Wow, things have changed a bit since my last post back in November. The short version is: I have a JOB, am moving to DC, and will be living in a great apartment with a good friend I've known for years. Suffice it to say I'm super excited. The long version of the story will appear here at some point, but for now, it's End of the Year Nostalgia! (Subtitle: 2009 - the year that does not deserve nostalgia.)
01 What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before? Phone interviews, in-person job interviews, supervised student teachers, wrote letters of recommendation for aforementioned student teachers.
02 Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Does abandoning resolutions for 11 months and then finally achieving them at the end of the year count? Because after an on-again, off-again relationship with the gym during the summer and early fall, I finally got into an exercise routine around October or November and have been working out almost daily since then. And the job/adult life goal is just now materializing, after months of stagnation. Let's say I have achieved these goals, since that happens so rarely!
In terms of new resolutions, they will sound very familiar, and they are:
(a) Keep at it with the exercising.
(b) Find activities and make friends in DC so as to get out of the house. (i.e., don't get lazy)
(c) Learn something from each new experience, whether good or bad.
03 Did anyone close to you give birth? My college student teaching buddy had twins, and my cousin just had her second child. A few high school friends also had kids this year. Seriously, my Facebook page is now filled with pictures of everyone's kids.
04 Did anyone close to you die? My grandfather. That was not a good spring.
05 What countries did you visit? The UK, only because my uncle decided to send me there. I didn't even make it to Canada, sadly. I'll miss you, Canada!
06 What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Permanence. I'm also hoping for a sense of working towards a goal (finding the ideal job) rather than just treading water.
07 What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? My grandfather's funeral. (Sorry to be a downer, but it's true.) Also, the day I flew down to MD and got offered the job!
08 What was your biggest achievement of the year? Still going to have to go with the job. I guess also being persistent and not giving up on the job search, although it was very tempting.
09 What was your biggest failure? Uh, not getting hired until a few weeks ago? To be fair, it's not entirely my fault; I did as well as I could. I suppose I failed at doing anything productive in this past year really, because I spent a lot of time mired in self-pity.
10 Did you suffer illness or injury? Not serious ones.
11 What was the best thing you bought? Anything during my short time in the UK. Also, my new laptop, which I haven't used much yet, but I'm looking forward to finding all its new features!
12 Whose behavior merited celebration? Müs passed candidacy! Hooray! My friends are also awesome, as they posted happy thoughts on my Facebook page and helped keep me going through this tough year.
13 Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Oh, Buffalo politicians. I am so glad to be leaving this place. Also, Republicans, Iran, and anyone caught in an infidelity scandal.
14 Where did most of your money go? I... didn't spend much this year. When you're living with your parents and not earning any income, it's easy to not have any expenditures. I guess I spent some money in Britain, traveling a bit for job interviews, and most recently on plane tickets to DC for apartment hunting. I'll also be paying off that laptop for a few months to come, if that counts.
15 What did you get really, really, really excited about? Not to get repetitive, but the job. Huge sense of relief. And when I found out that Jamie needed a roommate... I admit that's selfish, but I don't care!
16 What song will always remind you of 2009? Songs from 'Glee'... which I am about to purchase in the next few days.
17 Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier, yay!
b) thinner or fatter? Not sure... possibly thinner, due to the aforementioned working out, but I can't really see a difference.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, and more in debt. Those student loans don't pay themselves.
18 What do you wish you'd done more of? Been more consistent with the job searching; maybe I would have found something sooner. Also, stayed a bit more positive.
19 What do you wish you'd done less of? Self-doubt and feeling stupid.
20 How did you spend Christmas? With the fam in B-lo. Of course.
21 "There is no question 21" This does not get any funnier.
22 Did you fall in love in 2009? Nope. Maybe this year.
23 How many one-night stands? Yeah, okay.
24 What was your favorite TV show? Shockingly (or perhaps not), no longer 'The Office'. It's a tie between 'Glee' and 'Community'. And if you haven't seen 'Community', please start watching; help keep it on the air!
25 Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I don't generally hate people. It's hard to muster up that level of dislike.
26 What was the best book you read? I read a lot this year, but nothing super-memorable. David Sedaris' When You Are Engulfed in Flames is funny, as are all his books. Cambridge Blue, a murder mystery set in Cambridge, is pretty engaging, though having actually lived in Cambridge helps.
27 What was your greatest musical discovery? Well, I'm teaching myself the mandolin now, so that's fun. In terms of new music, I guess I'd have to say the music from 'Glee'. If you broaden this category out to podcasts, I'll add NPR's 'Wait Wait.. Don't Tell Me!' to things that are a great listen. I'm looking for new podcasts and other things to pass the time on my soon-to-be-epic commute, so if you have any ideas, send them along!
28 What did you want and get? A JOB. Should I say it again?
29 What did you want and not get? A million dollars. Someday...
30 What was your favourite film of this year? 'Up' was amazing. 'Slumdog Millionaire' as well; though it's technically from 2008, I saw it last January, so I'll have to say that counts. I'm looking forward to seeing 'Up in the Air' soon; maybe it'll make next year's list.
31 What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 28, and I was at my grandma's house. Some other relatives came over, and we had strawberry shortcake for dinner, which was pretty awesome.
32 What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Employment. Barring that, a sense of getting somewhere with the job search.
33 How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Jobless = no money = no occasion to buy/wear new clothes. Essentially, wearing the same things I've had since MN/college/high school. Mostly jeans and fleece, as always.
34 What kept you sane? Contact with friends. The Internet. Travel, and any excuse to leave the house. Also, the brief period I had a part-time job and a minimal schedule.
35 Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I'm a new fan of Joel McHale, mostly due to 'Community'. Did I mention that you should be watching that show?
36 What political issue stirred you the most? Health care madness. Will the bill actually go through? Who knows. Also, gay marriage; how some people can be so bigoted and insist on impinging on others' happiness for the sake of 'tradition' and some misguided sense of morals is beyond me.
37 Whom did you miss? Everyone, really. Did you notice that I lived with my parents?
38 Who was the best new person you met? Jamie's housemates in London were very nice. My boss for the student teacher supervising is also a lovely person and has been very supportive in terms of writing me recommendation letters.
39 Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. I'm going to drop some knowledge on the job seekers out there, brace yourselves:
(a) Write a new cover letter for each job application. It's a huge pain, but they do actually notice.
(b) Apply as soon as you can. Don't wait around until the application deadline, tweaking and retweaking your resume. The important thing is getting your application in fast, not spending hours perfecting it.
