Because Some People Are Vile Enablers!

[sweetprince]

aeroport_art made a really awesome New Years Meme. And I sat there and sparkled at it, thinking this is so pretty. And then she told me to do it. And I did.



1. Everything Under the Open Sky
(March)
Misha came home with me for spring break. We went to Half-Moon Bay. It was the first time she'd seen the pacific ocean.

2. Just Like Everybody Else
March
At the Macy's in San Francisco they had set up these elaborate scenes for the annual flower show. The theme this year was Spanish Colonialism. And here we see two Gay Mannequins. It warranted a picture.

3. You'll Remember Nothing But the Skills
March
I took this shot of Carolyn, my suitemate, reading on our window seat sometime before we went out to grab lunch. It's like my life didn't start 'til March. Meredith and I didn't take any photos when we were in D.C. And I think the only interesting thing I did in February was go see Jumper and Step Up 2 on the same night.

4. The Illusion of Stillness
April
I had to shoot an Experimental film as a the final product for one of my classes. I came up with some bizarre theme on stillness and death essentially so that I could use slowmotion and rip off Rene Claire. Farrah is the one dancing.

5. Press The Button
May
The last day of classes and my last meal with Meredith in the dining hall before she left for Japan.

6. Barack N' Roll
May
I saw this Barack Obama t-shirt in Urban Outfitters and had to buy it. I wore it pretty frequently up until election day.

7. Celebregate
May
The last week of school and the last lgbt co-op dance. Meredith said she needed to dance and I was like, hey, I know a place where we can get in for free. For the first half hour it was only the two of us dancing.

8. All I want back is the rooftop
June
Oh my New York adventure. My British roommate Lucy and I used to hang out up on the roof. She'd cook fish and I'd make salad and we'd have poorly mixed cocktails and be glad of the wind rushing over us. Sometimes I'd sleep in her room when she was at work because I didn't have any air conditioning.

9. Made Beautiful in Summer
July
Lucy and I went up to New Haven for my roommate's birthday. We nearly killed ourself trying to get to the beach. But we had a little party playing music and fooling with toys in the basement. I'm not sure why I'm sitting in that orange thing.

10. I Get Up, I get Down
September
Walking to Crime and Punishment with Holly at 9 AM. I barely went to this class this semester. But I can proudly tell you I kicked that class's ass.

11. Take Back The City
November
Misha and I went to see School of the Seven Bells and M83 play at Webster Hall. We went to Veselka beforehand and amused ourselves in the east village. She started up this rant about how she wished she'd gone to NYU just for the city, and then we ran into some obnoxious hipster kids and she immediately issued a retraction.

12. I Owe You Sexual Favors
December
Dinner at Carolyn's house. I was wearing a hat because it was raining like crazy and wound up with amazing hat hair. We had squash soup, salad, bread, and lots and lots of wine. KB hijacked my ipod because he can't stand Carolyn's music. At the end of the night Carolyn got up to give me a hug and over-balanced nearly sending us both over the table. Only the quick intervention of KB saved us. I did end up with some interesting bruises around my neck where she'd been clinging to me. KB promised me Carolyn's sexual favors as remuneration.

Things I'm Excited About in 2009
-I'm turning 21
-Meredith will be back
-This really hot Italian girl who goes to the New School asked for my number just before I left.
-I'll get to see ericaplease, even if it's only for a brief time

Things I'm worried about in 2009
-My stupid boss is not returning my e-mails which means I have to deal with crazy indie screen-writers without his help. I'm worried I won't have a job this summer.
-My mom is moving back to the Netherlands in February, so I don't know where that leaves me.
-My dad and I are going to a Stanford Basketball game on January 4th. Let's hope we can stop fighting for five minutes
-In 2008, I discovered I'm kind of ambitionless.

