A Survey To End The Year

I haven’t done a survey in forever. Good time for it, I think.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
I feel like there should be more, but painting for sure was brand new for me. It’s always been on my list and now that I’ve tried it, I can’t wait for more.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No, I don’t believe I really kept my new years’ resolutions. The kitchen was nominally clean overall, but not the sparkling oasis of cleanliness I had hoped for. And I probably put on weight overall, rather than losing it (though I did lose weight several times, just happened to gain it all back and some extra I think).

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Close to me? No. Several people at work did, but that’s been happening since I started working there. It’s ridiculous.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank goodness.

5. What countries did you visit?
Stayed in the US all year. Did visit California in February and the Grand Canyon and Moab as part of our Zombie Apocalypse Preparedness Training 2011 trip.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
More money. More house? More fiber for spinning! I realize the latter two are contradictory with the first, but whatever. And more hand knit cardigans!

7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I don’t think there’s a certain date. And boy am I going to feel like an ass if there is something that should be.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I think finally getting to the point where I am really truly ready for change and improvement in myself.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not losing the weight I meant to. Not keeping the kitchen clean.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really. A few sinus infections and I think I may have done something to my knuckle. Oh! Except when I pulled something in my back in May. That really sucked.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Best thing? Possibly the snow cone maker for Kyle for Christmas because it’s delicious. Thing with most potential? The membership to the gym. (And if we don’t use it collectively at least 30 times next month, we’re getting rid of it.)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Ender’s? I don’t know, I don’t know that I celebrate other people’s behaviors that often. Is that something I should do?

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The powers that be at work.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills, Eating Out, ZAPT 2011.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Workout regimens, cooking, River Song, spinning, saving up for a spinning wheel, my website, selling a few things to the gift shop, planning things for 2012!

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
There are two, Cough Syrup by Young the Giant and Wishing Well by The Airborne Toxic Event.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder?
Happier!
ii. Thinner or fatter?Fatter. (Last time that’s going to be true.)
iii. Richer or poorer?
Richer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Friend-making. Corresponding. Working out. Reading. Game playing.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Eating. Fretting about how much I hate work. Cleaning.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Fairly joyfully.

21. What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2011?
I don’t believe there was anything super embarrassing that happened publicly. Privately, I’ve been MacGyvering most of my jeans (safety pins, paperclips, elastic hair ties) because most of them were from the thrift store to begin with and getting fatter weakened their buttons. I haven’t wanted to buy new jeans because I don’t plan on needing my current size for that long, but I don’t think I can ignore it much longer. I’m going to get some tomorrow I think. Just have to decide if I want to go with thrift store jeans (these lasted 6-9 months) or brand new ones, that will hopefully be on clearance or something. The thought of spending money on something other than my spinning wheel at the moment really stresses me out.

22. Did you fall in love in 2011?
I suppose Ender qualifies here! How could I not?

23. How many one-night stands?
None.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Walking Dead, Doctor Who, Sons of Anarchy, American Horror Story, Torchwood, Battlestar Galactica (late to the party, yes, I know).

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

26. What was the best book you read?
Ready Player One by Ernie Cline and Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Young the Giant and The Airborne Toxic Event.

28. What did you want and get?
Fiber club! Chore system for the kids.

29. What did you want and not get?
Free house. Obscenely large inheritance. Spinning Wheel (but I will soon!).

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I don’t know. Let me think about it for a moment. The Fighter came out in 2010, but I think we saw it in 2011 – it was great. Super 8 was also great fun. And X-Men First Class, but that’s mostly because I <3 James McAvoy.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 29. And we got take out and played You Don’t Know Jack on the Wii.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
An obscenely large inheritance.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Kind of sloppy, really.

34. What kept you sane?
Kyle, crafts, ravelry.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy most?
Mary McDonnell, because I just watched Battlestar Galactica and want Laura Roslin to be my president.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
None?

37. Who did you miss?
My grandma – seemed more intense this year than in years past. My friends in Canada, Memphis and London!

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Probably one of Kyle’s friends from work, Michael, John, Mike or Jenn.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:
I can’t take care of anyone else if I don’t take care of me first.

40. If you could sum up 2011 in three words, what would they be?
Adventurous, grateful and improving.