(c) Try to take something away from each rejection, whether it's writing a better cover letter or improving your interview technique.
(d) Rejection does not equal failure. Don't take it personally. (This was especially hard for me.)
40 Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. Damnit, I hate this question. I am not a teenager and my life does not revolve around (angsty, emo) music; therefore, I refuse to answer this question.
Happy New Decade, everyone! I don't know about you, but I am psyched for 2010. Let's get it started already.
Showing posts with label randomness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label randomness. Show all posts
31 December 2009
22 November 2009
Day 22
Today, I thought I'd post the avatar that I made using yesterday's website. So here you go:
Is this cheating? Maybe, but it's November 22, damnit. I am running out of ideas.
Is this cheating? Maybe, but it's November 22, damnit. I am running out of ideas.
21 November 2009
Day 21
Today's Procrastination Website: MadMenYourself.com
Ever wondered what you'd look like if you were a member of the 'Mad Men' cast? Wonder no more! This is a pretty awesome website with a number of options at each step, so you can play around for a while and figure out how exactly to look like Joan or Don Draper.
I would write more about it, but the library is closing. Enjoy! Procrastinate! Do nothing!
Ever wondered what you'd look like if you were a member of the 'Mad Men' cast? Wonder no more! This is a pretty awesome website with a number of options at each step, so you can play around for a while and figure out how exactly to look like Joan or Don Draper.
I would write more about it, but the library is closing. Enjoy! Procrastinate! Do nothing!
18 November 2009
Day 18
I am currently working on this job application, and it's pretty intensive; it requires a cover letter and resume, three reference letters, transcripts, contact info for references, and 'documentation of superior teaching ability'. Not quite sure what that last one means, but it's optional anyway, so I'm hoping those references will speak for me. Anyway, I've been hammering away at this cover letter for a few days now, and I just don't want to work on it any more. Which is a shame, because it's not quite finished yet... still needs editing. I will (probably) get it done by tomorrow, because that's when the deadline is, but it's killing me right now. Just thought I'd share that with you all.
On a lighter note, did you ever wish you could turn your handwriting into a computer font? You can! It's actually really cool; I've managed to download my own font, but having a bit of trouble getting Word to recognize it.. planning to acquire Open Office so maybe that'll work. But a font made of your handwriting, how cool is that? Especially for you people who have cooler handwriting than I do. (read: not teacher handwriting)
On a lighter note, did you ever wish you could turn your handwriting into a computer font? You can! It's actually really cool; I've managed to download my own font, but having a bit of trouble getting Word to recognize it.. planning to acquire Open Office so maybe that'll work. But a font made of your handwriting, how cool is that? Especially for you people who have cooler handwriting than I do. (read: not teacher handwriting)
13 November 2009
Day 13
Segueing a bit from yesterday's 'Glee' post.. Wednesday's particular episode also reminded me of a reason why I want to live in the US, rather than Germany or elsewhere: American schools try exceptionally hard to mainstream kids with disabilities. I'm sure viewers the other night didn't think twice about seeing a student with Down syndrome or a kid in a wheelchair. But in Germany, special ed students are completely segregated from their peers at an early age. Since kids are funneled into schools on different tracks (college prep, technical school, etc.) starting in fifth grade, I'd say segregation definitely is set by then, if not before. I mean, they have entire special ed schools so that these students aren't in the classrooms with their peers. During my two years working at college prep schools, I didn't even encounter anyone in a wheelchair, let alone students with other disabilities. The homogeneousness (?) was a bit frightening, actually. Americans may have other faults, but our treatment of kids with disabilities reflects our respect for all students and our commitment to treating people equally. If you don't teach that by example starting in elementary school, where do you expect kids to learn it?
In other news: Happy Friday the 13th! Don't walk under a ladder, cross a black cat's path, or break a mirror. Or perhaps do those things in pairs so they cancel each other out.
Addendum 2: I had a job interview today. It went pretty well, I think, though you can never tell with these things. The position is not specifically my interests but is in my field. The pay is pretty low, but some salary is better than no salary, I suppose!
Addendum 3: I am in love with NBC's Thursday night lineup. Expect a post on 'Community' sometime soon, it is brilliant.
In other news: Happy Friday the 13th! Don't walk under a ladder, cross a black cat's path, or break a mirror. Or perhaps do those things in pairs so they cancel each other out.
Addendum 2: I had a job interview today. It went pretty well, I think, though you can never tell with these things. The position is not specifically my interests but is in my field. The pay is pretty low, but some salary is better than no salary, I suppose!
Addendum 3: I am in love with NBC's Thursday night lineup. Expect a post on 'Community' sometime soon, it is brilliant.
10 November 2009
Day 10
Nope, no Berlin Wall post here.
Instead, as I was working out (!) this morning, I heard classic 80s song "Take On Me" and was reminded of those literal interpretations of music videos. (Thanks to Müs for introducing me to those.) So enjoy:
There's also "Total Eclipse of the Heart":
And "We Built This City":
These seem to work best with 80s music videos, when the bands didn't seem to know what to do with the new genre and made crazy videos. Thanks, 80s bands!
Instead, as I was working out (!) this morning, I heard classic 80s song "Take On Me" and was reminded of those literal interpretations of music videos. (Thanks to Müs for introducing me to those.) So enjoy:
There's also "Total Eclipse of the Heart":
And "We Built This City":
These seem to work best with 80s music videos, when the bands didn't seem to know what to do with the new genre and made crazy videos. Thanks, 80s bands!
08 November 2009
Day 8
Things I saw on a walk today:
- Sunshine - for the first time in at least a week
- Massive piles of leaves at the curbs - these were very tempting!
- A pre-teen (tween?) girl on what seemed to be an electric mini Vespa - seriously, what the hell, suburbs? My parents wouldn't even let me get a Power Wheels when I was little.
- Bedraggled ghosts and scarecrows from Halloween
- Lonely pumpkins discarded in a cardboard box at the curb
- People putting up Christmas lights and decorations
- Leafblowers: 3, Rakers: 3 - I am cheered by this; I didn't think anyone raked their leaves anymore
- Neon stakes on either side of driveways in preparation for snowplow season
- A dead squirrel laying face-up on the sidewalk... directly underneath some power lines
04 November 2009
Day 4
Pumpkin-flavored foods that are delicious:
- Pie
- Coffee
- Doughnuts
- Yogurt
- Muffins
- Chocolate chip cookies
- Granola bars
- Bread/cake
- Scones
- Beer, of COURSE. (how could I forget?)