And then, because everybody was doing this one, I figured I'd make your day brighter by doing it too.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I moved to a city all on my own for the summer. Freaking New York no less. At the time it seemed like one of the most trying experiences of my life, but I find that I miss it a lot.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make New Years resolutions. In the Netherlands they say if you have a plan for yourself you should resolve to do it without it being New Years. But do I have plans for myself, yes.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My Aunt is going to have a baby two days from now. I'm excited that we'll have yet another January Birthday. Not.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, but my Tante Ina is in the process of dying. We don't know what's wrong with her.

5. What countries did you visit?
The Netherlands, Belgium (as per usual)

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Ugh, money. Better film classes.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 20th, because I got drunk and high and attempted to jump out a window, after making a complete fool of myself at a my friend's frat house. I was a sobbing uncontrollable mess, and somewhat ironically dressed like Amy Winehouse for a Rehab party. It haunts me like a spectre.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Probably writing a paper that Jeremi finally gave an A. I've had him three times and he nails me every single one.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Well, I kind of think I'm a faily person. So let's not go into that. I will say I'm really sad about my grade in Anthropology of Life Systems, because I found that course really interesting, but bombed the final like nobody's business.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I sprained my ankle for the third time in August. It gives out on me all the time now. ericaplease got to watch as I almost completely lost my footing stepping out of the car.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My new laptop.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My stepmom, she and I have been getting along really well lately.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
My friend Misha's and occasionally my roommate Farrah.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Honestly I mostly spend it on food. Quality food, but still food.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Obama. My boss reading The China Garden. The Dark Knight.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Either Aimee Mann's "Freeway" or Thirteen Senses "Salt Wound Routine," even though I didn't hear the first until July and the second until late August.

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

i. happier or sadder?
Happier, it may not seem like it, LJ, but the person I was in January was so wracked with despair over everything. These days I'm doing pretty okay.

ii. thinner or fatter?
Probably about the same, but then again, perhaps a little less, because I wasn't allowed to exercise until February. For a long time I said to myself I WILL BE SKINNIER, but I think I'm starting to realize I don't really have the willpower to do that, so I've just got to accept the way I am.

iii. richer or poorer?
Ugh, I'm just as poor as I ever was.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Go out. I spent a lot of second semester of my sophomore year in my bed, determined never to leave.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Oh man, allowing myself to feel slighted. Allowing LJ drama to get to me. Watching shitty movies.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
I spent it in my bed after I unexpectedly got my period a week early. All the stores in the Netherlands are closed on the 25th and the 26th, so I was scrounging around for pads and tampons and hoping to god not to bleed everywhere.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Nope. I'm not sure that part of me works.

23. How many one-night stands?
Ahahah. I think four, but technically two were with the same person.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
I'm sticking with something new I found. And Erica introduced me to a lot. I started powering through CSI:NY, Pushing Daisies, Eureka, Sarah Connor Chronicles, Merlin...er I think Merlin wins.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Oh yeah, but the funny thing is this person pissed me off like January 12th, SO IT DOESN'T COUNT AS THIS YEAR.

26. What was the best book you read this year?
I didn't read enough, but Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Oh, SO MANY. But probably Thirteen Senses or The Hours.

28. What did you want and get?
A good makeup brush set. A new digital camera. Boots. My scars to fade.

29. What did you want and not get?
A father who wasn't defective.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Rocknrolla. How much I enjoyed that film? It is uncalcuable.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
whimsicalwonder, ericaplease, bananafish, and I had breakfast at Cafe Brioche and went shopping in The Haight.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having Obama in office. The Automobile industry having to give up their jumbo-jets. The latest Razorlight album.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Not high fashion enough for Yale, too high-fashion to blend in with my friends in California.

34. What kept you sane?
My mother. Writing. My advisor.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Cam Gigandet. HANDS DOWN.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Aside from the election, the economic collapse.

37. Who did you miss?
My friend Lexi

38. Who was the best new person you met?
My ex-roommate Lucy.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
People aren't going to look out for you. You have to look out for yourself. Otherwise you'll be waiting a long fucking time.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
It's in your eyes,
What you've been hiding,
Turn on your lights
The truth hit home
It's okay if you want to play dumb.
It's okay if you fooled everyone.
It's okay if you wanna have fun.