2011 end-of-year survey

[serene]

firecat combined a couple of different end-of-the-year survey thingies so lots of the numbers are repeated, and I think that's kind of fun. No idea why.

As usual, I stole some of her answers.

1. Was 2011 a good year for you?
It was good enough for me, but very very very hard.



1. Will you be looking for a new job in 2012?
I really hope not.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Attend a science-fiction convention (as a member, not a momentary tourist -- I've done that latter thing a couple of times). Attended university. Walked 5K all at once. Registered for an organized 5K fun walk/run.

2. Will you be looking for a new relationship?
I don't have enough time for the fine relationships I already have, so I'm not looking for more.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't do resolutions. In October, though, I started eating better and exercising, and I want to keep doing that, because physically, I feel better than I've felt in years.

3. What was your favourite moment of the year?
Me, to Betty, who would die the next day: "You know, Carol loves the hell out of you." Betty: "I don't know. I still have a lot of hell in me."

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A work friend; wouldn't exactly call her close.

4. What was your least favourite moment of the year?
My loved ones have been through hell in the past year. It hurt a lot to see them suffer.

4. What will you do differently in 2012?
I don't know. I am fairly contented with the way I'm doing things now.

6. What are your plans for 2012?
Finish school. Embrace Empty-Nest Syndrome. Get the rest of the way out of debt.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, though I wasn't as close to her as I wish I'd been able to be. I sometimes don't know how to meet people where they are.

5. What countries did you visit?
I stayed in the USA all year.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in most of 2011?
Downtime.

6. What will you not be doing in '12?
Claiming the kid on my taxes.

7. Any trips planned?
Fogcon in March, though that's barely a trip. Will probably visit my mom in San Diego a couple of times this year. And if I graduate from college this year, I'm taking a train trip up the coast to visit my brother and kightp and snippy and anyone else who wants to see me.

7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Dates don't usually get etched on my memory unless they're birthdays or anniversaries, and I don't have any new ones of those this year.

8. Wedding plans?
I have no plans to get legally married, or to have commitment ceremonies with anyone, and currently am not invited to any weddings.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting into college is in a dead heat with the work I did in parenting my sister's child. I'm thinking about that a lot these days.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not managing to light a fire under the aforementioned child.

9. How many weddings did you go to?
None.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I have a couple chronic illnesses and they're in evidence, but I'm doing okay.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Probably dental work for the whole family. Yeah, we're party animals.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
wild_irises, in very many ways.

13. What happened in '11 that you didn't think would ever happen?
Occupy. My mom and I seeing eye-to-eye on some political stuff after many discussions that pointed out how much we're alike. Me deciding to kick out my kid.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Nearly every politician in my whole damn country.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Food, but after the necessities, our biggest purchase was probably the Bowflex.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
School!

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
My brain doesn't work that way.

17. Will you better your relationship with your family?
It's not a specific goal. I'm pretty satisfied with my relationship with my family. (There's some stuff that's not ideal, but it's not something I have a lot of influence over.)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? I don't know. I don't really keep track. I am pretty happy in general, though.
ii. thinner or fatter? A bit thinner.
iii. richer or poorer? I have a little more disposable income, but some of it is student loan money, so it's kind of a wash.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Staying home. I am really happiest when I'm not running around doing the million interesting things there are to do, but I continually heed the siren song of the fun event. And then wish I hadn't.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Stressing out about family stuff.

20. What lyrics will you remember most from 2011?
I don't know.

20. How will you be spending Christmas and/or New Year's?
For Christmas Eve, I cooked a standing rib roast and the trimmings for my partners, the kid, loracs, my dad, his wife, and my friend/co-worker Danny. Christmas Day, we just hung around the house. Likewise New Year's Eve. New Year's Day, I took my kid for birthday sushi.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
I stayed in love with the people I was in love with at the beginning of the year.

22. How many one-night stands?
None.

22. How much did you change from this time last year till now?
Some. I don't know yet how much or what it all means.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Towards the end of the year, Waking the Dead. Earlier, it varied.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I didn't hate anyone this time last year and don't hate anyone now. There are people I could stand to see a lot less of...

25. Which LJ/DW users did you meet IRL for the first time?
I met some LJ/DW folks for the first time at Fogcon and at its planning meetings.

25. What was the best book you read?
Probably Un Lun Dun or Twilight: Los Angeles.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I don't know if I found Pomplamoose this year or last. I like them.

27. What was your favourite month of 2011?
Probably September, when I turned 45 and started university.

27. What did you want and get?
Betty's suffering to end.

28. What did you want and not get?
In to UC Berkeley.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I saw very few films this year. I'll have to think on this one. If I come up with something, I'll come back and put it in comments.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 45 and I don't remember what I did. I can consult DW. Ah. Drove home from San Diego.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A perpetual end to all suffering. :P

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Almost everything I wear was a gift from my mother, so really, it's whatever my mom buys for me that I like the looks of.

33. What kept you sane?
My general tendency toward sanity. The love of my family. A job I love.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I didn't do much of that this year.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Occupy!

36. Who did you miss?
My mom

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Maybe my sign-language instructor.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
No one but me cares about all the impossible tasks I keep trying and failing to do. No one.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
I am not much of a joiner, she says
That's not where I draw my strength.
Some of them go for the depth of field, while
Most of 'em go for the length.
Me, I will go for the hard combination
[John Gorka, Flying Red Horse]

43. What would you like to have in 2012 that you didn't have in 2011?
A four-year degree

Comments

[firecat]

Pomplamoose

They are great!

[ailbhe]

Oh *hugs*. You are so great. (And I may not care about the tasks themselves but I care about your personal goals and feelings about them).

It's hard to kick the kid out but we all have to finish our raising of ourselves, in the end. You've definitely added firmness to her foundations.

[kake]

That Betty moment is so lovely.

[hobbitbabe]

Every year I am in awe of your clear sight and kindness, and this year is no different. I'm so glad you're my friend.