One of those year in review quizzes from Jaquandor.
Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Technically, I didn’t make any, in that I didn’t write any down. But probably not. Haven’t figured how to do more exercise without it feel like exercise. Probably played racquetball a half dozen times in 2011; used to play 200 times a year before the local Y closed, but dropping off the daughter at school then needing two buses (or a bike and a bus, if the weather’s decent) to get to work has made getting to play at Siena College difficult.
I keep threatening myself to stop blogging; what I HAVE done is to blog (slightly) shorter, especially in December.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
Actually, yes. My co-worker/fellow librarian Amelia and her husband Brian had baby Charlie on October 9. I won the office pool. Charlie was due October 8. I picked the 9th day of the 10th month of the 11th year at 12:13 pm; Charlie arrived at 12:51 pm. My pick REALLY ticked off the guy who picked 12 noon. “Who picks 12:13?”
Did anyone close to you die?
Well, yes. There was this guy named Chris Ringwald. We weren’t close, I suppose, but his death affected me deeply.
Robin Ashley was a guy whose house we’d go to every Christmas and sing carols. He developed ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) two or three years ago. One of the rather neat things is that he had this machine that would type words by him looking at the particular letters. It was slow, and exhausting for him, but it was a way for him to communicate when he otherwise could not.
And then there was my mom.
What countries did you visit?
O Canada! (see several posts in September.)
What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
More massages, more patience – might be a relationship there.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I reached out to the alumni at my library school, and they invited me to participate in some workshop.
What was your biggest failure?
I did a couple of webinars on Census’ American Factfinder for work and had techno difficulties each time. I realize that I HATE doing webinars. I prefer doing things where I can look at people’s faces.
What was the best thing you bought?
I bought a couple of older Hess trucks from my friend Mary that used to belong to her late husband Tom. It was a nice connection with him for both of us.
Whose behavior merited celebration?
Arab Spring people. The fuzzily focused, but necessary Occupy people, who at least drew attention to the disparity of income.
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Congress generally. I mean they can’t pass a budget, hardly ever, just a series of continuing resolutions.
Birthers, climate change deniers, any number of conspiracy theorists.
Where did most of your money go?
The house, in repairing the roof, insulating the attic, fixing the foundation. Jaquandor: are you SURE you want to buy a house?
What did you get really excited about?
The zoo that is the Republican Presidential race. Quite entertaining. And, speaking of zoos, the trip to Canada, including the Toronto Zoo.
What song will always remind you of 2011?
The Afterlife by Paul Simon
Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Sadder. I’m an adult orphan.
Thinner or fatter?
More or less the same.
Richer or poorer?
Slightly poorer because the Wife is working fewer extra hours, which is good, and because of the aforementioned house and my mother’s funeral, which is not.
What do you wish you’d done more of?
Going to movies, for sure.
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Thinking. Melancholy. Insomnia.
How did you spend Christmas?
Went to church, bifurcating the gift thing.
Did you fall in love in 2011?
Yes. One of the best things that happened on Thanksgiving is that the Wife and I stayed in bed, TALKING, for over an hour, with no interruptions; what a luxury. Grandma had fed the Daughter and her cousins, and she could hang with them.
How many one-night stands?
As many as last year.
What was your favorite TV program?
The Good Wife, The Closer, CBS Sunday Morning, The Daily Show.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No, but I have a lot of contempt for Newt “let’s get rid of child labor laws” Gingrich, Herman “which one is Libya” Cain, and Rick “the third department is…” Perry, greater than last year at this time.
What was the best book you read?
Complete Peanuts, 1950-1952.
What was your greatest musical discovery?
Adele. OK, so I’m behind the curve; so sue me.
What did you want and get?
I wanted music, both singing and buying recordings.
What did you want and not get?
Some dedicated time to blog. It’s still catch as catch can.
What were your favorite films of this year?
The Muppets; and Midnight in Paris; and Crazy, Stupid Love.
What did you do on your birthday?
Not work. Went to an Indian buffet.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
“Fashion” is silly.
What kept you sane?
Writing; singing; listening to music; learning new stuff; and then I suddenly realized that the question ASSUMES that I AM sane, which may or may not be the case.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Gabrielle Giffords; Jon Stewart; the CBS Sunday Morning reporters; Scott Pelley of CBS News.
What political issue stirred you the most?
The gay marriage vote in New York. Actually watched the end of that vote in real time on TV.
Who did you miss?
I miss my mother.
Who was the best new person you met?
I “met” a few interesting folks online this year.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:
Do what you think is right; the rest of the world might catch up, or not.
Democracy may work, eventually.
Libraries are wonderful.
I have better relationships with some people I’ve never met face-to-face than I do with people I see nearly daily; that is fascinating to me.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
We come on the ship they call the Mayflower
We come on the ship that sailed the moon
We come in the age’s most uncertain hour
and sing an American tune
But it’s all right, it’s all right
You can’t be forever blessed
Still, tomorrow’s going to be another working day
And I’m trying to get some rest
That’s all I’m trying to get some rest
-American Tune, Paul Simon
Legendary albums from a world dominated by kittens…Photo recreations by Alfra Martini of aymvisuals.
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