old and new

via Luckybuzz and google.

1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
Went to a fancy hair stylist, spoke at a conference, stayed out of C'land for a whole year.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I think I avoided making any because I really didn't think I had a hope of keeping them. I think I might be more optimistic this year.
Actually, I did apparently resolve to leave the house each weekend, but I'd completely forgotten about that... I definitely didn't keep it.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No

5. What countries did you visit?
Just Conference Country. This wasn't a good year for travel, even within the US.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Some motivation and self-esteem.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I can't think of any. I'm not good at remembering specific dates, anyway. I remember flight dates, I guess. My trip to Conference Country was September 16th - October 1st

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Giving a talk in front of 700-ish people, I guess.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not getting further with my research.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major enough to remember.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
The fan for my laptop. I still frequently pause to enjoy the silence.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I'm going to be encouraging for a change and say mine, right at the end of the year.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mine, also.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Boring stuff like rent, transport and groceries. Also a fair chunk went on my Conference Country travels, which was a far more satisfying thing to spend it on.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I don't think I got that excited about anything, which is sad.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
Pretty much anything from Luckybuzz's Dangerous Mood Mix

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) happier b) thinner (I've no idea how, but I'm down a belt notch) c) richer
The year doesn't look so bad that way.

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

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Hiding in my room and beating myself up about it.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With C'landian friends.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?
No.

22. How many one-night stands?
Zero.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Wonderfalls.

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

25. What was the best book you read?
See my top 11 list.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Richard Buckner, I think. Thanks, Luckybuzz! Or maybe I should say emusic.com in general.

27. What did you want and get?
I got a little mp3 player.

28. What did you want and not get?
I wanted non-corn syrupy glace fruit from Conference Country, but I didn't get time to buy it. I wanted a lot of books, too, but didn't buy many at all. I still want an ipod, despite the mp3 player I got, too.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
This wasn't a great year for movies for me. There was only one netflix movie I rated 5 stars, and that was The Station Agent, which I got specifically because I'd seen it before and knew how good it was. Of the few I saw in a cinema, I think I liked Friends With Money best, but I'm not sure it would get the full 5 stars either.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I had dinner with some housemates and they made me C'landian desserts. I was 26.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not being so depressed or anxious.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Same boring jeans-and-t-shirt as usual, but with fancy new hair!

33. What kept you sane?
This blog and all of you awesome readers/commenters. Thanks!

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't think I noticed too many. The bartender in Wonderfalls was pretty cute.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I avoided political issues a lot this year, because every time I thought about them I'd just get depressed.

36. Who did you miss?
My family and friends at home, and some friends I'm no longer in touch with.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Those of the awesome readers/commenters I got to meet in person. I think I need to work on meeting new people in real life, too, though.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
Things I'm dreading aren't usually as bad as I expect (something I've been learning for a long time, but I'm hopeful it will stick soon)

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

There's only me to blame
But I'm lonely all the same

-Friendless Summer (the Lucksmiths)

Or the more hopeful:

I'm gonna be all right tonight up here
-AOK Up Here (the Universe)

In 2007…
1. Will you be looking for a new job?
No.

2. Will you be looking for a new relationship?
I don't know about looking, but maybe I might be more open to the idea of not avoiding one.

3. New house?
No.

4. What will you do different in 07?
I have a plan! Or rather a Plan(tm Katie)! All will be revealed, soon.

5. New Years resolution?
All part of The Plan

6. What will you not be doing in 07?
Hopefully not despairing so much.

7. Any trips planned?
Home! For my little brother's 21st in May. Also hopefully some cool parts of the US.

8. Wedding plans?
No.

9. Major thing on your calendar?
Just my brother's birthday, so far. If I ever manage to schedule my thesis committee meeting, there'll be that, too.

10. What can’t you wait for?
I think I need to find things to be excited about. I'm looking forward to going home, though.

11. What would you like to see happen differently?
I would like to hide less.

12. What about yourself will you be changing?
A lot, I hope.

13. What happened in 06 that you didn’t think would ever happen?
There was something unexpected and good, but unbloggable, I think. Oh, and feeling less guilty about S, maybe.

14. Will you be nicer to the people you care about?
That's part of The Plan.

15. Will you dress differently this year than you did in 06?
I don't think so.

16. Will you start or quit drinking?
Probably not, unless I find a drink I actually like.

17. Will you better your relationship with your family?
I hope so.

18. Will you do charity work?
Also part of The Plan.

19. Will you go to bars?
Probably not often.

20. Will you be nice to people you don’t know?
I think I already am reasonably nice.

21. Do you expect 07 to be a good year for you?
I'm more optimistic than I have been for a while.

22. How much did you change from this time last year till now?
I haven't noticed any specific changes, but there must be some, because I feel a lot better now.

23. Do you plan on having a child?
No.

24. Will you still be friends with the same people you are friends with now?
I think so.

25. Major lifestyle changes?
Maybe I should have just finished working on The Plan instead of doing this meme...

26. Will you be moving?
No.

27. What will you make sure doesn’t happen in 07 that happened in 06?
I don't want to waste quite so much time.

28. What are your New Years Eve plans?
I saw some ice sculptures and watched some fireworks with my friend from home.

29. Will you have someone to kiss at midnight?
No. But I got hugs.

30. One wish for 07?
To keep improving and feeling better.

And now I have "Fitter, happier, more productive" stuck in my head, so I'll end this half of the meme on a lyric as well*. Happy New Year!

*I'm hoping for a more positive, literal meaning than the actual song.