- Pumpkin
09 June 2009
Happy birthday to meeee
My birthday horoscope:
"For those of us born on June 9:
Your desire to learn new things and explore beyond the reaches of your immediate environment is strong this year, as you strike out in search of adventure. August brings you opportunities to travel and interact with a new group of people. Though you may feel hesitant at first, by the fall, you will find your confidence growing in leaps and bounds. Try to remember to be observant and ask questions, as you take on the role of a student. By November, you may have an opportunity to share some of what you are learning with others. At the end of the year, love is in the air, as your courage to reach out and connect to others grows by leaps and bounds."
Sounds pretty good to me! Also, when am I ever NOT a student?
In other news: Interview lined up in Boston! Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to get there, where I'm going to stay, how I'm going to get around and how I'll get back. That's all.
Also: I'm possibly going back to London this summer! Updates to follow.
"For those of us born on June 9:
Your desire to learn new things and explore beyond the reaches of your immediate environment is strong this year, as you strike out in search of adventure. August brings you opportunities to travel and interact with a new group of people. Though you may feel hesitant at first, by the fall, you will find your confidence growing in leaps and bounds. Try to remember to be observant and ask questions, as you take on the role of a student. By November, you may have an opportunity to share some of what you are learning with others. At the end of the year, love is in the air, as your courage to reach out and connect to others grows by leaps and bounds."
Sounds pretty good to me! Also, when am I ever NOT a student?
In other news: Interview lined up in Boston! Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to get there, where I'm going to stay, how I'm going to get around and how I'll get back. That's all.
Also: I'm possibly going back to London this summer! Updates to follow.
25 April 2009
Still alive
Back by popular demand because I remembered that I have a blog. And it's looking pretty sad and neglected. I may end up shutting this down because I spend inordinate amounts of time on Facebook and have not a whole lot to report. Yet, if something does happen (i.e., I move somewhere awesome and exciting), I'll probably keep it up. So basically I'm indecisive, surprise, surprise.
Speaking of moving somewhere awesome and exciting, a number of applications are currently under review, for jobs in places like Chicago, Boston, Baltimore and places abroad... that's right, I'm looking at spending another year abroad. It's addictive, really. Also, it's not here, so win-win. There's this program that sends folks with Master's degrees in TESOL/applied linguistics (check!) abroad to teach English for a year, and it sounds pretty amazing. Working on one of the projects they have listed would be a pretty big shock, I think; the countries are all underdeveloped (well, that is the point of the program) and some are more anti-American than others, but what an experience that would be. I'm sometimes rather hesitant and not entirely thrilled about schlepping stuff overseas again, but overall it seems genuinely worthwhile. At any rate, we'll see if I make it past the interview stage.
In other news.. Have you ever friended someone on Facebook and then sort of regretted it? I recently found a high school friend and was pretty psyched to get back in contact with her... and then I remembered that I had the feeling that it wasn't entirely an equitable friendship. Looking at her profile has sort of brought back memories of not only that, but of how non-awesome I was in high school. I mean, I'm pretty geeky, but now I revel in my geekiness. (Sort of.) Then, I was also very nerdy, but also insecure and inadequate and sort of wanted to change, but didn't know how to go about it. I guess friending this girl brings me back to those days; although I thought they were far in the past and I'd moved beyond that, here come all those high school memories flooding back.
Lastly, I'm starting to wonder if I've missed the marriage/baby train. Or if there's something in the water. Seriously, what's going on with everyone?
Speaking of moving somewhere awesome and exciting, a number of applications are currently under review, for jobs in places like Chicago, Boston, Baltimore and places abroad... that's right, I'm looking at spending another year abroad. It's addictive, really. Also, it's not here, so win-win. There's this program that sends folks with Master's degrees in TESOL/applied linguistics (check!) abroad to teach English for a year, and it sounds pretty amazing. Working on one of the projects they have listed would be a pretty big shock, I think; the countries are all underdeveloped (well, that is the point of the program) and some are more anti-American than others, but what an experience that would be. I'm sometimes rather hesitant and not entirely thrilled about schlepping stuff overseas again, but overall it seems genuinely worthwhile. At any rate, we'll see if I make it past the interview stage.
In other news.. Have you ever friended someone on Facebook and then sort of regretted it? I recently found a high school friend and was pretty psyched to get back in contact with her... and then I remembered that I had the feeling that it wasn't entirely an equitable friendship. Looking at her profile has sort of brought back memories of not only that, but of how non-awesome I was in high school. I mean, I'm pretty geeky, but now I revel in my geekiness. (Sort of.) Then, I was also very nerdy, but also insecure and inadequate and sort of wanted to change, but didn't know how to go about it. I guess friending this girl brings me back to those days; although I thought they were far in the past and I'd moved beyond that, here come all those high school memories flooding back.
Lastly, I'm starting to wonder if I've missed the marriage/baby train. Or if there's something in the water. Seriously, what's going on with everyone?
12 March 2009
My next career: graphic designer
Thanks to Müs for the idea!
Directions:
1 - Go to wikipedia. Hit “random”or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RandomThe first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.
2 - Go to "Random Quotations"or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.
3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4 - Use Photoshop or similar graphics editing program to put it all together.
The Results:
20 February 2009
10 more things
That Facebook "25 Things About Me" craze recently made me go back and reconsider those 50 things I posted here about two three years ago. (sidebar: holy crap, it's been that long?!) Some of those aren't strictly true any more -- I'll leave it up to you to determine which ones I'm talking about -- but instead of editing them, I'm going to add a few more. And maybe I'll put these in my Facebook list, since the one that I posted there is admittedly pretty lame. So here goes:
Ten More Things About Me!
51. I love words: crosswords, reading, word puzzles, using words in daily conversation that most people don't use, ever. I'm not trying to sound pretentious; I just think it's fun to use semi-obscure words that'll get across exactly what I mean. This is probably the main reason why I don't want to live in Germany; though I suppose I'm pretty fluent in German, or at least could definitely get by, the nuance isn't there. My sentences in German come across (to me) as a simplified version of what I'm actually thinking. I miss being able to pick from a variety of slightly different word choices for a given situation, instead of going with the one German word I'm familiar with.
52. I'm a beer snob. The hierarchy goes: Belgian > German > other imports > microbrews > domestics. A particular microbrew may move up the list (case in point: Saranac Caramel Porter). Also, ale always trumps lager. Lager is vile.
53. I'd take beer over wine any day. Caveat: Said beer must be good (see above). Caveat #2: This does not apply to certain meals, like pasta.
