Nothing like a year-end, wrap-up blog post two weeks into the new year, amirite?
1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Swam in the ocean. No seriously, I never had. It was awesome. And salty.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't remember that I made any, and I am making ZERO this year. I just want to live.
3. Did anyone close to you have a child? Not close-close. I know some folks who've been popping out the kids, but no one I was rushing to the hospital to see.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No. I am thankful.
5. Where did you travel? I went to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware twice (once cold, once hot), camping in Ohio and Virginia a bunch, and back to Michigan in December. Lollapalooza in Chicago in August. The Guy and I had many plans to travel and never did it, outside of Rehoboth and the concert. Oh well. Some day.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? A big kid job again.
7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory? Finishing my student teaching, splitting up with The Guy, a random Sunday night in November.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting through my student teaching.
9. What was your biggest failure? My inability to maintain a relationship? I feel as though all my failures last year were little. Some of them compounded to seem big, but on the whole I was OK.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I had the flu, I think. And the number of bruises I've received working at a restaurant are innumerable. But nothing serious.
11. What was the best thing you bought? Not kidding here, but my counter-top dishwasher. If I even bought that this year. Otherwise, I have no clue.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My mom, for keeping her head up through more bullshit than I ever thought possible.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Appalled? Depressed? I try to stay away from those people. A friend of mine has a JERK of an ex-boyfriend who turned out to be a giant asshat. I mean, epic proportions. He pissed me off something fierce.
14. Where did most of your money go? Living expenses.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Getting my car back after a tire fiasco just before New Years.
16. What song will always remind you of 2011? Anything by Eminem will make me think of Lolla 2011 and how damn good he was live.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer? Happier, thinner, probably richer, but we're talking millimeters.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Going out.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Being lazy. Except that I LIKE being lazy.
20. How will you be spending Christmas/NYE? I spent xmas with my folks in Michigan. I spent New Years Eve day working, and that night out at a party and at karaoke. After drinking myself into a frenzy around 1 in the afternoon.
21. Did you fall in love in 2011? I fall in love on a near-daily basis.
22. What was your favorite TV program? No TV = no favorites. Although watching Michigan play football this year was great, for the first time in seveal seasons.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I'm pondering this, but I don't know of anyone who creates a visceral reaction in me. I'm working hard to being calmer about everything.
24. What was the best book you read? I read the Sookie Stackhouse books, and I won't lie. I loved them.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? That Em rocks live.
26. What did you want and get? A pink sparkly guitar.
28. What did you want and not get? House cleaning fairies.
29. What was your favorite film of this year? True Grit
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 33, and I'm pretty sure I was camping in Ohio.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? The ability to love myself unconditionally (blah to world peace)
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? Jeans and tshirts
33. What kept you sane? My dogs. As always.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I hear Kirk Herbstreet is getting a divorce.
35. What political issue stirred you the most? Every festival in Baltimore city has a tent for the mayor. She is never in said tent, and thus I cannot talk to her. And it pisses me off. Get the woman a folding chair and let's chat.
36. Who did you miss? My Michigan friends, my Ohio friends, and most of all my parents.
37. Who was the best new person you met? I have met a SLEW of amazing people at the restaurant.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011. You can pull of wearing hot pink skinny jeans so long as you just don't give a fuck.
Also, here's what I read this year:
January
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (Finished 13 January 2011)
Persuasion by Jane Austen (Finished 31 January 2011)
March
One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde (Finished 16 March 2011)
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Finished [and started] 17 March 2011)
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (Finished [and started] 27 March 2011)
Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (Finished 30 March 2011)
April
Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris (Finished 5 April 2011)
Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris (Finished 7 April 2011)
Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris (Finished 11 April 2011)
All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris (Finished 14 April 2011)
From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (Finished 19 April 2011)
A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris (Finished 19 April 2011)
Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (Finished 21 April 2011)
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier (Finished 29 April 2011)
Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (Finished 30 April 2011)
May
The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova (Finished 9 May 2011)
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding (Finished 10 May 2011)
June
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson (Finished 5 June 2011)
The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson (Finished 16 June 2011)
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Steig Larsson (Finished 23 June 2011)
July
Emma by Jane Austen (Finished 5 July 2011)
Cut by Patricia McCormick (Finished 5 July 2011)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (Finished 6 July 2011)
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (Finished 8 July 2011)
Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Gram-Green (Finished 25 July 2011)
52 Pick-Up by Elmore Leonard (Finished 31 July 2011)
August
How to be Good by Nick Hornby (Finished Lolla weekend)
Mariette in Ecstasy by Ron Hansen (Finished Lolla weekend)
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (Finished 24 August 2011; Reread)
The Thirteenth Tale by Dianne Sutterfield (Finished 29 August 2011)
September through December
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Waiter Rant by Steve Dublanica
The Cider House Rules by John Irving
Alice's Adventure in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Finished 16 December 2011)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (Finished 17 December 2011)
Books read in 2011: 34