So this meme-thing has been making its rounds through my flist...



1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?

Sold a car.:P

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions?

I don't recall making any, so I probably didn't.:D

3. What will your new years' resolutions be for next year?

Don't know yet. Might still think of something at the last minute, though.

4. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No.

5. Did anyone close to you die?

No.

6. What countries did you visit?

None. Travel still isn't on my budget, and it's not very likely to get there anytime soon...:/

7. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

Some sort of a non-sexual romantic relationship, perhaps - or at least a VERY close friend who would interact with me on a pretty regular basis, and never ever go incommunicado for weeks/months without an explanation...

8. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

April 25th. When I sold the car (yeah, I know - what a fascinating year, lol - but I only remember the date because there was trouble with the new owner of said car later, and I had to send letters to the City of Chicago explaining that I no longer own the vehicle in question etc.etc.etc.).

9. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

My fifth anniversary with the same employer, I suppose. An absolute record so far.

10. What was your biggest failure?

The usual. Procrastination. In regard to many things, large and small...

11. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Luckily, no.

12. What was the best thing you bought?

My new PC.:)

13. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

A few old friends resurfaced after a prolonged silence - and that always merits celebration.

14. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

A great number of politicians... *aggravated sigh*

15. Where did most of your money go?

My new PC.:)

16. What events did you get really, really, really excited about?

The Chicago International Film Festival.:)

17. What song will always remind you of 2011?

I don't know. I probably downloaded more music this year than ever before... LOL. But when I try to think of a song that really struck an emotional cord with me... there is Flying by Anathema. Or possibly Inside by Sting. I know neither one of these songs was written/recorded in 2011 - but that's when I discovered them, which is what really matters.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier, definitely.
ii. thinner or fatter? Slightly fatter, perhaps, but not much. Nothing to worry about - YET, anyway.;)
iii. richer or poorer? Richer - if "no longer tearing my hair out over every single penny I have to spend" counts as "richer". In a way, I suppose it does. *shrug*

19. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Writing. Yeah, I know - I've hardly done any, except for babbling in this journal. *sigh*

20. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Fussing over stupid stuff. Procrastinating. Staring at a blank computer screen wanting to write someting, but unable to organize my chaotic thoughts...

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?

Gosh. Probably my mother. I hardly ever call anyone on the phone these days, and she is the only one who calls ME on a regular basis - so it must be her... *sigh*

22. Did you fall in love in 2011?

No.

23. How many one-night stands?

Haha. None. I don't do those. Never quite fathomed the appeal - though I may have tried once or twice, long ago...

24. What was your favourite TV programme?

I don't watch TV.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

No. Unless we're talking about right-wing politicians - but I try not to waste too much mental energy thinking about them, so I really don't want to elaborate on the topic.

26. What was the best book you read?

Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series: Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Chosen, Kushiel's Avatar. All three were absolutely gorgeous and captivating. In fact, I just got the SECOND Kushiel trilogy for Christmas (yes, there are two - six books in total, following the same characters). From my sister, who originally told me about the first one. Smart, innit?...;)

27. What was your greatest musical discovery or rediscovery?

Hmmm... let's see... Gogol Bordello, DeVotchKa, Dead Can Dance, Era, Delerium, Emilie Autumn, New Model Army, Anathema, Amorphis, Antichrisis... Come on, I can't pick just one or five.:D

28. What did you want and get?

A new PC.:D

29. What did you want and not get?

A wonderful online friendship that had started back in 2010 and looked like it might develop into something really amazing... and then it sort of dissolved. Though I suppose I learned a few useful things about myself in the process - so maybe it wasn't "all for nothing" in the end...

30. What were your favourite films of this year?

Again, are we talking about films that came out this year, or does anything count as long as I hadn't seen it before?... The thing is, I hardly ever see films right after they came out - unless I see them at the Chicago International Film Festival. So without any chronological order: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, The Brothers Grimm, The Unknown Woman (by Giuseppe Tornatore), A Dangerous Method, The Good Doctor, Sacrifice, Romeos, Powder Blue, Watercolors, Shortbus.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Oh dear. It was a very "round" birthday (if you must know, check the birthdate in my profile :D), but I can't recall doing anything special. Possibly because I was kind of appalled by the number and didn't want to make a big deal out of it. *shifty eyes*

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

The absolute lack of any money-related worries. Sounds mundane, I know, but stresses and worries have an immense effect on my general health and wellbeing. It's not about wanting to "have" more - it's about being able to sleep peacefully at night, sure of the constant presence of some basic comforts...

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

Same as always. A kind of middle ground between elegance and comfort.

34. What kept you sane?

Fiction, music, movies and my friends. As ever, since kindergarten...:P

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most/least?

Everybody who takes but one single look at this journal knows my favorite "celebrity figure".:D This hasn't changed since 2004. As for least favorite... the list would be too long, and why bother anyway?

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

God, I don't know. There were too many that just make any decent person want to scream in frustration/rage/despair. I lack the energy to talk about it right now...

37. Whom did you miss?

Some of my errant friends - the ones who will hopefully resurface at some point, and the ones who probably won't...

38. Who was the best new person you met?

I met a few very interesting people through LJ this year - I'm looking forward to getting to know them all better, and I don't know if any one person is "the best" at this point...;)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

It's important to understand your own feelings and expectations when it comes to relationships - whether romantic, platonic or what have you. It is also important to be honest with yourself and others, even if it hurts.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I'm beginning to see the light... (from "The Farewell" by Antichrisis)