2006-12-28 - 8:52 p.m.
This took me over an hour

This is the great Sundry's year-end meme-thing.

1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?

Glorp. I'll try not to focus on the awful (bar exam taking and failing), and focus on the good: I got my first Real Job following law school.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't do resolutions generally. I have a resolution for January and February, which is to Study My Ass Off.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Why yes, actually--my best girlfriend here in SC, and Mom and Baby are both well and happy. And my hairdresser had her second child, and my cousin had her first, and friends of friends had twins. A fairly fecund year.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, thank God. But something really scary happened to someone I'm very close to, hence the gratitude.

5. What countries did you visit?

I didn't leave the U.S.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?

Stability. Contentment. Also money, if I'm honest.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

March 13 was my first day of work. I will remember it because on the second day of work, we found out my dad had a stroke.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Kinda-sorta holding it together for my dad. I don't think I ever cried in front of him when he was in the hospital or in rehab, and I know no one expected that. To wit: my parents told my brother not to tell me it had even happened.

9. What was your biggest failure?

That would be the bar exam. Exams, I mean. Also I feel like I failed in certain aspects in my work. And I've been kind of a pill to live with.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

That I'm nuts is well-established. I also suffered at least 2 UTIs (yarrrgh), and I sprained my right foot, which still makes interesting noises when I try making circles with it.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Dr. Bronner's soap, in peppermint and almond flavors, because my lover man actually likes the smell of each. And Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, which has won so many awards by now it's ridiculous.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Ken maintained his perfect GPA and made some cool podcasts and movies. A good friend is now ABD at Brandeis, having finished his coursework.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

My own, primarily, although the Bush Administration comes in a close second. I should say something here about being crappily treated by my employer.

14. Where did most of your money go?

To Sallie Mae and her evil sisters, for law loans, and to Sonic, for fruit slushies.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Yoga.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?

Probably "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top because Eagle 102 played it so many damn times.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder?

Happier, on most levels, which is strange to say, and more reflective of how down I was going into my first bar exam.

b) thinner or fatter?

Actually, a teeny bit thinner.

c) richer or poorer?

Way poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Being happy with and proud of K.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Work. Worrying. Weeping.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I spent it mostly with my bio-family, then came home and was snuggly with my lover.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?

Well, I stayed in love.

22. How many one-night stands?

That would be none.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

House, I suppose, although it makes me cry too damn much.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Well, I hate the way I was treated by my employer. In theory some of that would bounce to specific people. But I feel weird committing that to paper (well, virtual paper).

25. What was the best book you read?

I thoroughly enjoyed Elements of Style by Wendy Wasserstein. Oh, and Daddy got me Are Men Necessary? by Maureen Dowd, which is a hoot so far. Oddly, both my brother and my boyfriend have commented Dowd is "hot" while viewing her picture on the back cover.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Death Cab for Cutie. So I should probably get around to buying an album already instead of praying to hear them whenever I get within range of WXRY in Columbia.

27. What did you want and get?

Very nice gifts from my mom and grandmom's trip to Italy.

28. What did you want and not get?

A subscription to Martha Stewart Living. This wouldn't annoy me except Mom got me Self instead, which is just fucking insulting. Ken read from the cover, "Special Weight Loss Issue!" and I replied, "They're ALL weight loss issues."

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

I don't know. We watch a lot more TV than movies because we so rarely agree on movies we can tolerate. Clerks 2 was certainly interesting. Kevin Smith always has great music.

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

I was 29 and I honestly don't remember exactly, but I was definitely freaking out about work.

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

Patience.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?

Slacker in black pants.

33. What kept you sane?

My co-workers.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Rosie O'Donnell, for the sheer fact that she responds to her readers, often with a lot more grace than they deserve.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?

Probably Supreme Court appointments, although it seems forever ago now.

36. Who did you miss?

People from Chicago and Boston.

37. Who was the best new person you met?

I had a great time making goo-goo eyes at a co-worker's 9-month-old, one day when we were frantically trying to prep a presentation.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

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

That would be "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley, the whole freakin' thing, but particularly the part about "Ha ha ha, bless your soul, you really think you're in control." If you like that song at all, you should hear Shawn Colvin's version from Prairie Home Companion, catchable here.

woogie - woo