In Excelsis Deo

It's December 28, and there are three days left in 2008. The kittens are eating delicious kitten food, my tummy is full of barbecue Fritos and clementines, I've finally caught up on the current season of CSI (thanks to Netflix on demand), and so it is time for the year-end wrap up!!

Year: 2008

Age: 20

Idol: Tina Fey. and Martin Sheen.

Favorite Song: Of the entire year, that would probably be "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," originally by Bobby D, but I enjoy the Peter Paul & Mary version, or Joan Baez with the Indigo Girls. Presently, "Live Your Life" by T.I. and Rihanna.

Prized Possession: my kittens. but if we're talking material goods, it is not a close second- my silk organza cocktail dress from BCBG. also, kittens.

Best Shoes: Oh frick, all of them. I got a pair of BCBGs that I really love but they don't fit because I haven't doctored them yet. I have a lot of shoes and I love them all. I have a new pair that I enjoy highly.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
-Got kittens!
-took a break from school
-lived in my own apartment, for which I paid my own rent
-got to choose a roommate instead of having one assigned to me
-quit my job
-volunteered for a political purpose
-VOTED FOR PRESIDENT
-seen a counselor I liked on a regular basis
-played golf
-helped organize a charity golf tournament

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I am pretty sure that my resolutions in 2008 were to "be a college student" and "get grades." so... I was halfway good on each of those.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, well, in the family. there is Baby Cleo, and also Baby Beloved. Also, the mother of my kittens. Ok that doesn't count.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Stella :(

5. What countries did you visit?
um. USofA.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
more energy, more focus (on small and big levels), and more organizational skill

7. What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 2
August 1
October 3
November 4


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Living on my own and not going crazy! being independent in like a million ways.

9. What was your biggest failure?
the Russian Revolution.

10. Did you suffer any illness or injury?
Yeah I had freaking Disease Of The Century that kept me in bed for a week and a half.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Ok... obviously my kittens. $80, two for the price of one! other than that, hard to say. Love my Ikea furniture, and all the clothes I got, and all the music I bought, and the movies, and the shoes.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Gaby Fox. Tina Fey.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Jorja Fox. Sarah Palin.

14. Where did most of your money go?
rent, furniture, kittens, clothes, shoes. probably in that order.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, the West Wing, weekends, Obama rally at AU, Election Day. Not in that order.

16. What song(s!) will always remind you of 2008?
We Looked Like Giants - Death Cab for Cutie
Run - Snow Patrol
When You Were Young - The Killers
Sahra - Khaled
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
All These Things That I've Done - The Killers
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) - Beyonce
Piece of Me - Britney Spears
Umbrella - Rihanna
Push Up On Me - Rihanna
Live Your Life - T.I. and Rihanna
Yes We Can - Wil.I.Am

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? hm. likely happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? probably about the same
iii. richer or poorer? richer?
iv. younger or older? I am exactly one year older.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
going out into DC.

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

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Well, I went to midnight mass (or as close to it, as Dean Lloyd said) at the National Cathedral, and sat across the aisle from Joe "Toolbag" Scarborough and his exceedingly attractive family. Then on Christmas day I slept pretty much all day, and cleaned my apartment.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
NO Thank God

23. How many one-night stands?
what?

24. What was your favorite TV program?
-30 Rock
-The West Wing
-Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
-Sports Night
-Scrubs
-The L Word
-CSI

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Ugh. Yes.

26. What was the best book you read?
Um I didn't read that much, unfortunately. One Day of Life by Manlio Argueta was pretty powerful. that's all I can remember.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Rihanna. Yeah, that's right. also, hip-hop/rap, and dancehall, and electronica. Vienna Teng, though with her I have more discovering to do. Scissor Sisters.

28. What did you want and get?
kittens. a job. a temporary boy toy.

29. What did you want and not get?
the ability to concentrate.

29.5. What did you get and not want?
well, the freaking virus I had. and cat barf on my bed.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I don't know that I have one favorite. Here's a short list.
-Monsoon Wedding
-Outsourced
-In America
-The Mission
-Bull Durham
-WallE

31. What did you do on your birthday?
Ate cake, went to a baseball game. But really my birthday was 3 weeks long, and in that time I did a lot of shopping for me.

32. What surprised you most this year?
that Americans are smarter than I thought.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
numerous.

34. What kept you sane?
My friendssssss, my kittens, sleep, my friends, Deanna, ballet, choir, my friends, Eileen freaking Findlay, Amanda, Oregon, the zoo, my friends, Dar Williams, my sister.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Tina Fey. I... FANCY YOU. Martin Sheen. Bradley Whitford.

36. What political issue/news story stirred you the most?
oh maybe this little thing called the new President-Elect. fired up and ready to go!
also... Prop 8.

37. Who did you miss?
Gaby, Emily, Dinisha, Maddy, Lindsey, Paige, Natalie, Deanna, my sister and my mommy, Stella, more Stella, and more Stella

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Maeg and Niki. also, Zoe and Rhett. and Tara. and Robyn, and Martin, and Fed, and Nan and Jake, and I guess Bob is pretty cool. some of those were technically 2007.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
It is perfectly acceptable to spend a year spoiling yourself (also known as putting yourself first for once).

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I cried my tears
for three good years
you can't be mad at me

also

just live your life

but mostly

in the unlikely story that is America
there has never been anything false
about hope