Saturday, December 31, 2011

2011 Retrospective

Unfortunately, I think the best word to describe my year is "fugue". Looking back on the retrospective post for 2010 I feel as though 2011 barely happened. Most of the year is a blur. I'm still unemployed, struggling with chronic migraines and depression.

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before? Danced in a real "American Tribal Style" group: follow-the-leader-style improvisational bellydance. Filed for unemployment. Joined a church (still atheist - it's a Unitarian Universalist congregation)

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't think I made any resolutions for 2011.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, my cousins Jack & Nokomas had a baby boy named Kai'ani, Travis & Judi had a girl named Terra (and moved to Seattle), K & J had baby N, and Travis (different Travis) & Ali had a boy named Corbin. Many old school chums I'm friends with on facebook also had babies.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Cousin Dominique in January, Maternal Grandmother in April.

5. What places did you visit? Los Angeles, Seattle, Paris & Gif-sur-Yvette in France, Munich & Berlin in Germany (with a 30 minute bus detour through Austria), and Amsterdam, Netherlands.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010? A full time job! This year for sure. You hear that Universe?

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? April 7th. Granny.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Finishing a cabled blanket I've been knitting on and off for 3 years.

9. What was your biggest failure? Failure to get out of my rut.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? The headaches. Technically I don't have "chronic migraine" because that's 15 migraine days out of 30, and I only average 10. Feels pretty chronic to me. I also exacerbated some repetitive strain in my shoulder and ended up getting physical therapy for that.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Spinning wheel & tickets to Europe.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Matt & my lovely friends

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Many politicians.

14. Where did most of your money go? Travel & various healthcare/physical therapy professionals.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Some of the jobs I applied for. Unfortunately I only had one interview.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010? Pass.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder?
Pass

b) thinner or fatter? Pass

c) richer or poorer? Pass

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Walking. Dancing. 

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Procrastination. Wallowing.

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2010? With my parents & husband in our flat, we ate Christmas dinner outside in the sun.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010? Frequently.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Still Dr Who. & Castle.

23. What did you do for your birthday in 2010? I don't remember! That's a little sad. I think M took the day off work, but I can't remember what we did.

24. What was the best book you read? Pass

25. What did you want and get? Spinning wheel, to visit family in Europe.

26. What did you want and not get? A job. A visit to Scotland.

27. What was your favorite film of this year? I don't think I saw any new releases this year.

28. Did you make some new friends this year? The ladies in the spinning class I took this past spring were lovely.

29.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Getting the headaches sorted out. Getting a job.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? I don't have to dress up for work, but I still love my pinstripe trousers & will wear them anyway.

31. What kept you sane? Matt. The kitties. Friends. Yarn.

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

33. What political issue stirred you the most? Poverty. Healthcare & health disparities.

34. Who did you miss? My family.

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010. Nobody can do the work for you to look after yourself well & work on depression.