December 13, 2004
The year in monsters
- What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Achieved an A+ in a graduate-level course; gave myself permission to mosey; finally gave up sugar.
- Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Nope and nope.
- Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.
- Did anyone close to you die?
No.
- What countries did you visit?
This year, I didn't leave the States.
- What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
Confidence in my ability to manage money.
- What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 3rd, the date my horrible and brilliant neuroscience course ended and I got my life back in more ways than one; November 3rd, when Josh and I had our first huge fight, over politics; February 14th, HGOGWA
- What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Reading 80+ books.
- What was your biggest failure?
Not enough travel, not enough camping.
- Did you suffer illness or injury?
Only once, during the much-mentioned neuroscience course, but fortunately the only thing to come of it was lifestyle changes.
- What was the best thing you bought?
100 mystery paperbacks off of ebay for $50.
- Whose behavior merited celebration?
My rockin' sister. Again. Still. Whichever.
- Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The American voting public; whoever left two kittens in a (locked) basement locker; whoever hurt all the Hayward rabbits or strapped a firecracker to their rabbit.
- Where did most of your money go?
Rent, rent and rent.
- What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to the annual meeting for the NIH project I work on. Aw yeah, feel my geek groove....
- What song will always remind you of 2004?
"No Phone" by Cake, "Scorpion" by Lucy Kaplansky
- Compared to this time last year, are you:
Calmer, possibly more mature.
- What do you wish you'd done more of?
Travel.
- What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worry and overtime.
- How will you be spending Christmas?
Hanging out with the rabbits and the mystery paperbacks, taking a night hike along the river.
- Did you fall in love in 2004?
With the same boy I fell in love with in 2001. Which was convenient. Not too mention efficient.
- How many one-night stands?
Zero.
- What was your favorite TV program?
Venture Brothers
- Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope, I'm trying to confine my hate to a minimum.
- What was the best book you read?
Three-way tie: Yukon Wild by Beth Johnson, Paddling My Own Canoe by Audrey Sutherland, Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews.
- What was your greatest musical discovery?
Monster Radio, my launchcast station. Jolie Holland.
- What did you want and get?
A kayak (holy crap!)
- What did you want and not get?
For people to stop abusing animals and the environment.
- What was your favorite film of this year?
I hope I can count movies made before 2004, because I don't think I saw anything that had been made this year. Otherwise, "Gosford Park".
- What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 30 this year, in the most anti-climactic birthday ever. I spent the whole day studying cranial nerves. There's probably some horrible symbolism in there.
- What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being able to take a vacation from work.
- How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Gothic orphan.
- What kept you sane?
80+ books.
(I deleted four questions here on the grounds that they were really, really lame, and dealt mainly with celebrities. Which I don't.)
- Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
It's okay to stop and smell the roses, be 30 and want to go back to grad school, and be content with where and who you are. If you stop swimming, you will not die.
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