New Year's Meme
Dec. 29th, 2009 10:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
solarbirdIf anyone is wondering, I've been clearing a lot of decks - browsers, file systems, things to read, organisational systems - all kinds of stuff. Email too, tho' to a lesser degree. (I want to clear my inbox before the end of the year too - yeah, I know, good luck with that.) It's good. Refreshing, even.
So here, have a meme, stolen from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hsifyppah!
What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Bought a bouzouki! Learned to play it! Got food poisoning at a convention! Won NaNoteWriMo! Went to a reunion! Got paid to show up and play somewhere! ^_^
Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions?
I only make them retroactively. Much easier to keep that way!
Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, but I know a couple of people Expecting in 2010.
Did anyone close to you die?
No. Sadly, people very close to people who are close to me did.
What countries/states did you visit?
Not so much travel this year; I was mostly up the Vancouver-Seattle corridor. So Washington and BC. But I also went on reunion (Massachusetts) and withspazzkat to Disneyland (California).
What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A demo album. Hopping christ on a pogo stick, elfgirl, get it fucking recorded already, this is fucking stupid.
What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory?
I'm not good at dates, but: teaching Frank Hayes "Old Black Rum." (January.) The Lake Forest Park show where I took one of the stall vendors from glaring at me from behind sunglasses to literally dancing in the aisle. (May 31!) Anna's book showing up on Amazon. (July 31st) FUCK YAH MUDKIPS! (November 30th)
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Either having a spontaneous audience demand an encore at a busking gig (srsly awesome) or NaNoteWriMo.
What was your biggest failure?
The album. And cumulative over a lot longer time, failing to prevent the normalisation of both torture and the extraconstitutional executive. Not that I had a lot of direct say in any of the latter, of course, but I've still spent a lot of time working on these things.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
FINALLY, for the first time since 2003, neither Anna got sick not I got hit by a car or any other bullshittery. (Two more days to go! Touch wood!) I don't really count the food poisoning, that's just a one-day thing, and sure, they called an ambulance (over my objection - I just wanted a thermometer to make sure it wasn't appendicitis), but really it's not actually serious.
What was the best thing you bought?
Kohaku. No question. Second to that would be the large-diaphragm studio condenser microphones I've been using.
Whose behavior merited celebration?
annathepiper, like pretty much every year. But I'm biased. Also cow has been really good for talkings, which I've needed a lot this year.
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Almost all of the national GOP. Mr. Obama, Mr. Reid, really, most of the Congressional Democrats. Several less famous people continued to be less than awesome for my alienation issues, but things are what they are, and that's why I have a therapist.
Where did most of your money go?
Aside from the normal things, paying down medical debt.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
NaNoteWriMo. The better gigs this summer, particularly the surprise Vancouver show. Something I can't talk about yet. ^_^
What song/album will always remind you of 2009?
Too early to tell. Possibly Anamanaguchi's Dawn Metropolis, possibly 4l0n3 (Unicorn Dream Attack). Possibly... I dunno yet.
Compared to this time last year, are you:
1. happier or sadder? Anna and I are starting to come out of several brutal medical years. Coming off the amazing stress of the last several years, I got really pretty depressed for a while. So, um, it's complicated.
2. thinner or fatter? Pretty much the same, actually. I checked!
3. richer or poorer? Richer, thanks to slowly falling medical debt.
What do you wish you’d done more of?
Therapy, earlier. Setting boundaries, earlier.
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Politics, of course. That's most always true. I don't like it and I did no good that I can tell. But I'm not good at ignoring brutality, and I don't have the luxury of ignoring the fundamentalists.
How did you spend Longestnight?
Evening jam with Anna's jamming group, with make-your-own pita bread pizza dinner, then more jam, and then mostly struggling to stay awake at 5am.
How will you spend New Year's?
Athsifyppah's PYJAMA POUTINE PARTY!!! at her house.
Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Phone? Talking? Mostly I use mine for text, honestly. Um, I guess the reminder people at physical therapy.
Did you fall in love in 2009?
Sadly, no.
How many one night stands in this last year?
Sadly, no.
What was your favorite TV show?
Oh, Battlestar Galactica, how I miss you.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Not at all. I don't bother with hate for political figures, really.
What did you want and get?
A year without Anna getting sick or me getting hit by a car (or other sickness/accident combinations).
What did you want and not get?
