Summary of my year, 2007

Here it is, my year in 2007.  Sorry I won’t be interacting much with Open Diary, yet, but you still get an update on my life, albeit a rather condensed and not necessarily in chronological order one.  Ta da!
1.What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
Had sex.  With a boy!
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I have no idea.  I suppose I kept them, I can’t really remember, haha.  I didn’t smoke pot once, and I only had alcohol by accident, I didn’t become anorexic…  Basically I have kept all of my resolutions, but I’m not necessarily sure if they were "New Year’s Resolutions" per se.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yeah, my Aunt Pat.  She was my second mother while I was growing up.  It was very difficult.  And Stephanie Bernritter, my creative writing teacher in my Freshman year of high school.  Two great people gone, and the world is worse off for it.
5. What countries did you visit?
Let’s see if I can remember!  Italy, Vatican City, France, Germany (albeit briefly), Switzerland, The United Kingdom, and the Hopi Nation (which is not part of the governmental US, so it sort of counts as a country).
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
Honestly, I cannot say.  I quite enjoyed my year this year.
7. What date(s) from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Weeeeeelll, August the 2nd is stuck there pretty surely- I started going out with Bryan on that day.  I’m not so hot on remembering dates exactly, but that one has managed to stick.  For some reason I also recall that we left for Europe on June 4th, but that’s mostly because I was so fucking excited to be off.  🙂
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Maintaining my sanity- overall becoming a more mature person capable of dealing with difficult emotional situations.  Learning to stand up for myself even more than before and accepting who I am as a person despite what other people want me to become.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Still being at odds with my dad.  We definitely get along much better than we used to, but I still have a hard time finding it in myself to like him.  I’m not sure if I want to like him.  Which is understandable, but still not a good thing.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I KILLED my knee.  In April or May I jumped out of my bedroom window in a panic to avoid my dad (who had been threatening me with a chair).  I fucked my knee up hardcore.  And then I didn’t go to a doctor’s office until after I got back from Europe (late June), while it became much worse in the meantime.
After coming back from Europe, I set off almost straight to the Hopi Nation, where I acquired possibly the worst illness of my life.  I had a horribly sore throat, stuffed nose, fever (to the point of hallucination, even with fever-reducing drugs), and fatigue.  Not to mention that we were in the middle of Nowhere, Arizona, with a billion degree heat.  I had one vision (you may call it what you may, but it was a lot different that my hallucinations) of a visitation by God, who gave me the choice of coming with him and attaining peace (toward a white light, actually, that radiated peaceful sentiment, happiness, and calm) or staying behind.  I decided to stay on this Earth, saying, "I have more to do."
It didn’t change my outlook very much, as I already keep a very optimistic attitude, but it did profoundly affect my life.  I won’t be forgetting it any time soon.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A plane ticket to Europe.  (In the case that my memory serves me poorly and I actually bought that last year, I’d have to say that my vacation to Oregon would be second; the trip that brought to being my current relationship with Bryan.)
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My Mommy’s.  She has handled everything this year amazingly.  From the death of her dearest friend, to helping another friend (Carole) adjust to the depressingly boring life her father has inflicted upon her in Kansas, to dealing with her brother’s cancer, to my father’s and my brother’s behavior, she’s just done it all.  Kudos, Mommy.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Patrick’s.  The child has become severely depressed and angry.  He takes it out on everyone around him, especially my parents and myself.  It is really painful to be around him for extended periods of time (especially when my parents are around because it’s endless, loud, arguments), and he’s really become a foul person.  Let’s hope he grows out of teenagerdom with grace and maturity.  He sure needs it.
