all my adventures are barking serious

It is, in fact, the end of another year.

Funny, 2013 seems to have both been remarkably fast, and also quite slow. I've got complicated feelings about it, and I think part of it is doing a job for a year and the mind numbing effects it can have to go somewhere you don't feel really passionate about and how time slips away from you as you become an adult...

Anyways, but back to the questionnaire. It's my sixth year of doing this, and I find it really interesting to go through it again and again and see how I've changed.

( another end of year wrap up )

( Books of 2013 )

( Resolutions )

Um, guys, you know my "end of year wrap up" post. You know there's a question about who was the best new person you met this year and I was like "I dunno... Kristen"?

I kind of forgot that I found the board this year. HOLY CRAP. That means Terri, Kim, Janie, XII, Paula, Christy, Suki, Kennedy, and Spooks, ALL COUNT.

DUDE THIS IS AN ENORMOUS OVERSIGHT ON MY PART.

Seriously, these guys are all really great people, and fun to write with and super friendly and part of the reason I remain sane today. I know I get obsessive about RP, but this is a great group of people and I feel like I'm part of a community and like I could share things with these people that I can't share with others. Its wonderful, and there's so much good that can come from it. I can't believe I forgot about them. D:

But yes -- favorite people of last year.

I am getting a little bored of the end of year wrap up questionnaire I use, but for consistency I think I'll have to continue doing it. Mostly because it makes a good comparison for later. So here it is, the end of year wrap up by yours truely. Anyone have any suggestions for good end of year memes?

( End of the Year )

Oh! I thought of one. I'm going to reset all the counts of my music tonight at midnight. So, for the sake of memory -- ( My top 100 played songs of the year )

So I'm supposed to be watching Grey's with Kat. Eddie is mildly interested. Its amusing. I stole it from tenshinya.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Well, I lived without my parents. I went to college. I asked Eddie and Kat to help me with this question and they were supremely unuseful. But I think of anything new. I mean, I'm sure there were firsts, but its vanished.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make resolutions. Not for any real reason, I just don't. I suppose I could this year. They would be things like finishing my NaNo from this year and trying, in vian, to get something published. I suppose also, getting into the honors college and getting a job that will help me get a medical career would be important too.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No one. Sorry.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My great grandmother died. She was 98, and she had a heart attack. We were waiting for it. She had already given us her inheritance. It wasn't sudden. My mother had just seen her. I want to be as long lived as her.

5. What countries did you visit?
I went to England, quelle surprise. And Scotland. I looooooved Charles Renee Macintosh stuff, which I learned about from going there.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
Love? I have no idea. I'm watching Grey's Anatomy, so DRAMA. There was very little of it. I don't even know what I didn't have in 2007. I had my senior year.

7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I suppose March 17th would be a big one. And March 25. March 25 because it was the last show I did at North. March 17th for other reasons. August 17th, day I left for college.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I survived my first semester of college with good grades! Well, that and I pushed through the hard part of my NaNo and now have a workable novel, which I am very happy about. I also decided that I do want to be a doctor. I've gone on and off about it since Sophomore year, but now I'm committed. I'm going to put in the work and I am going to make it.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I suppose its not meeting more people. I mean, I love Liisa, and Katelyn and Min Ju, but there are so many more people I could meet. And hopefully next year will make that possible and I'll find people like me. I mean, in the pre-med track. I need someone to be doing what I'm doing.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
None. *knock on wood*

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My new computer. Though admittedly its already crashed once, but I figure it will get better. And I'll learn the ropes and then it will be okay. Switching operating systems is hard.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Honestly, I can't say anyone in particular. I have become more cynical I believe and therefore can find very little good in anyone. Sorry.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Liisa's a little. Just with the getting drunk and going a little crazy. My own, for finding friends who are like the ones I've left behind. A couple of other people, but like, its not that they changed, its how I saw them that changed.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Food and transport. Yay the metro eating my budget.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Harry Potter 7, duh. Going to college.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Swing Life Away - Rise Against. Basically, that is it. :)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier. I live independently, I get good grades. I've grown. I notice things.
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter. Gained the Freshman 15. Oh goodie. -.-
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer. I much more money at the beginning of the year. I had a job, which helped.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Made more friends. Seriously. I wish I was an outgoing person. I also wish I had done more writing. I should have finished my NaNo by now.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
This will sound strange, but I wish I had been less of my self. I am incredibly judgmental which means that I lose people because I think I won't like them. Katelyn is an example. But now I really like her. I feel guilty because I didn't like her when I first met her.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
I stayed at home. We ate pheasant. It was all right.