54. I've been compared to Liz Lemon from "30 Rock", from the way she talks to the Tina Fey smirk. I think this is awesome.
55. I'm a blue cheese fiend. When I was little, I used to use celery sticks to fish out the blue cheese chunks from the dip that comes with wings -- and not eat the celery. I never get sick of blue cheese. Also, I still hate celery.
56. I like:
a. mushrooms: raw
b. broccoli: cooked
c. tomatoes: both
d. olives: neither
57. I think the concept of "boneless wings" is both fallacious and a huge scam. If they're boneless, they're clearly not wings now are they? Call them chicken fingers/tenders/nuggets/strips/whatever, but if you can eat the entire thing at once, that is NOT a chicken wing. The day Bocce's or Duff's starts advertising "boneless wings" is the day I shoot myself.
58. I'm a dog person. In my younger days, to the consternation of my parents, I was a cat person. I guess nurture wins out over nature.
59. The furthest east I've been is Athens, Greece. The furthest west I've been is Minneapolis, Minnesota.
60. Breakfast is vital to my ability to function in the mornings. It's got to be within a half-hour or so, or else heads will roll. You do not want to be around me if I've missed breakfast.
Ten More Things About Me!
51. I love words: crosswords, reading, word puzzles, using words in daily conversation that most people don't use, ever. I'm not trying to sound pretentious; I just think it's fun to use semi-obscure words that'll get across exactly what I mean. This is probably the main reason why I don't want to live in Germany; though I suppose I'm pretty fluent in German, or at least could definitely get by, the nuance isn't there. My sentences in German come across (to me) as a simplified version of what I'm actually thinking. I miss being able to pick from a variety of slightly different word choices for a given situation, instead of going with the one German word I'm familiar with.
52. I'm a beer snob. The hierarchy goes: Belgian > German > other imports > microbrews > domestics. A particular microbrew may move up the list (case in point: Saranac Caramel Porter). Also, ale always trumps lager. Lager is vile.
53. I'd take beer over wine any day. Caveat: Said beer must be good (see above). Caveat #2: This does not apply to certain meals, like pasta.
54. I've been compared to Liz Lemon from "30 Rock", from the way she talks to the Tina Fey smirk. I think this is awesome.
55. I'm a blue cheese fiend. When I was little, I used to use celery sticks to fish out the blue cheese chunks from the dip that comes with wings -- and not eat the celery. I never get sick of blue cheese. Also, I still hate celery.
56. I like:
a. mushrooms: raw
b. broccoli: cooked
c. tomatoes: both
d. olives: neither
57. I think the concept of "boneless wings" is both fallacious and a huge scam. If they're boneless, they're clearly not wings now are they? Call them chicken fingers/tenders/nuggets/strips/whatever, but if you can eat the entire thing at once, that is NOT a chicken wing. The day Bocce's or Duff's starts advertising "boneless wings" is the day I shoot myself.
58. I'm a dog person. In my younger days, to the consternation of my parents, I was a cat person. I guess nurture wins out over nature.
59. The furthest east I've been is Athens, Greece. The furthest west I've been is Minneapolis, Minnesota.
60. Breakfast is vital to my ability to function in the mornings. It's got to be within a half-hour or so, or else heads will roll. You do not want to be around me if I've missed breakfast.
19 January 2009
See those links on the side?
I need some new ones. Not the friends, of course, but the random ones that are entertaining. So what are your favorite random, entertaining websites? Bonus points if they don't take forever to load via dial-up.
Aaaaaand GO!
Aaaaaand GO!
16 January 2009
Hear that? It's the sound of my independence being yanked away
Conversation held earlier today:
Me: 'I have a meeting this afternoon at [local high school] with one of my student teachers.'
Dad: 'What time?'
M: '12.30.'
D: 'Well, I'll drop you off, I have to go to the store. I'll pick you up in an hour?'
M: 'O...kay.'
That was me, being dropped off and picked up at the high school, like a high schooler. You'd think the last ten years haven't passed at all.
Me: 'I have a meeting this afternoon at [local high school] with one of my student teachers.'
Dad: 'What time?'
M: '12.30.'
D: 'Well, I'll drop you off, I have to go to the store. I'll pick you up in an hour?'
M: 'O...kay.'
That was me, being dropped off and picked up at the high school, like a high schooler. You'd think the last ten years haven't passed at all.
10 January 2009
2008: Year in Review
01 What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? Earned a masters, wrote 16000 words within two weeks (yeah, exams were fun), designed and went through with a research project, visited a few new countries, toured my parents around the UK and Ireland.
02 Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Heh, apart from a fit of exercising in between semesters, I didn't keep the 2008 resolutions at all. To be fair, I should have kept up with that, since that was about the best few weeks of this entire year. So I'm going to get back into that, except let's not call it a resolution, since I have an apparent tendency to fail at those. Also, finding a JOB and achieving a real, adult, grown-up life is in the process. I hope.
03 Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope.
04 Did anyone close to you die? Janice, my family's crazy, psychotic, clueless, adorable dog. Who liked bagels. And sneezing on your face as you were laying on the couch. And howling along with you. There's no other greyhound like her.
05 What countries did you visit? The UK, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Canada. And France if you count the train ride on the way to Belgium.
06 What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? An idea of what I want to do with my life. (This answer from last year still applies.) Though at this point, I'd also accept a job.
07 What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? July 17, graduation day!
08 What was your biggest achievement of the year? Graduating with a master's from Cambridge... cross one thing off my to-do list! (see #35)
09 What was your biggest failure? I guess the inability to get hired could be counted as a failure, though there are a number of other factors that contribute to this. Example A: recession.
10 Did you suffer illness or injury? Not serious ones.
11 What was the best thing you bought? Anything involving travel: plane tickets, train tickets, any food in Belgium: fries, waffles and chocolate!
12 Whose behavior merited celebration? A few of my friends got married, so yay for them!
13 Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Apart from the usual politicians (Blagojevich, Spitzer)... hmm. There are certain people who seem to exist in my life purely to ruin my self-esteem and make me feel bad about myself, and the plan is to get them out of my life, and/or get myself away from their influence. (If you are reading this, it is not you.) (Also, this is NOT a resolution, since I generally fail at those; it's merely a goal. Not expressly for New Year's. Yeah.)
14 Where did most of your money go? I know exactly where: student loans. Also, the pound --> dollar exchange rate. Also, plane tickets. (Last year's, but still true.)
15 What did you get really, really, really excited about? When I found out my parents were actually going to visit me in Europe! I figured that was one of those things that they'd talk about ad nauseam but never follow through on, but it happened!