14. Where did most of your money go?<br />To Europe, easily.  I completely depleted my bank account to get there and have spending money while there.  The grand majority of the money I have received since then has gone to replenishing my bank account.  I have spent a fair amount of money on living supplies, as I am no longer financially dependent on my parents.  So I’ve gotten a lot of food, soap, shampoo, notebooks, and other useful things with my own money.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Europe!  Graduating!  The Hopi Nation!  Oregon!  Bryan!  College!  (not in any particular order)
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
"Accidentally in Love" by the Counting Crows.  It’s totally Bryan’s and my song, and it’s totally true.  Our falling in love was almost completely an accident.  Neither of us really wanted to date before Oregon when it just fell into place.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Much more independent, that’s for certain.  Much happier as well.  Winter always seems to take a toll on my mood, and it’s been greatly lessened this year.  I’m much more stable, and much happier with my life, overall.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I did a whole lot of stuff this year– it’s probably the most epic of all of my years so far on this good Earth.  Studying more for Organic Chemistry in the beginning probably would’ve paid off, and it’s probably the answer that I choose for this question, but it’s pretty low on the list.  I had an amazing year.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Argue with my dad.  After I moved out of the house and into the dorms, we got along much better, but we still get into the occasional spat.  It would have been nice to tone that down both before and after moving out.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
I went down to Torrey with my family, and basically disappeared from view for a while.  I played a lot of Fire Emblem and read a lot.  After finally getting back to Salt Lake, I pulled out of my shell again.  Being trapped in a teeny house with my family (especially my brother, the way he’s been acting, but also my dad) is not really the most fun way to spend a holiday break.
21. Who deleted question 21?
Some idiot who got to this quiz before I did?
22. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Yes.  I dated Alix, then pseudo-Heather, then Sean, and then Bryan.  (for 3 months, not-really, 9 days, and 5 months and counting, respectively).  I fell in love with Bryan, hard and fast.
23. How many one-night stands?
None!!
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Honestly, I really didn’t watch TV.  I watched House with my family on Tuesday nights, but I really really didn’t watch TV other than that.  Ever.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t think so?  It takes a lot to get me to hate someone
26. What was the best book you read?
Not Dubliners.  I’m torn between saying Tale of Two Cities and Stargirl, both of which I have read before, but reread this year.  This was kind of a year for rereading old favorites, and actually reading those books for IB English that I neglected last year.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Dave Matthew’s Band, I suppose.  I haven’t had any ground-breaking new musical discoveries, but I they’re probably the one band that came to my attention this year that I have liked the most.
28. What did you want and get?
Lots of traveling, life experience, a stable and healthy relationship, a space of my own (moving out, w00t!), spiritual journey, fun socks, the beginnings of a college education, lots of fun with friends, some brand new friends, and overall just a great year.
29. What did you want and not get?
Hmm.  That’s actually a bit tougher.  A better relationship with my dad, for one.  There was this really cool glass dragon chess set in Asisi, Italy, but I just couldn’t afford it.  Um.  I really can’t think of anything else.  I had a great year.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
August Rush.  Go see it.  Now.  (Easily and without exaggeration the best movie I’ve ever seen in my entire life.  So there.)
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Best birthday ever!!  I turned 18, which is lots of fun.  The actual day itself wasn’t so exciting, it was the party in my honor, a few days later.  I had a rather large party, starting at the spinny park, traveling up Emigration Canyon, and ending at Jordan’s house.  Where I made out with eight people.  Lots.
32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less deaths.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
I’m still a T-shirt and almost exclusively jeans sort of person.  I wore some choker or other almost 24/7, taking them off only to shower and for formal occassions.  (Amanda’s rainbow choker, a hemp choker I made for myself in elementary school, and a blue and purple one with 1/2 a best friends charm on it)
34. What kept you sane?
Bryan, lots.  Writing in my journal.  Being away from my family.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Oh, I suppose I’m just back to Johnnie Depp.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Homeless rights.  I actually started volunteering at the 4th Street Clinic, which is a medical clinic for the homeless in Salt Lake.
37. Who did you miss?
Aunt Pat.  Bryan, when he wasn’t around, and horribly at that.  Amanda, while she was at college.  Dan, when he refused to answer me, no matter what method I used to contact him.  Old Patrick.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
College brought lots of new friends, let me tell you.  I think the best person, though, was probably Christian.  He’s a really good guy, and smart, too.  He’s very passionate about what he does, and I think I can learn from him quite a bit.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
Live for the moment.  I can’t say how important that is.  Learning from the deaths in my life, my own near-death experience, and the number of worthwhile risks I have taken, I say this:  There is no time like the present.  We cannot change the past and we don’t know what the future will bring.  We don’t know how much time left or how much change we can make.  If we’re not alive now, then when?
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I’m awake, you’re still sleeping
The sun will rise like yesterday
Everything that we are now
Is everything we can’t let go
Or its gone forever, far away
I hope tomorrow is like today
Don’t you go away tomorrow
I don’t think I could handle that
You’re probably dreaming that you’re flying on
Then you start to fall
But then you rise
and shine forever
Don’t go away
I hope tomorrow is like today

~Guster
  I Hope Tomorrow Is Like Today