... for takin' surveys...
No? Well, just in case, let's do the ol review thingamajig and see what we did last year.
Oh like you weren't already peeking around waiting for me to post this yesterday. :)
For all you new kids out there, slavering minions and gentle readers alike, this is the entry where I try to summarize my previous year's activity in a simple survey I gleaned from another website long ago.
Shall we?
Let's Shall:
1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
Memorably celebrated the fourth of July at the National Mall, in suffocating heat and humidity, while sitting at the feet of Thomas Jefferson's memorial amongst my 3,842,693,248 closest friends. The fireworks show took about 10 minutes. The trip out and back took hours each way.
Memorably celebrated the fourth of July at the National Mall, in suffocating heat and humidity, while sitting at the feet of Thomas Jefferson's memorial amongst my 3,842,693,248 closest friends. The fireworks show took about 10 minutes. The trip out and back took hours each way.
It. Was. Worth. It.
2. What about the New Year's Resolutions? How'd that work out?
Listed goals for last year, however were as follows:
A) ISBN for the book-a-roo.
- OMG this is totally done. I have a real book with a real copyright and a barcode and ISBN and everything. BA-LOWZ my fluffy little mind every time I think about it.
B) I needed a job. In a mighty bad way.
-I have what would pass for, in most circles, an actual job! Gainful employ! And it's a pretty sweet damned deal too. I can still be my hobbity invisible self AND I can go out and work in my hoity toity new workplace downtown. Solved and solved. Now, about this taxes thing...
C) I want to keep writing. "Probably not another book, but maybe the outline for one?"
- Well dickery-doo if I didn't already just up and write again for the 2012 nanowrimo, but you already know about that, don't you! Keeping writing, it would appear, alongside some excellently tuned medication, is the absolute best thing for my brain since a pulse and oxygen. I highly suggest large quantities of both for any of you out there still on the fence about what it's like to live on antidepressants.
D) I'd like to spend one December totally unencumbered by sickness.
-Oh! Holly Jolly Joy! I almost made it! One night of rich food and high altitude hit me with a wretchedly enthusiastic bout of... shall we say "system purge"... but the modern miracle of chemistry and a day of 200 hours of sleep got me back on my feet again with nary an exciting moment missed. I'm going to count this one as a win, since I wasn't really thinking about it and mostly I didn't want a dreadful airplane cold. Note: covering breath holes while comatose on the plane seems to work gangbusters against the dreadful airplane cold. Considering how things could have gone, December 2012 was an absolute win in this category!
Things I anticipate in the new year, but which I do not consider to be goals, include:
Oh dear. I'm on the spot now.
A) Let's make it official. I want a barcode and ISBN on this new little work of mine by the close of 2013. Last one took me what, four years? Let's see if we can't shine up that turnaround just a wee bit.
B) I have paid off my car. I have already paid off one of my two credit cards. This goal category is to paying off the other one. So as to make goal C not seem so foolhardy and impossible.
C) I want very badly to go back to Iceland. I want very badly to go back to Norway. I want very badly to go back to Germany. I want very, very badly, to also go someplace where my beloved husband and I have never been. That's four parts to this one - I'm going to count a 1 out of 4 as a win. Everything else is extra credit.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
And once again, yes! Lots of great new faces are scooting around the planet this year. Brave, smart, strong little hearts, all. Cooper, Ethan, Patrick, ... welcome to earth little dudes. You are in such good hands.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
2012 was a tricky year. Nobody "close" to me died, but those around me suffered painful losses in the form of now absent family members. When a loss like this falls on someone I care about, it hits me close to home as well. I can't bear the burden for them, though. And utlimately when it's my time to lift that load, none can carry it for me either. To say my heart breaks for the people in my life who've suffered is like saying that breathing is kindof important to most folks. There were a great many dangerous accidents, and frightening sicknesses in 2012. Many of our loved ones made it through okay. Many did not. Dear pets were lost too, slipping away from their families after years of love and safety. May 2013 deliver our grief unto us with gentle grace. Because I'm quite sure that I am utterly unprepared for anything more wrenching.
5. What countries did you visit?
Alas, I stayed in the United States all year. Since that's no shame, I'll proudly submit that I'm continuing to softly sweep away the layers of the amazing new city I'm living in. This Virginia deal, specifically Alexandria, is getting better all the time.2012 was a tricky year. Nobody "close" to me died, but those around me suffered painful losses in the form of now absent family members. When a loss like this falls on someone I care about, it hits me close to home as well. I can't bear the burden for them, though. And utlimately when it's my time to lift that load, none can carry it for me either. To say my heart breaks for the people in my life who've suffered is like saying that breathing is kindof important to most folks. There were a great many dangerous accidents, and frightening sicknesses in 2012. Many of our loved ones made it through okay. Many did not. Dear pets were lost too, slipping away from their families after years of love and safety. May 2013 deliver our grief unto us with gentle grace. Because I'm quite sure that I am utterly unprepared for anything more wrenching.
5. What countries did you visit?
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
So, since I'm answering this right now, right here, I'm going to be very bold and say "Nothing." Not a damned thing. I voted. I can wear pants in public. I have a job. I have a loving husband. I have a roof over my head and hot and cold running water in the sink. The larder is full with food. I am the wealthiest person on the planet. To ask for more right now is just too much for me to do. I am so happy with the luck that I have had. I am the luckiest person in the world. And I know it.
So, since I'm answering this right now, right here, I'm going to be very bold and say "Nothing." Not a damned thing. I voted. I can wear pants in public. I have a job. I have a loving husband. I have a roof over my head and hot and cold running water in the sink. The larder is full with food. I am the wealthiest person on the planet. To ask for more right now is just too much for me to do. I am so happy with the luck that I have had. I am the luckiest person in the world. And I know it.
