the year in review

[stormsewer]

Yes, I did the same one last year, but I think it's interesting to compare.

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?

I went to some countries I'd never been to before, including North Korea. I visited several regions of Japan I'd never been to before, as well. I wrote a twenty page handwritten letter in Japanese. I got my heart broken by a girl. I went hitchhiking. I ate all kinds of crazy stuff, including jellyfish and raw horsemeat. I went scuba diving in the ocean. I played guitar in a jazz band. I busked.*

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and did you make more for this year?

I don't make New Year's resolutions as a rule, though this time around I've been railroaded into vowing never again to fail to stamp in by 8:15 every day.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Little Wing and Duchess (if she counts as someone close to me).

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No. The father of one of my high school kids died, though.

5. What countries did you visit?

Japan, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, USA, China, North Korea

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?

Honestly, I'm still confused about my love life. Clarity there would be appreciated.

7. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

March 18-20- Met WTF
June 15 (I think)- sister's wedding
October 15-17- North Korea

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Hmm. Finishing the revised draft of the novel I guess. Honorable mentions to winning the hitchhike competition and applying to graduate school.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Time will tell.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing we ain't already been slogging through for the last ten years.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A tour of North Korea.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My supervisor at the board of education. The Hawk (the English teacher I work with at the middle school now), at least in her dealings with me. Little Wing, for renewing our friendship. WTF, for the last few months, anyway.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

The Bush administration, of course. Kami. The Head Teacher. The Cancerous Ex. And, to be honest, Shi-chan (though I'm hardly innocent myself where that's concerned). The Korean Worker's Party.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Travel.

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

First and foremost, synthetic biology and WTF. Also graduate school, science generally, North Korea, living on an island, and Zen. I guess it was an exciting year.

16. What song will always remind you of 2005?

I'll have to go with "Come On Home" by Franz Ferdinand. (For lyrics, go here, scroll down and look under the album Franz Ferdinand. It's the second to last one. Ignore the little explanatory blurb at the top.)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?

A year ago today I was in Bangkok, and I'd say I was happier that day than I am on this day. As for January 2005 versus January 2006, I have every reason to believe that the 2006 version will be better, as I spent the last half of January 2005 in a Kami-induced depression.

b) thinner or fatter?

Maybe a little thinner. Hard to say.

c) richer or poorer?

Richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Writing fiction. Reviewing biochemistry and reading journal articles. Badminton.

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

Obsessing about Matchan and the Head Teacher.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Alone in my room. I did call my family, though.

21. Did you fall in love in 2004?

I'm going to say yes.

22. How many one-night stands?

None.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

Home Movies is probably what I watched the most of. I can't really think of anything else.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

I don't really hate people. But the Head Teacher is certainly on my shitlist now, and he wasn't a year ago.

25. What was the best book you read?

In fiction, definitely Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. I read a lot of really awesome nonfiction, as well, including The Language Instinct by Stephen Pinker, Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings of D.T. Suzuki by D.T. Suzuki, Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen, and America: The Book by the Daily Show. I can't pick a favorite from among those.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Either the Divine Comedy (courtesy of Ben Folds, doctor_wombat, and margrietta), or Franz Ferdinand (courtesy of sweetevangline and general buzz). I may have bought the FF album at the end of 2004, though. I can't quite remember.

27. What did you want and get?

A victory in the hitchhike competition.
WTF.
A trip to North Korea.
A stay in a Zen monastery without using vacation time.
The raw materials necessary to continue metabolism for another 365 rotations of the planet.

28. What did you want and not get?

Kami.
More than one person to both read AND give me their thoughts on the novel in its entirety. (Does that mean it sucked? My parents both read it and gave curt lukewarm praise. My aunt really liked it, though.)
The head teacher to leave me the hell alone.
A gazillion dollars.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

There's nothing that really stands out, honestly. Of the films that came out this year that I saw, none of them really seem worthy of the title "favorite." Let's go with Episode III, then. (Films I haven't seen that I wanted to: Brokeback Mountain, Munich, The Kinsey Report.)

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

Geez, I don't even remember. I know I spent it alone. I think I went to my favorite hidden place again. I dunno. I am 26.

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

If the Head Teacher hadn't been all up in my grill all the time.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?

No, I Don't Think The Mold Smell Is Too Strong To Consider Wearing This

33. What kept you sane?

Just as before, I can only laugh maniacally in response to this question.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I didn't really do much celebrity fancying this year. Let's go with Natalie Portman.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?

Probably privacy.

36. Who did you miss?

My sister and the rest of the fam. Kami. Junko. Kelly.

37. Who was the best new person you met?

WTF.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:

"Traditionally Zen Buddhist monasteries will only admit wandering Zen monks if they can show proof of having solved a koan. It seems that a monk once knocked on a monastery gate. The monk who opened the gate didn't say "Hello" or "Good morning," but immediately asked the visitor "Show me your original face, the face you had before your father and mother were born." The monk who wanted a room for the night smiled, pulled a sandal off his foot and hit his questioner in the face with it. The other monk stepped back, bowed respectfully and bade the visitor welcome.

After dinner host and guest started a conversation, and the host complimented his guest on his splendid answer to the koan.

"Do you yourself know the answer to the koan you gave me?" The guest asked.

"No," answered the host, "But I knew that your answer was right. You didn't hesitate for a moment. It came out quite spontaneously. It agrees exactly with everything I have ever heard or read about Zen Buddhism."

The guest didn't say anything, and sipped his tea.

Suddenly the host became suspicious because there was something in the face of his guest which he didn't like.

"You do know the answer, don't you?" The priest asked.

The guest began to laugh and finally rolled over on the mat with mirth.

"No, Reverend Brother," he said, ""but I too have read and heard a lot about Zen."

-Janwillem van de Wetering (quoted recently in Jonathan Carroll's blog)

39. Quote a song lyric (or piece of poetry) that sums up your year:

i wandered among unknown men in lands beyond the sea

Comments

yikes!

[(Anonymous)]

i made the "appalling behavior" list this year... i had no idea!

Re: yikes!

[stormsewer]

Yes, congratulations! Though by putting you on there I'm pretty well putting myself on there, too.