year end survey

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? Get a tattoo
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I did, actually - I'm eating better and have stuck to my vegetarian regimen. And I will make another resolution, though I doubt I'll keep this one. I'd tell you, but isn't that like telling what a birthday wish is?
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No.
5. What countries did you visit? Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Yay study abroad!
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? Stable finances?
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? May 7-8, 2008. And it's a secret.
8. What was your biggest success? Figuring out that I don't have to please everyone.
9. What was your biggest failure? Well, I didn't have any really big failures, but I would say that comparatively, my failure to get anyone else interested in the student journal is a decent failure. But I'll show them... *shakes fist*
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? No.
11. What was the best thing you bought? My computer with CS3 and Rhino. It means I can work in the relative comfort of my home, rather than at school - it makes life so much nicer...
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? The people that voted for Obama.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My own, on occasion.
14. Where did most of your money go? Printing. Seriously. Architecture school is all about printing and model making - and I spent a fair amount on that, as well.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? It is hard to come up with stuff that summarizes the year, and not right now. So, right now, I'm really really really excited about starting this student journal (also really really really scared and nervous, but w/e). But, over the course of the year, I was excited about many things: my Europe trip, dating, being on my own, living my new life, my new apartment, etc.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Gimme More - Britney Spears. That's kind of sad, actually...
17. Compared to this time last year, are you a.happier or sadder? b. thinner or fatter? c. richer or poorer?
a. Sadder, I think. I miss home a lot. b. thinner, for sure; c. much, much, much poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? making some money.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? spending money.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? I spent it at my mum's playing cards with my brother and my grandparents
21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Kind of, yeah. And as they say, love hurts.
22. What was your favorite TV program? Dexter Dexter Dexter!!!!!!!! Yeah, it merits that many exclamation points.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I try not to hate anyone anymore. It's not worth the effort. I find that indifference works better, because it truly conveys how little these people matter to me.
24. What was the best book you read? Metabolism in Architecture by Kisho Kurokawa. That's also kind of sad...
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Lily Allen (given to me by Christine for my b'day last year) and chill-out (a collection of which was given to me by my brother for Christmas last year)
26. What did you want and get? Hahaha - a girl never kisses and tells.
27. What did you want and not get? Lottery winnings - or a sugar daddy. Just kidding about the sugar daddy part. Sort of...
28. What was your favorite film of this year? Sex and the City. It was so fun!
29. What did you do on your birthday? ON my birthday, I went out in C'bus with my friends from studio (the boys actually humored me and went to a dance club after dinner for about 10 mins before bailing. I appreciate that!). We were out very late, and I crashed at Katelin's. FOR my birthday, I got my tattoo "God is in the details" on the inside of my left wrist. Even my grandparents didn't mind it - and that is saying a LOT.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? We can always wish for more THINGS, but I would wish for contentment with what I have.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? I would say "older student looking casually fabulous." Mostly heels, jeans, pretty shirts and jackets. Oh! And scarves. Lot's of scarves.
32. What kept you sane? I'm sane? When did that happen?
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Out of sight, out of mind means TB is off the list this year, but I think I'd have to say Michael C. Hall. So pretty...
34. What political issue stirred you the most? The election, though I got really tired of it about a month before it happened since I'm in a swing state and was bombarded with campaign ads.
35. Who did you miss? My brother. He's just really important to me, and I don't get to see him very often. Like, only once this year.
36. Who was the best new person you met? I don't like this question. It is trying to make me play favorites with people, which I do not appreciate. So I will just say that I met several people this year that I think have added a lot of value to my life. Some of them add professional or academic value, some personal, many both.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008? The best you can be isn't "perfect." It is just the best you can be, and shooting for perfect is an unreasonable goal.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose - the more that things change, the more they stay the same." "Circumstances" Rush.
Also:
"if it keeps on rainin' levee's going to break. When the levee breaks, I'll have no place to stay." "When the Levee Breaks" Led Zeppelin.