In different contexts: taken seriously. Included. Called. And in all cases, and this is entirely my fault really, done with the goddamn demo album.
What were your favourite films of this year?
2012 NO LIE IT IS AWESOME BADNESS. Those guys suck the wrong way when they're doing anything but 50s SF pastiches, but when they do those, they suck in all the right ways. It's awesome. Paranormal Activity is a triumph of low-budget filmmaking. Star Trek wasn't awesome but I had fun. Zombieland, on the other hand? Excellent. Cinematic Titanic's live performance of Dynamite Brothers, now on DVD as East Meets Watts.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Dara's Birthday, Usually Observed fell during Norwescon, the day after food poisoning hell. I actually had a good day even if I don't remember it very well! Fortunately, I take notes: "Able to eat crackers, then sandwiches. Really good convention day - S00j concert, Vixy and Tony concert, hanging out with Torrey and Fishy and S00j et al. Had some people who heard me playing earlier ask whether I'd play more. Match Game lulz. Daily 'zine until 6:30am omg die." Age is, um, a complicated question and literally I don't know.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
I hope to be able to think more about things like fashion in 2010.
What kept you sane?
2008 was really the year for that question, and the answer was very simple: music. 2009 was more difficult; sanity wasn't an issue, but depression and alienation were big issues. Going back into therapy (and being able to go back into therapy, monitarily) helped a lot.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Oh, it's her last year, so let's go with Starbuck, My TV Girlfriend, one last time. I LOVE YOU CRAZY TV GIRLFRIEND! I DOOOOOOOO! ^_^
What political issue stirred you the most?
As for the last few years, the American torture programme, perversion of the justice system, extralegal executive, and, to a lesser degree, marriage equality and the denial thereof.
Who did you miss?
Someone who didn't call. No, I won't get more specific.
Who was the best new person you met?
Hoooo. I met several new people this year but mostly didn't see them often, which makes it problematic. I'm 98% sure I met John Caspell in January and played with him some at Conflikt, and that was lots of fun, but what happened after that was not at all fun. ;_;
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
Still workin' on that, but I think one of them has something to do with not chasing after people who walk away.
So here, have a meme, stolen from
hsifyppah!What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Bought a bouzouki! Learned to play it! Got food poisoning at a convention! Won NaNoteWriMo! Went to a reunion! Got paid to show up and play somewhere! ^_^
Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions?
I only make them retroactively. Much easier to keep that way!
Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, but I know a couple of people Expecting in 2010.
Did anyone close to you die?
No. Sadly, people very close to people who are close to me did.
What countries/states did you visit?
Not so much travel this year; I was mostly up the Vancouver-Seattle corridor. So Washington and BC. But I also went on reunion (Massachusetts) and with
spazzkat to Disneyland (California).What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A demo album. Hopping christ on a pogo stick, elfgirl, get it fucking recorded already, this is fucking stupid.
What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory?
I'm not good at dates, but: teaching Frank Hayes "Old Black Rum." (January.) The Lake Forest Park show where I took one of the stall vendors from glaring at me from behind sunglasses to literally dancing in the aisle. (May 31!) Anna's book showing up on Amazon. (July 31st) FUCK YAH MUDKIPS! (November 30th)
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Either having a spontaneous audience demand an encore at a busking gig (srsly awesome) or NaNoteWriMo.
What was your biggest failure?
The album. And cumulative over a lot longer time, failing to prevent the normalisation of both torture and the extraconstitutional executive. Not that I had a lot of direct say in any of the latter, of course, but I've still spent a lot of time working on these things.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
FINALLY, for the first time since 2003, neither Anna got sick not I got hit by a car or any other bullshittery. (Two more days to go! Touch wood!) I don't really count the food poisoning, that's just a one-day thing, and sure, they called an ambulance (over my objection - I just wanted a thermometer to make sure it wasn't appendicitis), but really it's not actually serious.
What was the best thing you bought?
Kohaku. No question. Second to that would be the large-diaphragm studio condenser microphones I've been using.
Whose behavior merited celebration?
annathepiper, like pretty much every year. But I'm biased. Also cow has been really good for talkings, which I've needed a lot this year.Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Almost all of the national GOP. Mr. Obama, Mr. Reid, really, most of the Congressional Democrats. Several less famous people continued to be less than awesome for my alienation issues, but things are what they are, and that's why I have a therapist.
Where did most of your money go?
