Monday, December 30, 2013

Where Did I Leave that Fire?--Year end meme


Time again for my year end meme. If you had a great year, good for you! You fared better than 98% of the rest of the planet! If you had a bad year, take heart, everyone's life ends eventually. (Full disclosure: I'm not that great at comforting people.)


1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Went to assload of new places including:  Spain, Austin, Seattle, New Hampshire, Fire Island. Successfully did a tripod yoga headstand.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't actually think I made any "official" resolutions this year but I did write more and I far surpassed my unofficial resolution to watch 100 films (Last count had me at 168).

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not that I'm aware of.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No and I'm grateful.

5. What countries did you visit?
Spain

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?

I want to focus on the things I do have.

7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
This entire year will be etched upon my memory for various reasons but all in a colorful, Impressionist blur of soft lines. 2013 was memorable indeed.




8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Making it through relatively unscathed.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Communicating what I want.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Um, a Vitamin D deficiency and pink eye. I'm lucky.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Almost everyone I know personally has come up against one personal trial or another and all have handled it beautifully and gracefully. That's all we can expect from ourselves and each other. (Same as last year and probably will be true until my life ends, and beyond.)

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Most people's behavior normally appalls me.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Travel, booze and that mysterious vortex where money goes and nothing comes back.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? 
Traveling with a group of amazing people.

16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Volume II of Arcade Fire's "Reflektor". Over and over and over again, especially Eurydice and Orpheus.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder? a little sadder
thinner or fatter? the same
richer or poorer? poorer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Sleeping, dreaming, writing and laughing

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Worrying about the future. It takes so much time and energy from the present.

20. How did I spend Christmas?

Eating, drinking being happy with the family. (sane as it ever was.)

22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
Unfortunately.

23. How many one-night stands?
700.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Mad Men, as it has been and ever shall be, world without end, amen. (same as last year) However, the last season of Arrested Development was genius as was Orange is the New Black. And Breaking Bad. I watched a lot of TV.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. Hate is still a waste of time.

26. What was the best book you read?
Again, need to mention a few: Eleanor and Park, Night Film, Love Dishonor Marry Die Cherish Perish, The Peripatetic Coffin
 
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
That I miss all the good albums until the year end lists get published.

28. What did you want and get?
 I wanted to be out and about in the world, doing things. I got it all.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
This is a hard one. In fact, it is impossible to pick one so here are a few standouts: Her, Rust and Bone, Gravity, Before Midnight, Blue Jasmine, 20 Feet From Stardom, Five Broken Cameras.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I worked on my birthday this year but I had a wonderful dinner the weekend before with some people I love and saw a show at one of my favorite local venues. Not too bad. I turned 37. Old.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Being satisfied with what I had already. (Same as last year. Someday I'll get it. Someday.)

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013? 

Same as it ever was.

34. What kept you sane?
 Honestly? Wine. and Whine. and the close friends and family i have...same as last year, and the year before that.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
The entire cast of Mad Men.




36. What political issue stirred you the most?

I took a break from immersing my brain in politics since it started to become a clanging, indecipherable din but tangentially? Our country's foreign policy and use of drone strikes is horrendous and the ongoing, eternal war on women kinda makes me want to jump off a bridge. Oh and the government shut down. Actually maybe I kept reading about politics but have grown numb?

37. Who did you miss?
Old friends who live far away!

38. Who was the best new person you met?

I've been fortunate to meet some pretty amazing people this year. I can't rank them.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:

You cannot have everything at the same time and you have to be ok with that. However, wanting everything at the same time is a mark of passion and can stoke all kinds of fires within you.


40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: 

I did my usual cock ups in my personal life and I seem to dwell on those so here are two selections, pick your favorite.

 Always keep your heart locked tight, don't let your mind retire, oh
But I just couldn't take it, I tried hard not to fake it
But I fumbled and when I came down to the wire
It felt great, it felt right, oh
But I fumbled and when I came down to the wire
It felt great, it felt right. --
The Wire, Haim
 





I saw my shadow looking lost
Checking its pockets for some lost receipt

Where did I leave that fire?
Where did I leave that fire?

Will a stranger find it on a curb idling?
Cold cough and the time zone just short of outer space?
Six o'clock tomorrow a strange voice says to me
I do believe we have a fire lady
You can pick it up if you come down with ID
-- Neko Case "Where Did I Leave That Fire?"


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