1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
I slept overnight in a museum, I tried a pickle martini, I visited Disneyland.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't actually think I made any this year. It is generally an act in futility since I almost invariably fail but (insert some vague phrases including "tattoo, 5k, 100 books and 100 films").
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! Marianne went and had herself a baby boy with cheeks for the squeezing.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. My Mima died after a long, beautiful, wonderful life. I miss her all the time.
5. What countries did you visit?
I did not leave the country at all this year. I did get to Chicago and California, however. 2013 is a travelling year.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
I want to focus on the things I do have.
7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
This was kind of a crappy year if I'm being honest. In the interest of not dwelling on the negative, I won't even record the two dates of this year that are etched upon my memory because they are too sad.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Um, I guess blogging everyday of the month of August?
9. What was your biggest failure?
i don't like to think about failure.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
no thank goodness.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A frame for my Great Gatsby print. I look at it every single day as it hangs above my bed and I love it.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Almost everyone I know personally has come up against a personal trial or another and all have handled it beautifully and gracefully. That's all we can expect from ourselves and each other.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
85% of the drivers out on the road in ny state. most people's behavior appalls me.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Clothes. Pathetic. Live shows. Oh and booze probably.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The many, many concerts I was fortunate to attend this year.
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
"The Night" by Exitmusic as I must have listened to that one track over 500 times.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder? a little sadder
thinner or fatter? thinner
richer or poorer? the same
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
travel. writing. exercise. being more at ease and less restless.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Complaining. Wasting time wishing I was elsewhere. I spent too much time this year doing that. As soon as I stopped, I felt so much better.
20. How did I spend Christmas?
eating, drinking being happy with the family.
22. Did you fall in love in 2012?
with a pair of glitter shoes.
23. How many one-night stands?
This is a dumb question.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
mad men, as it has been and ever shall be, world without end, amen.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
no. hate is a waste of time.
26. What was the best book you read?
This is hard to narrow down but I'm going to have to say "This is How You Lose Her" by Junot Diaz.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
exitmusic
28. What did you want and get?
i wanted to be content. I mostly got it.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
This was a tie between "Moonrise Kingdom" and "Oslo, August 31"
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I saw a midnight screening of "The Room" and also had a dinner of fondue with friends. I turned 36. I'm an old ass bitch.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being satisfied with what I had already.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Sparkly, boots and Greta Garbo's hats.
34. What kept you sane?
honestly? wine. and whine. and the close friends and family i have...same as last year!
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Bill Murray, my imaginary husband.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Take your pick. It was an election year.
37. Who did you miss?
Mima
38. Who was the best new person you met?
i don't have an answer for this.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
You can, through the sheer power of your perception, be the happiest person you can if you choose it. Holding on to anger is the quickest way to a life of misery.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Since I spent a lot of time in 2012 working on altering my perception of things I think this lyric from Bright Eyes sums it up nicely:
And we'll keep working on the problem we know we'll never solve
Of Love's uneven remainders, our lives are fractions of a whole.
But if the world could remain within a frame like a painting on a wall.
Then I think we would see the beauty there.
And stand staring in awe at our still lives posed like a bowl of oranges,
like a story told by the fault lines and the soil.
--from Bowl of Oranges