16 What song will always remind you of 2008? Uh... I didn't listen to the radio all year. I did buy some songs by Colin Meloy and the Decemberists this year, although only the former album actually came out in 2008.
17 Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Less stressed in terms of being on a schedule, but sadder due to a lack of purpose/independence. Funny how that works.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. Hopefully you can't tell.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, big time. If anyone steals my credit cards or identity, they have definitely chosen the wrong person.
18 What do you wish you'd done more of? Made more friends and gone out more. Two years in a row; let's go for three!
19 What do you wish you'd done less of? Self-doubt and feeling stupid.
20 How did you spend Christmas? With the fam in B-lo. Of course.
21 "There is no question 21" I have got to find a better New Year's meme that doesn't include this 'question'.
22 Did you fall in love in 2008? No. There was a slight infatuation, though. But it didn't involve stalking, I promise.
23 How many one-night stands? Yeah, okay.
24 What was your favorite TV show? Still 'The Office', though it's really starting to slide. Let's hope the writers pick it up a little for the rest of the season.
25 Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? There were some professors at Cambridge that I rather extremely dislike, but I wouldn't say I hate them.
26 What was the best book you read? I'd say Vienna Blood by Frank Tallis. Rather a lame title, but very well-written, uses an impressively varied vocabulary, and set in 1902 Vienna. And it involves cake. That's basically a formula for a winning book, I feel.
27 What was your greatest musical discovery? The Decemberists are pretty great, I think. Their music gets better upon each relisten. Also, I'm suddenly into Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, which is funny and twisted and catchy and fantastic, but it's now 2009, so I'm not sure if that counts. Although it came out in 2008, so let's say it does. Only one year behind the pop culture trends is quite good, considering my track record.
28 What did you want and get? I've been talking about visiting Belgium since 2003, and I finally got around to it this year. It was not quite as awesome as everyone's talked it up, but the food and beer definitely made it worthwhile.
29 What did you want and not get? A freaking JOB.
30 What was your favourite film of this year? I might have to be a lemming on this one and say 'The Dark Knight'. 'Atonement' was also amazing.
31 What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 27, and I had people over to our house and fabulous garden for a grill fest. It was a good time, especially since it was after the academic year had ended for most people.
32 What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Lasting friendships with folks from Cambridge.
33 How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? I was in grad school, what do you think? Jeans and fleece and funny, random t-shirts. I've tried to get out of that rut to some extent, but it's a bit tough when you don't have any money. H&M helped me out a bit when I was in Cambridge.
34 What kept you sane? Phone calls to and from friends. Also, travel: getting away from the routine is always good.
35 Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Heh, British phrasing. I continue to be a big fan of John Krasinski. Also, I'm suddenly enamored of Neil Patrick Harris: he's hilarious, seems to be a down-to-earth guy, and he can sing!
36 What political issue stirred you the most? Oh, the 2008 election! Absolute madness. I loved it, as much as the infighting and twisting of words drove me crazy.
37 Whom did you miss? Oddly enough, I missed folks from Cambridge after returning to the US... I guess the grass is always greener, eh? Thank goodness for Facebook.
38 Who was the best new person you met? I met some interesting people while traveling...
39 Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Asking for help is not a bad thing.
40 Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 'Es tut so schlau, um nicht unangenehm aufzufallen/Und nicht schön genug, um damit durchzukommen/ Weisst du genau wie es ist, immer rauszufallen /Nur nicht weit genug, woanders anzukommen.' - Wir sind Helden, 'The Geek (Shall Inherit)' One day, the answer to this question won't be a song lyric that can also be applied to an angsty, geeky, misfit high-schooler. Today is not that day.
Happy 2009, and let's hope that it's better than 2008. It's got to be. Right?
02 Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Heh, apart from a fit of exercising in between semesters, I didn't keep the 2008 resolutions at all. To be fair, I should have kept up with that, since that was about the best few weeks of this entire year. So I'm going to get back into that, except let's not call it a resolution, since I have an apparent tendency to fail at those. Also, finding a JOB and achieving a real, adult, grown-up life is in the process. I hope.
03 Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope.
04 Did anyone close to you die? Janice, my family's crazy, psychotic, clueless, adorable dog. Who liked bagels. And sneezing on your face as you were laying on the couch. And howling along with you. There's no other greyhound like her.
05 What countries did you visit? The UK, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Canada. And France if you count the train ride on the way to Belgium.
06 What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? An idea of what I want to do with my life. (This answer from last year still applies.) Though at this point, I'd also accept a job.
07 What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? July 17, graduation day!
08 What was your biggest achievement of the year? Graduating with a master's from Cambridge... cross one thing off my to-do list! (see #35)
09 What was your biggest failure? I guess the inability to get hired could be counted as a failure, though there are a number of other factors that contribute to this. Example A: recession.
10 Did you suffer illness or injury? Not serious ones.
11 What was the best thing you bought? Anything involving travel: plane tickets, train tickets, any food in Belgium: fries, waffles and chocolate!
12 Whose behavior merited celebration? A few of my friends got married, so yay for them!
13 Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Apart from the usual politicians (Blagojevich, Spitzer)... hmm. There are certain people who seem to exist in my life purely to ruin my self-esteem and make me feel bad about myself, and the plan is to get them out of my life, and/or get myself away from their influence. (If you are reading this, it is not you.) (Also, this is NOT a resolution, since I generally fail at those; it's merely a goal. Not expressly for New Year's. Yeah.)
14 Where did most of your money go? I know exactly where: student loans. Also, the pound --> dollar exchange rate. Also, plane tickets. (Last year's, but still true.)
15 What did you get really, really, really excited about? When I found out my parents were actually going to visit me in Europe! I figured that was one of those things that they'd talk about ad nauseam but never follow through on, but it happened!
16 What song will always remind you of 2008? Uh... I didn't listen to the radio all year. I did buy some songs by Colin Meloy and the Decemberists this year, although only the former album actually came out in 2008.
17 Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Less stressed in terms of being on a schedule, but sadder due to a lack of purpose/independence. Funny how that works.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. Hopefully you can't tell.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, big time. If anyone steals my credit cards or identity, they have definitely chosen the wrong person.
18 What do you wish you'd done more of? Made more friends and gone out more. Two years in a row; let's go for three!
19 What do you wish you'd done less of? Self-doubt and feeling stupid.
20 How did you spend Christmas? With the fam in B-lo. Of course.
21 "There is no question 21" I have got to find a better New Year's meme that doesn't include this 'question'.
