my 2012

for last four years or so, i've filled out this list of questions looking back at the previous year. i'm about a month later than i'd like, but i'm still doing it.

What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before? 
shot a commercial in washington, d.c., went on a date to watch a building implode, participated in a couple of different art shows, improved my ballroom dancing, learned judo and scuba, went to the houston space museum with my parents, toured the blue bell ice cream factory (twice) and also the cotton gin museum (neve did get around to blogging about those; shame), called 911 (twice-ish), went to boston in the fall, saw nick warren in concert (he was cool, concert was lame), got to practice riding horses, and made a dog vomit up an avocado pit.

Did you keep your new years' resolutions? 
not really.

What are some of your resolutions for 2013?
i have three areas that i'm trying to focus on:

• school/thesis/career
• financial planning and saving, even small steps while i'm still living on student worker pay
• physical activity and health, which my kickboxing class is helping immensely

Did anyone close to you get married? 
brooke, rocio, and mark.
(not to each other)

Did anyone close to you give birth? 
my sister how has a little daughter and i have a niece.

Did anyone close to you die? 
i think the closest was when mca of the beastie boys past away.

What countries did you visit? 
i ventured outside of texas a few times.

What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012? 
a "do anything or nothing with" friend within a reasonable distance.
preferably a girl.
but i'd be ok with another guy friend.
or a monkey.

What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 
december 9, because it was a rough day and i was reminded that i have great friends across the country who know and love me despite my crazinesses.

What was your biggest achievement of the year? 
mark's bachelor party.

What was your biggest failure? 
my new year's eve out on the town in minneapolis.

Did you suffer illness or injury? 
i got mono. that was one for the books.

What was the best thing you bought? 
my ipad.
i make sure that i use it for as much as possible so that i'm getting my money's worth.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? 
i've got one friend (that none of you know) that's earning this.

Where did most of your money go? 
let's be honest: tuition and rent.

What did you get really, really, really excited about? 
singing rock band with the gang again. : )

What song will always remind you of 2012? 
i hate to admit it, but i know all the words to taylor swift's "we are never ever getting back together."
my total guilty pleasure.

Compared to this time last year, are you: much happier, richer, nicer? 
not richer, probably happier and at least nicer, i hope.

What do you wish you'd done more of? 
thesis work.

What do you wish you'd done less of? 
trying to think of something more creative yet still valid than "waste time"...

How did you spend Christmas? 
joyfully, with my whole extended family in minnesota.
and scanning a lot of pictures.

Did you fall in love in 2012?
no, but i really tried.

What was your favorite TV program? 
breaking bad.
best show ever.
(and speaking of my taylor swift comment a few lines ago... thanks, 786)

What was the best book you read this year? 
um, i ended up reading the steve jobs biography again, since it was on my ipad and so dang fascinating.

What did you want and get? 
a new red ipod nano. i love it and use it every day.

What were your favorite films of this year? 
i haven't seen very much at all, unfortunately, but i really loved moonrise kingdom, and am still ok calling that my favorite of the year.

and, of course, paperman.
if that doesn't win best short at the oscars, there are problems. big problems.

What were your least favorite films of this year? 
again, i can't think of much that i saw, but i was expecting a lot more from brave.

What were your favorite albums of this year? 
i remember a few years ago realizing that i was watching a lot of movies but that my exposure to music, especially new music, had kind of stagnated.
now, being at a computer for much of the day, i have plenty of time to explore music (spotify, i love you) yet don't have the time to watch movies very much.

of monsters and men's "my head is an animal" is certainly influenced by the hipster bands that i love right now (arcade fire, the decembrists, et al) and is a great album.
but i think i'm going to vote for regina spektor's "what we saw from the cheap seats" just because i want to.
ne me quitte pas

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 
took the chance and had a birthday party with friends here in texas.
it was a great success and we had some good rounds of rock band into the night.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? 
to find my other half, someone who "fits."
i feel like i talk about it a lot, and i probably do.
i'm trying to live my life and enjoy all that i have, because i do have a lot and i do enjoy it. but there's still a part of me that feels incomplete, and i'm still searching for that.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012? 
getting better. i've realized i like girls who look nice and am trying to do likewise.

What kept you sane? 
getting to give creative input on this was a lot of fun.
but the punching bag at the rec center helped a lot, too.

Who did you miss? 
all those good friends who are 1,000+ miles away.
especially sariah, jess, and katy.
i miss jaime, too.

Who was the best new person (people) you met? 
if you told me a year ago that kylee would be one of my closest friends in college station, i wouldn't've believed you.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012. 
as the rolling stones said,
"you can't always get what you want
you can't always get what you want"

What are you most excited for in 2013? 
for the second half of the chorus:
"but if you try sometimes
you just might find you get what you need"

What are you least excited for in 2013? 
i'll theoretically be graduating this year, and while i am dearly ready to be done with school, there's a lot to be done before then.