Despertar

i'm in such a bad mood

1. Where did you begin 2008?
Down in Northwest, outside the bar Tina and [someone else but I forget who] had gone to chasing good times, trying to get a cell phone signal as a thousand other people lined the streets doing the same.

2. What was your status by Valentine's Day?
Dating Justin. It was the precursor to about a dozen subsequent breakups, but it was still my best Valentine's Day ever.

3. Were you in school (anytime this year)?
Yes. As well as the year before that. And the year before that. And the year before that.

4. Did you have to go to the hospital?
Twice, both times for a popped jaw. Once to San Francisco General Hospital, which was infinitely scarier because I don't know anyone in California and for all I knew it was a vital organ chop shop, and once to Georgetown University Hospital, which sucked infinitely more because it was three in the morning and they wouldn't give me drugs till five.

5. Did you have any encounters with the police?
A speeding ticket I now realize I forgot to pay.

6. Where did you go on vacation?
The Bahamas, which was way more fun than I expected it to be. Taking vacations with my family typically sucks because of the social dynamic and my dad's overbearing demands for togetherness, but we had a really effective rap session before we left town, and the perfect blend of togetherness and private time ensued. I really am very afraid of the open ocean, especially when the fish are like New York pigeons and have totally overcome their fear of people, but there were tons of bright blue pools and an inner tube ride I could have done all day.

7. What did you purchase that was over five hundred dollars?
A year's worth of parking at my apartment complex.

8. Did you know anybody who got married?
Kristin! Also Justin's cousin and my Aunt Sharon.

9. Did you know anybody who passed away?
My godmother's sister and my Uncle Jeff.

10. What sporting events did you attend?
Not a single one, unless you count a handful of barcrawls I shared with Justin, each one in search of a place that was still serving food and showing the Ravens game.

11. What concerts/shows did you go to?
A Ted Leo and the Pharmacists concert at a tiny venue off of U Street. Which was sort of fun, for the fellowship, but you know, I think I've reached a point where I'm no longer interested in pretending to like music I don't like to fit in. The music was awful. And three of the five people in attendance have since tried to convert me to Ted Leo/Ingred Michelson fandom, and I have listened to their music, and it sucks. And whenever I ever suggest anything that's not whitebread indie emo tripe, I get immediately shot down. So I'm done with that.

12. Where do you live now?
In Chinatown, close to the Gallery Place mall.

13. Describe your birthday.
I turned twenty-three. It fell on a Sunday, right before we had a big paper due, so it was unremarkable.

14. What has been your favorite moment(s)?
It would be redundant to say, but most of them involve Justin. Another was raiding Strand's with Tina and coming away with what turned out to be four of the best one-dollar novels I've ever read in my life, and also Meg's parents giving me the most genuine hugs ever when I saw them the day after Christmas.

15. Any new additions to your family?
Nope. We're at a procreation standstill till Chad or I get married.

16. What was your best month?
I would say August, when work was winding down, the Bahamas were still ahead and Justin and I couldn't keep our hands off each other. Before he panicked about commitment again in September, which was, before you ask, the worst month.

17. Who has been your best drinking buddy?
Hugh.

18. Made new friends?
Yes.

19. Favorite night(s) out?
"december 31, 2008"  was a really good one. Also the night after Justin's cousin's wedding. The night in San Francisco when I locked my jaw around a giant bratwurst does not make the cut.

20. Any regrets?
Aren't there always regrets?

21. What do you want to change in 2009?
I want to feel more like my brother, who genuinely believes his life is designed for his enjoyment and that he doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to do.

22. Overall, how would you rate this year?
In terms of how much I enjoyed it, probably a C+. In terms of its yielding life experiences and valuable lessons, probably a B+.

23. Have any life changes in 2008?
Not really major ones.

24. Change your hairstyle?
It grew some, which, thank God, because I can't manage this awful short cut forever.

25. Get a new job?
Yes, two of them. A three-week stint with the firm where I'll spend my 2009 summer and a seven-week internship at a charter school foundation in San Francisco. The two of which, in tandem, are supposed to spark my interest in doing pro bono work once I receive a full-time offer at that firm after graduation.

26. How old did you turn this year?
Twenty-three.

27. Do you have a New Year's resolution?
Nothing so clearly defined as Jenn's, but I do want to reach some sort of satisfying conclusion with Justin early on, get better grades, enjoy it more.

28. Did anything embarrassing?
Not terribly so, no, besides just generally being less amazingly witty than I probably thought I was in really drunk moments.

29. Get married or divorced?
Only the once.

30. Get arrested?
No!

31. Be honest--did you watch American Idol?
Only a YouTube montage of all the times people got stuck trying to open the wrong door, which I still watch sometimes when I want to laugh.

32. Start a new hobby?
More regular gymming.

33. Been snowboarding?
No.

34. Are you happy to see 2008 go?
I don't have strong feelings either way. My grandmother, I found out, really believes in a million different superstitions about ringing in the new year, such as the necessity of eating black peas and having a man cross the threshold first, and the thing about how whatever you do on the first day of the new year is what you'll be doing the entire year. I'm pretty sure I don't believe in years as actual units of time, especially considering even the IRS doesn't view them as such.

35. Drank Starbucks in 2008?
Seven or eight times, not more than that.

36. Been naughty or nice?
Nice in the streets, naughty in the bed?

37. What are you wishing for in 2009?
Again, redundant question.