review
The 2011 EOY edition. Same questions, different year.
- What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Left my job without another. I figured if there was 10% unemployment, that meant 90% employment, right? Putting myself out there professionally and taking a chance paid off for me in so many ways.
- Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Some of them I did, others, mostly those involving exercise were a bust again. Resolutions aren’t a bad thing; I only wish there wasn’t so much emphasis on them at New Year’s. I set goals and am pretty resolute in general, so the added pressure is unnecessary.
- Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, it seemed like the year of the baby and the year of the wedding!
- Did anyone close to you die? Thankfully, no.
- What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? I’m in a relatively better financial place than I have been and I’d like to formulate a plan and set long-term financial goals.
- What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year? Completing coursework at Penn State (graduation will happen in 2012, though) and beginning a career at a new company.
- What was your biggest failure? Not acting on the blog troll situation. Now everything I write about could be perceived as something he’s sensitive about and could take issue with (what do I do if he’s offended by orange juice? or linen dresses? or the 4th of July?) . That’s just idiotic. I’ve learned my lesson and have saved all the IP records and such (voice mails, photos, texts, videos) and will not hesitate to call authorities now.
- Did you suffer illness or injury? No, thankfully!
- What was the best thing you bought? My Nook — what a joy! I’m reading more books than I ever have. I never did get the Roomba I had my eye on last year…there’s always 2012 if I want clean floors.
- Whose behavior merited celebration? Legalization of same-sex marriage in New York — making us the sixth and largest state to do so. Kudos to Governor Cuomo and what a wonderful step toward equality for so many people.
- Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Being a student at Penn State I was saddened and appalled by the behavior of so many of the people involved, staff and officials included. And for JoePa, it is a tragic way to leave an magnanimous career.
- Where did most of your money go? Tuition, for Caleah and me now – same old story…
- How did you spend Christmas last year? With the girls, cooking and hanging out. This year, hopefully a few movies and lots of Italian food.
- Did you fall in love in 2011? No. I have never been further from it with the parade of losers I’ve dated this year. Upon finally dumping dogboy, I met an incredibly angry Jew, followed by the histrionically delicate troll. Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right…
- What was your favorite TV program? The Daily Show and Homeland. The majority of the rest of television is shit.
- What did you do for your birthday in 2011? I was in New Mexico, one of the most beautiful places I’ve even been in the world. I want to return…soon!
- What was the best book you read? There are so many. For fiction my favorite is Untouchable by Scott O’Connor and non-fiction (surprisingly) Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. It was a great year for reading.
- What did you want and get? A new job where I have to act like an adult and have bona fide responsibility
- What did you want and not get? A connection with someone real, intelligent, and sane.
- What was your favorite film of this year? Surprisingly and despite it’s coldness, it is Martha Marcy May Marlene. Worst of the year, by far, Bridesmaids — what is sorry, pathetic waste of film and my time.
- Did you make some new friends this year? Yes, and I reconnected with a few old ones, too.
- What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Having fewer gripes about money, and spending less time babysitting people who are victims of their own actions (please let me tell you how terrible I’ve made it for myself…). I’ve always been a caretaker, but this year it went too far.
- What kept you sane? The idea that things don’t have to be perfect and neither do I. Like the old adage goes, I shouldn’t let perfection stand in the way of success.
- Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Paul Krugman is my go-to until some other notable mind rises from obscurity.
- What political issue stirred you the most? Congressional paralysis. Every elected official should be removed from office after this year’s disgusting display of infantile behavior, and replaced with 10-year old children with ADHD. There are people really hurting out there — those without work and health care, and these beefed-up politicians should be doing something to help them rather than grandstanding. I might add the election is nearly a year away and I’m already tired of hearing about it.
- Who did you miss? Holly and Grandma all the time.
- What is a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011? In the words of Paulo Coelho, “Life is the train, not the train station.”