21. How will you be spending New Year's?
I spent it with Kat and Eddie, we watched Grey's and I was amused by them. New Years we were all sitting on the couch and I had my head on Eddie's lap and Kat was sitting on me and we watched the ball drop and then did nothing. I missed them.

22. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Yes. Once. My first time actually, and it was very painful and resulted in me being mopey and annoying. But it passed and I am glad it did. It was unrequited.

23. How many one-night stands?
Zero. Who do you think I am?

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Bones. I love Bones. I am sooooo glad me and Liisa watch it together. It makes me really happy.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Sure, of course I didn't know them this time last year, so I suppose it doesn't count. But I have devolped a hatred of Maura becuase first she was mean to me, in that she only wanted to talk to me when no one else was avaliable, and she... well I didn't like her, and then she was really mean to Liisa. So, double whammy. And Walter. I really don't like Walter. But yeah. I didn't know either of them last year.

26. What was the best book you read?
Sophie's Choice - William Styron. My writing style has changed for ever because of that book. I want to write like him one day.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
According to iTunes, my top played song that was added in 2007 is "I Saw" by Matt Nathanson. So yeah, Matt Nathanson is probably the one I would go with. Him of Ludovico Einaudi, who does classical piano work. Amazing. I think Hans Zimmer became my favorite composer this year, so I will include him. For Pirates, and so much else.

28. What did you want and get?
A new computer. Friends at school. Good times.

29. What did you want and not get?
HAHA. Alot of things. See Love. Um, I also didn't get a new iPod, even though Ofelia is dying. Ah well, for this year. When I get a job, or soon, if I can make the money. :D

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
.... There were so many. Pirates, Knocked Up, meh, okay, those two. But I feel as if there should be more.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was nineteen and I did very little. I went to class. Actually I think I skipped math that day. But yeah. I ended up sobbing at the end of the day. Funny Maura story, so I was like "let's watch Amelie!" and so Maura was like "Okay, but I wanna get brownies." and so she and Liisa went to whole foods. Two hours later she came back and I was really upset because like, I had been waiting for them, because I thought they would be like half an hour at most. Turns out, Maura had been like "Let's get coffee!" and Liisa was like "Okay." Story being, I was left all alone on my birthday and it upset me. Not because the world must revolve around me, but god, you would think that maybe she would have been like, "lets take it back" or something. UGH. Angry now. I started not to like her then. Funny, how I don't blame Liisa at all for this. I feel like she's a little too weak willed to be able to resist anyone telling her what to do when things don't matter.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Either not going as far away for school, though that's really not true, but I wish that somehow I could have gone home more easily. So I could see my friends and be okay. I missed them horribly.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Preppy. Honestly. Because I worked in an office two days a week, and then two other days a week we would have to dress up for guest speakers. but on off days I would wear anything really. Funky maybe? Weird color combinations.

34. What kept you sane?
Friends. Both the TV show and literally my friends. Skating. Movies. Staying in on Saturday nights. Living with chill people. Being far away from home. Music.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hmmm. I don't think I had a celebrity crush this year. Except that is lies. Rider Strong was TOTALLY my celebrity crush. guuuuuuuh.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Abortion rights, and gay rights. I got very up in arms about it. For a while at least and angry. :P

37. Who did you miss?
Kat. Eddie. Martha. Gus. Tillie. Liisa. Josh.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Liisa. She is awesome, despite being a little crazy and wild. But I love her and I'm really excited because she might be coming down this weekend!!!!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
Let things lie. Don't have to bring them up unless it really matters. Do what makes you happy.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I've been here so long; think that its time to move
The winter's so cold summer's over too soon

and then

I've got some friends, some that I hardly no,
we've had some times, I wouldn't trade for the world...

Both from Swing Life Away by Rise Against.

Also:

Run
Conversations in my head
Write
My own scripts to dish the dread
And if I speak out loud
I will have to change the rules
For speaking's out of bounds
If it's practised by a fool

from I Fought the Angels by Delgados.