22 Did you fall in love in 2008? No. There was a slight infatuation, though. But it didn't involve stalking, I promise.
23 How many one-night stands? Yeah, okay.
24 What was your favorite TV show? Still 'The Office', though it's really starting to slide. Let's hope the writers pick it up a little for the rest of the season.
25 Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? There were some professors at Cambridge that I rather extremely dislike, but I wouldn't say I hate them.
26 What was the best book you read? I'd say Vienna Blood by Frank Tallis. Rather a lame title, but very well-written, uses an impressively varied vocabulary, and set in 1902 Vienna. And it involves cake. That's basically a formula for a winning book, I feel.
27 What was your greatest musical discovery? The Decemberists are pretty great, I think. Their music gets better upon each relisten. Also, I'm suddenly into Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, which is funny and twisted and catchy and fantastic, but it's now 2009, so I'm not sure if that counts. Although it came out in 2008, so let's say it does. Only one year behind the pop culture trends is quite good, considering my track record.
28 What did you want and get? I've been talking about visiting Belgium since 2003, and I finally got around to it this year. It was not quite as awesome as everyone's talked it up, but the food and beer definitely made it worthwhile.
29 What did you want and not get? A freaking JOB.
30 What was your favourite film of this year? I might have to be a lemming on this one and say 'The Dark Knight'. 'Atonement' was also amazing.
31 What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 27, and I had people over to our house and fabulous garden for a grill fest. It was a good time, especially since it was after the academic year had ended for most people.
32 What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Lasting friendships with folks from Cambridge.
33 How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? I was in grad school, what do you think? Jeans and fleece and funny, random t-shirts. I've tried to get out of that rut to some extent, but it's a bit tough when you don't have any money. H&M helped me out a bit when I was in Cambridge.
34 What kept you sane? Phone calls to and from friends. Also, travel: getting away from the routine is always good.
35 Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Heh, British phrasing. I continue to be a big fan of John Krasinski. Also, I'm suddenly enamored of Neil Patrick Harris: he's hilarious, seems to be a down-to-earth guy, and he can sing!
36 What political issue stirred you the most? Oh, the 2008 election! Absolute madness. I loved it, as much as the infighting and twisting of words drove me crazy.
37 Whom did you miss? Oddly enough, I missed folks from Cambridge after returning to the US... I guess the grass is always greener, eh? Thank goodness for Facebook.
38 Who was the best new person you met? I met some interesting people while traveling...
39 Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Asking for help is not a bad thing.
40 Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 'Es tut so schlau, um nicht unangenehm aufzufallen/Und nicht schön genug, um damit durchzukommen/ Weisst du genau wie es ist, immer rauszufallen /Nur nicht weit genug, woanders anzukommen.' - Wir sind Helden, 'The Geek (Shall Inherit)' One day, the answer to this question won't be a song lyric that can also be applied to an angsty, geeky, misfit high-schooler. Today is not that day.
Happy 2009, and let's hope that it's better than 2008. It's got to be. Right?
23 December 2008
Food, glorious food
What better way to get into the holiday spirit than thinking about food? Specifically, desserts? (mostly desserts) Enjoy!
The Christmas Fifty
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve tasted.
3) Place an asterisk after all the items you’ve cooked/prepared.
4) Cross out anything you never want to try, or add an exclamation mark after anything you really want to try.
1. Crystallised or candied fruits.
2. Egg nog
3. Bûche de Noël, or Yule log*
4. Rum balls
5. Bebinca
6. Roasted chestnuts
7. Cavallucci
8. Tourtière
9. Uszka
10. Port & Stilton - I've had them, but not together; let's pretend that counts
11. Hallaca
12. Roast goose
13. Lefse
14. Sugar plums
15. Romeritos
16. Pinnekjøtt
17. Hot toddy*
18. Christmas cake - does this mean fruitcake? Let's say it does, so I can bold it
19. Tamales - but not for Christmas
20. Sorpotel
21. Panettone
22. Candy canes
23. Pasteles
24. Speculaas
25. Makowiec
26. Christmas pudding - it's really gross, don't try it
27. Stollen
28. Figgy pudding
29. Lebkuchen
30. Turrón
31. Mince pies
32. Wassail bowls
33. Buñuelos
34. Pio Quinto
35. Marzipan fruits
36. Mulled wine*
37. King cake
38. Christmas beach barbecue
39. Cola de mono
40. Lutefisk
41. Kutia
42. Pizzelle*
43. Dominostein
44. Cranberry sauce
45. Pfeffernüsse*
46. Satsumas or clementines
47. Pumpkin pie
48. Smalahove
49. Nut roast
50. Brandy butter
Grand total: 23/50 - not bad, I guess. What's yours?
The Christmas Fifty
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve tasted.
3) Place an asterisk after all the items you’ve cooked/prepared.
4) Cross out anything you never want to try, or add an exclamation mark after anything you really want to try.
1. Crystallised or candied fruits.
2. Egg nog
3. Bûche de Noël, or Yule log*
4. Rum balls
5. Bebinca
6. Roasted chestnuts
7. Cavallucci
8. Tourtière
9. Uszka
10. Port & Stilton - I've had them, but not together; let's pretend that counts
11. Hallaca
12. Roast goose
13. Lefse
14. Sugar plums
15. Romeritos
16. Pinnekjøtt
17. Hot toddy*
18. Christmas cake - does this mean fruitcake? Let's say it does, so I can bold it
19. Tamales - but not for Christmas
20. Sorpotel
21. Panettone
22. Candy canes
23. Pasteles
24. Speculaas
25. Makowiec
26. Christmas pudding - it's really gross, don't try it
27. Stollen
28. Figgy pudding
29. Lebkuchen
30. Turrón
31. Mince pies
32. Wassail bowls
33. Buñuelos
34. Pio Quinto
35. Marzipan fruits
36. Mulled wine*
37. King cake
38. Christmas beach barbecue
39. Cola de mono
40. Lutefisk
41. Kutia
42. Pizzelle*
43. Dominostein
44. Cranberry sauce
45. Pfeffernüsse*
46. Satsumas or clementines
47. Pumpkin pie
48. Smalahove
49. Nut roast
50. Brandy butter
Grand total: 23/50 - not bad, I guess. What's yours?
07 November 2008
They can also eat a dozen bagels or an entire loaf of cinnamon bread
Apparently there's been much speculation about what kind of dog the Obamas should get when they move into the White House. Everyone is suggesting a poodle, and no doubt it'll end up being some sort of supercute retriever/lab mix, but may I suggest: a greyhound.