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Oooh, I hate this one. I'm so bad at dates. I'll remember the days my parents were here to visit, I think. And the trip we all took up to the Baltimore Aquarium.
Oooh, I hate this one. I'm so bad at dates. I'll remember the days my parents were here to visit, I think. And the trip we all took up to the Baltimore Aquarium.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Ha! The Book! My GODS that's just a thing that I never in a million... well, now wait. I'm going to have to stop thinking like that pretty soon. So yeah, I'm damnedably proud of myself for that little barcode out there. And by the gods I'm going to do it again.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Let's just say it has a little something to do with being an independant contractor and something that rhymes with schmaxes. Me and deadlines. What. The. Hell.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
There's that one time I accidentally set my guts to "evacuate" rather recently, in December. Beyond that I don't think I had too many big snarls of illness. I'm not even going back to previous posts to find out what I'm not mentioning here. I mean, who wants to remember that ghastly, barbaric procedure of which we will not speak? Egad. No way. Everything's fine. Lah Tee Dah.
There's that one time I accidentally set my guts to "evacuate" rather recently, in December. Beyond that I don't think I had too many big snarls of illness. I'm not even going back to previous posts to find out what I'm not mentioning here. I mean, who wants to remember that ghastly, barbaric procedure of which we will not speak? Egad. No way. Everything's fine. Lah Tee Dah.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Grapefruit. And I/we bought it repeatedly. HOLY MOLY that's good stuff.
12. Where did most of your money go? Yeah, right? No surprises here. Mortgage schmortgage. Paid off my car though, so at least there's that. And there was that little investment issue to get the book self published. Small potatoes there though, compared to the whole six figure debt situation that is owning a home. Can I just tell you how much I love my renters? MMMMWAH!
13. What did you get really excited about? Um, say it with me now: THE BOOK!
Also, cheese. I really really love cheese.
Also, cheese. I really really love cheese.
14. What song will always remind you of 2012? I regret to inform you that Gag-nam style is probably going to fall in this bucket. I hate that song with the heat of ten thousand suns. I'd like to say that the memorable song for this year was a particularly eloquent rendition of Rachmaninoff's piano concerto no. 2 - but no. I'm stuck with that beshitted horsey-hump dance. *sob*
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? stronger. again. for what feels like the first time in a long time.
– thinner or fatter? still NOT fatter! YAY! still not skinnier, either. Here's to status quo?
– richer or poorer? Oh absolutely richer. In every way possible.
– richer or poorer? Oh absolutely richer. In every way possible.
16. What do you wish you’d done more of? Laughing. Dancing.
17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Oversleeping. I still do that way more than I should.
18. How did you spend Christmas?
With family in Colorado! Eating delicious meals with friends and family and family and friends. We sang Christmas carols and saw Santa. We went to the botanic gardens, and saw the Hobbit, and braved all manner of Denver weather to achieve the most perfect Colorado Christmas. EH-VAR.
19. What was your favorite TV program?
It pains me to admit it, but we started and finished every episode of that Game of Thrones hooplah. We're addicted. Mostly to the surplus of onscreen boobs and swash-buckle-y swordsmanship. But yeah, we're stuck. For one or two more episodes at least.
20. What were your favorite books of the year?
Speaking Ill of the Dead: Jerks in Colorado History (by Phyllis Perry) .
21. What was your favorite music from this year?
I can not get enough of Tom Waits just now. "Just the Right Bullets" hits all the right notes. "Russian Dance" is terrifyingly catchy. "Rain Dogs" will forever echo in my mind as one of the most soul wrenching (and familiar) songs this side of the Cowboy Junkies.
But I don't listen to Cowboy Junkies. 'cause that's wrist-slashin' music. Cowboy Junkies music says "oh holy crap things suck."
I listen to Tom Waits. 'cause he says "sure, things suck. get over it and make it worth getting over."
And then I do.
22. What were your favorite films of the year?
Because I lack any ingenuity right now, and have no memory for anything else I've seen lately that's new... The Hobbit wins this ticket. "Argo" wins an honorable mention. Because dude, mustache.
23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
You'll never guess, but it is my distinct pleasure to annouce that I am again one year older this year, than I was last year. Isn't it great how that works?
You'll never guess, but it is my distinct pleasure to annouce that I am again one year older this year, than I was last year. Isn't it great how that works?
-What did I do on my birthday?
I pulled the trigger on the self-publish thing. Best. Decision. Ever. 24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
One thing and one thing only: No ghastly, barbaric procedure of which we shall not speak.
to wit:
Me: GNARGGH!
Doc: Okay, we're almost done.
Me: [swearing unintelligibly in mutliple languages]
Doc: Hang in there, you're doing great.
SuperGal: um, can't she have some more pain meds?
Doc: Nope. She's maxed out. We're going to have to muscle through.
Me: GNA-HA-HA-HARRRRGH! [cue painful convulsions, tears, and a fruitless glance around the room for a brick to knock myself out with or a bottle of bath-tub gin to drink myself into oblivion with.] GRAAAAA!
*scene continues for what, 45 minutes? took what, two months to get back to "normal" and another four for "normal" to really mean "normal"? yeah. Fuck you science. Fuck you right in the earhole.*
And now back to your regularly scheduled navel-gazing
25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
"why the hell must EVERY hem, seam and stitch decide to fall to pieces on the same day?"26. What kept you sane?
And of course, writing and writing and writing some more until my spacebar thumb-joint goes all clicky.
27. A valuable life lesson learned in 2012.
Light is stronger than dark. Love is stronger than hate. But Darkness and Hate will never, ever go away.
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