Aside from the normal things, paying down medical debt.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
NaNoteWriMo. The better gigs this summer, particularly the surprise Vancouver show. Something I can't talk about yet. ^_^
What song/album will always remind you of 2009?
Too early to tell. Possibly Anamanaguchi's Dawn Metropolis, possibly 4l0n3 (Unicorn Dream Attack). Possibly... I dunno yet.
Compared to this time last year, are you:
1. happier or sadder? Anna and I are starting to come out of several brutal medical years. Coming off the amazing stress of the last several years, I got really pretty depressed for a while. So, um, it's complicated.
2. thinner or fatter? Pretty much the same, actually. I checked!
3. richer or poorer? Richer, thanks to slowly falling medical debt.
What do you wish you’d done more of?
Therapy, earlier. Setting boundaries, earlier.
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Politics, of course. That's most always true. I don't like it and I did no good that I can tell. But I'm not good at ignoring brutality, and I don't have the luxury of ignoring the fundamentalists.
How did you spend Longestnight?
Evening jam with Anna's jamming group, with make-your-own pita bread pizza dinner, then more jam, and then mostly struggling to stay awake at 5am.
How will you spend New Year's?
At
hsifyppah's PYJAMA POUTINE PARTY!!! at her house.Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Phone? Talking? Mostly I use mine for text, honestly. Um, I guess the reminder people at physical therapy.
Did you fall in love in 2009?
Sadly, no.
How many one night stands in this last year?
Sadly, no.
What was your favorite TV show?
Oh, Battlestar Galactica, how I miss you.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Not at all. I don't bother with hate for political figures, really.
What did you want and get?
A year without Anna getting sick or me getting hit by a car (or other sickness/accident combinations).
What did you want and not get?
In different contexts: taken seriously. Included. Called. And in all cases, and this is entirely my fault really, done with the goddamn demo album.
What were your favourite films of this year?
2012 NO LIE IT IS AWESOME BADNESS. Those guys suck the wrong way when they're doing anything but 50s SF pastiches, but when they do those, they suck in all the right ways. It's awesome. Paranormal Activity is a triumph of low-budget filmmaking. Star Trek wasn't awesome but I had fun. Zombieland, on the other hand? Excellent. Cinematic Titanic's live performance of Dynamite Brothers, now on DVD as East Meets Watts.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Dara's Birthday, Usually Observed fell during Norwescon, the day after food poisoning hell. I actually had a good day even if I don't remember it very well! Fortunately, I take notes: "Able to eat crackers, then sandwiches. Really good convention day - S00j concert, Vixy and Tony concert, hanging out with Torrey and Fishy and S00j et al. Had some people who heard me playing earlier ask whether I'd play more. Match Game lulz. Daily 'zine until 6:30am omg die." Age is, um, a complicated question and literally I don't know.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
I hope to be able to think more about things like fashion in 2010.
What kept you sane?
2008 was really the year for that question, and the answer was very simple: music. 2009 was more difficult; sanity wasn't an issue, but depression and alienation were big issues. Going back into therapy (and being able to go back into therapy, monitarily) helped a lot.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Oh, it's her last year, so let's go with Starbuck, My TV Girlfriend, one last time. I LOVE YOU CRAZY TV GIRLFRIEND! I DOOOOOOOO! ^_^
What political issue stirred you the most?
As for the last few years, the American torture programme, perversion of the justice system, extralegal executive, and, to a lesser degree, marriage equality and the denial thereof.
Who did you miss?
Someone who didn't call. No, I won't get more specific.
Who was the best new person you met?
Hoooo. I met several new people this year but mostly didn't see them often, which makes it problematic. I'm 98% sure I met John Caspell in January and played with him some at Conflikt, and that was lots of fun, but what happened after that was not at all fun. ;_;
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
Still workin' on that, but I think one of them has something to do with not chasing after people who walk away.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-12-30 07:00 am (UTC)that is all :)
no subject
Date: 2009-12-30 09:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-30 12:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 04:52 am (UTC)Oh, it's her last year, so let's go with Starbuck, My TV Girlfriend, one last time. I LOVE YOU CRAZY TV GIRLFRIEND! I DOOOOOOOO! ^_^"
Of all of these items, this is by far the most fun and my favorite :)
Someone once told me (after I had cut my hair short and when the new BSG had just come out) that I LOOKED LIKE STARBUCK. I followed her around all moony-eyed for a while after that but it never went anywhere.