Oh, you want reasons?
1. They don't shed -- key, since Malia's allergic.
2. The family would like a shelter dog -- hello, greyhound rescue organizations!
2. The family would like a shelter dog -- hello, greyhound rescue organizations!
3. Greyhounds need big spaces to run and a fenced-in yard. The White House lawn is perfect!
4. They're generally very low key and love kids.
5. They don't bark -- there's noise enough from the press, thank you very much.
6.
18 April 2008
Know what I just realized?
My undergrad honors thesis, the one I spent the entire year on, was just over 9000 words.
I have had five weeks to write this 8000-word paper.
Soon, I'll be writing 16,000 words in the space of two weeks.
Hmm.
I have had five weeks to write this 8000-word paper.
Soon, I'll be writing 16,000 words in the space of two weeks.
Hmm.
02 April 2008
Add another patch to the bag
Funny story: I went to Portugal last week!
As I was thinking only of doom and gloom (and interminable essays) last Monday, an acquaintance from College sent me a text, wondering if I'd be interested in going to Portugal. Apparently her friend could no longer go and I could have her plane ticket. The kicker: The plane was leaving Wednesday morning, super early! At first, I wasn't sure what I should do; I only had another 4 weeks for the essay, and I really should be working, plus I'm living on student loans at the moment...
And then I thought about what my friends would say: I'd be stupid not to go. So I made about the fastest decision in my life when I told her I'd join her in Portugal.
I am so glad I did.
I guess I'd forgotten how much I've missed travelling... the last time I went someplace completely new (for fun, not moving) was chaperoning the high-schoolers in Budapest last summer. While I'm still not a fan of not knowing the language of a new place (I always feel a bit guilty that people have to speak mine), I love sight-seeing, soaking up the atmosphere of a new place, trying local food (randomly from a menu which I can't read), wandering about the neighborhoods, and taking excessive amounts of pictures. Some of which you will now see.
Typical small, windy street. Cars drive down these, believe it or not. (though not this one, since it has stairs) 
The riverfront of Porto, plus the really high bridge we walked across to the other side. 
My lunch on the first day. Note that the head is still attached.
St. Alfonse of something church.. too bad I don't speak Portuguese. These blue and white tiles were everywhere, though; they were beautiful.
12th century cathedral.
Cathedral cloisters... though I'm not entirely sure what 'cloisters' are. We got to see them for free, though, since it was a National Day of Historic Centers!
A bishop and the Clerigos church tower. You can see the tower almost anywhere in Porto, and you can get a great view of the city from there. (I'm not posting any pictures from there because it was gray and misty that day... no fun.)
The beach! I have concluded that I have to live near the beach when I grow up. No more of this land-locked crap.
I noticed this rock formation when it was dry, and then waited patiently for some water to come in so I could get a nice, artistic shot. Unfortunately, a really big wave decided to come in then, so I ended up with this:
Wet socks are no fun. Luckily we had nothing to do, so we could lounge on the beach while I waited for my socks to (mostly) dry out.
So those were the highlights... and I've now caught the travel bug again and can't wait to go someplace else. I'm thinking possibly Belgium in June, or else maybe Croatia...
01 January 2008
2007: Year In Review
It's that time again: time to look back on the year and think about what you've done, what you wished you'd done, and what you're glad you haven't done. And now, I humbly present to you: 2007: The Year That Sucked For The Most Part, But Had Some Good Moments In It!
01 What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? Taught first grade, chaperoned high schoolers in Europe, visited Budapest, moved to England for grad school… is that enough?
02 Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Looking back on last year’s ‘resolutions’, it appears I didn’t keep the ones I made. Or, at the very most, I sporadically kept them. I think I need to treat myself like a 6-year-old: set small goals that are easily measurable. As such, here are the tentative resolutions for 2008:
(a) Drink more water.
(b) Get some form of exercise at least 3 times a week. (Biking to class does not count.)
(c) Get out of the house more. (carried over from last year, but still needs to be done)
03 Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, my younger cousin. This made me feel very old.
04 Did anyone close to you die? No.
05 What countries did you visit? Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, the UK.
06 What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? An idea of what I want to do with my life. Yep, I’m 26 and still have no idea!
07 What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? September 27, when I moved to Cambridge. Also, that day in October when I found out my dad had broken his leg. Don’t know the exact date, but that was pretty awful.
08 What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting into grad school at the University of Cambridge… one of my long-held ambitions!
09 What was your biggest failure? One really awful dinner party/night out in October… huge blow to my self-esteem. Let’s try to repress those memories, shall we?
10 Did you suffer illness or injury? Not serious ones.
11 What was the best thing you bought? Do student loans count? Not necessarily the best, at this moment in time, but paying for this Master’s will be a pretty good investment.
12 Whose behavior merited celebration? Müs graduated from college! Nice job, my friend.
13 Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My parents win this one. Not telling me about my dad’s injury until 2 weeks after it had happened was really a low point.
14 Where did most of your money go? I know exactly where: student loans. Also, the pound --> dollar exchange rate. Also, plane tickets.
15 What did you get really, really, really excited about? Getting into Cambridge! Also, when I got back my first assignment for the course and found out that I wasn’t as stupid as I thought I was.
16 What song will always remind you of 2007? Any of the songs I taught the first-graders toward the end of the year: the ‘Guten Morgen’ song, ‘YMCA’ (it’s not what you think) and ‘Alle Kinder lernen lesen’.
17 Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? In terms of my current professional/educational status: happier. At least I’m doing what I want to be doing, even though I’m not earning any money. Not very happy about the state of my personal life, though.
b) thinner or fatter? I have definitely put on some pounds. Hence the resolution about getting more exercise.
c) richer or poorer? Definitely poorer. Though richer in knowledge. (commence groaning at cheesy pun)
18 What do you wish you'd done more of? Made more friends and gone out more. This answer from last year still stands; some things never change.
19 What do you wish you'd done less of? Self-doubt and feeling stupid.
20 How did you spend Christmas? With the fam in B-lo. Of course.
21 "There is no question 21" Uh, what? This still isn’t funny.
22 Did you fall in love in 2007? Nope. Surprise, surprise.
23 How many one-night stands? Ha! Bets now being taken on this question.
24 What was your favorite TV show? Still 'The Office'. And may I just say, thank goodness for the writers’ strike; do you have any idea how many episodes I’d be missing otherwise?
25 Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No, it takes a lot to make me hate someone.
26 What was the best book you read? I just finished The Book Thief (Markus Zusak) and The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini), both of which were amazing.
27 What was your greatest musical discovery? I became a new listener of Death Cab for Cutie and Enter the Haggis this year. Also, I’m a big fan of the newest Wir sind Helden CD.
28 What did you want and get? To attend this master’s program.
29 What did you want and not get? Full (or any) funding for this master’s program.
30 What was your favourite film of this year? ‘Once’ is pretty much the only movie I can remember seeing in the cinema this year.
31 What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 26, and I went out to lunch with friends, went mini-golfing (or Putt Putting, whichever you prefer) at the Science Museum, and went out to dinner. It was like the perfect 8-year-old birthday.
32 What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? From last year, but still accurate: Being appreciated by colleagues and parents of students.
33 How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Working: Khakis and nice shirts that generally didn’t require ironing. Currently: Lots of jeans and fleece. Or jeans and sweaters.
34 What kept you sane? Phone calls to and from friends. Also, those times when I wasn’t working: some of the summer, certain weekends during term, certain weeks when term ended.
35 Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Heh, British phrasing. I continue to be a big fan of John Krasinski.
36 What political issue stirred you the most? Stupidity in general annoys the crap out of me. (Still true!)
37 Whom did you miss? Pretty much everyone, since I came to England by myself.
38 Who was the best new person you met? My classmates are pretty cool, for the most part.
39 Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. People BS a lot, especially in academia. I am capable of more than I think I am… at least in a classroom setting.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. ‘I feel like a quote out of context, withholding the rest, so I can be for you what you want to see.’ – Ben Folds, ‘Best Imitation of Myself’ I played a lot of roles this year, and still do… maybe this year, I’ll figure out which one of them is actually me.
Happy 2008! Let's all hope it's a step up from 2007, eh?
01 What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? Taught first grade, chaperoned high schoolers in Europe, visited Budapest, moved to England for grad school… is that enough?
02 Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Looking back on last year’s ‘resolutions’, it appears I didn’t keep the ones I made. Or, at the very most, I sporadically kept them. I think I need to treat myself like a 6-year-old: set small goals that are easily measurable. As such, here are the tentative resolutions for 2008:
(a) Drink more water.
(b) Get some form of exercise at least 3 times a week. (Biking to class does not count.)
(c) Get out of the house more. (carried over from last year, but still needs to be done)
03 Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, my younger cousin. This made me feel very old.
04 Did anyone close to you die? No.
05 What countries did you visit? Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, the UK.
06 What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? An idea of what I want to do with my life. Yep, I’m 26 and still have no idea!
07 What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? September 27, when I moved to Cambridge. Also, that day in October when I found out my dad had broken his leg. Don’t know the exact date, but that was pretty awful.
08 What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting into grad school at the University of Cambridge… one of my long-held ambitions!
09 What was your biggest failure? One really awful dinner party/night out in October… huge blow to my self-esteem. Let’s try to repress those memories, shall we?
10 Did you suffer illness or injury? Not serious ones.
11 What was the best thing you bought? Do student loans count? Not necessarily the best, at this moment in time, but paying for this Master’s will be a pretty good investment.
12 Whose behavior merited celebration? Müs graduated from college! Nice job, my friend.
13 Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My parents win this one. Not telling me about my dad’s injury until 2 weeks after it had happened was really a low point.
14 Where did most of your money go? I know exactly where: student loans. Also, the pound --> dollar exchange rate. Also, plane tickets.
15 What did you get really, really, really excited about? Getting into Cambridge! Also, when I got back my first assignment for the course and found out that I wasn’t as stupid as I thought I was.
16 What song will always remind you of 2007? Any of the songs I taught the first-graders toward the end of the year: the ‘Guten Morgen’ song, ‘YMCA’ (it’s not what you think) and ‘Alle Kinder lernen lesen’.
17 Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? In terms of my current professional/educational status: happier. At least I’m doing what I want to be doing, even though I’m not earning any money. Not very happy about the state of my personal life, though.
b) thinner or fatter? I have definitely put on some pounds. Hence the resolution about getting more exercise.
c) richer or poorer? Definitely poorer. Though richer in knowledge. (commence groaning at cheesy pun)
18 What do you wish you'd done more of? Made more friends and gone out more. This answer from last year still stands; some things never change.
19 What do you wish you'd done less of? Self-doubt and feeling stupid.
20 How did you spend Christmas? With the fam in B-lo. Of course.
21 "There is no question 21" Uh, what? This still isn’t funny.
22 Did you fall in love in 2007? Nope. Surprise, surprise.
23 How many one-night stands? Ha! Bets now being taken on this question.
24 What was your favorite TV show? Still 'The Office'. And may I just say, thank goodness for the writers’ strike; do you have any idea how many episodes I’d be missing otherwise?
25 Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No, it takes a lot to make me hate someone.
26 What was the best book you read? I just finished The Book Thief (Markus Zusak) and The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini), both of which were amazing.
27 What was your greatest musical discovery? I became a new listener of Death Cab for Cutie and Enter the Haggis this year. Also, I’m a big fan of the newest Wir sind Helden CD.
28 What did you want and get? To attend this master’s program.
29 What did you want and not get? Full (or any) funding for this master’s program.
30 What was your favourite film of this year? ‘Once’ is pretty much the only movie I can remember seeing in the cinema this year.
31 What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 26, and I went out to lunch with friends, went mini-golfing (or Putt Putting, whichever you prefer) at the Science Museum, and went out to dinner. It was like the perfect 8-year-old birthday.
32 What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? From last year, but still accurate: Being appreciated by colleagues and parents of students.
33 How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Working: Khakis and nice shirts that generally didn’t require ironing. Currently: Lots of jeans and fleece. Or jeans and sweaters.
34 What kept you sane? Phone calls to and from friends. Also, those times when I wasn’t working: some of the summer, certain weekends during term, certain weeks when term ended.
35 Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Heh, British phrasing. I continue to be a big fan of John Krasinski.
36 What political issue stirred you the most? Stupidity in general annoys the crap out of me. (Still true!)
37 Whom did you miss? Pretty much everyone, since I came to England by myself.
38 Who was the best new person you met? My classmates are pretty cool, for the most part.
39 Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. People BS a lot, especially in academia. I am capable of more than I think I am… at least in a classroom setting.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. ‘I feel like a quote out of context, withholding the rest, so I can be for you what you want to see.’ – Ben Folds, ‘Best Imitation of Myself’ I played a lot of roles this year, and still do… maybe this year, I’ll figure out which one of them is actually me.
Happy 2008! Let's all hope it's a step up from 2007, eh?
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