quotelyrics du jour: "Oh, lover, Im lost. Because the road Ive
chosen beckons me away. Oh, lover, Ive done you wrong. And now Im
fighting words I never thought Id say. But I remember what we said
as we lay down to bed. Ill forgive you all if you just come back
home."
- Ray LaMontagne, "Duet" (with Rachael
Yamagata)
So,
how have you been? If we pretend for just a moment that Deadline Pressure
hasn't been sitting dormant for the last two years, we might realize that
it will turn 10-years-old six months from tomorrow. To me, that's almost
unbelievable. At age 22, I'm not sure I thought I'd live to see age 32 --
much less have the experiences, travels and interactions that I've managed
to have.
If we're going to celebrate the journal's anniversary this summer, it's probably
only proper to bring it back to life. I can't promise that this will be a
permanent thing -- after all, I've done most of my writing behind a friends-only
lock at LiveJournal and
old habits are hard to break. I've been told that what you do on the first
day sets the tone for the rest of the new year. I figured posting an entry
that takes a look at the last 12 months might set a somewhat decent
tone.
Happy New
Year.
I. Is there any song you listened to back to back to back to back this
year? Of songs purchased on iTunes this year, "Duet" by Rachael Yamagata
with Ray LaMontagne got the most play on my desktop computer.
II. What was the single most beautiful physical, geographic place you
found yourself in? Alaska. Hands down.
III. Who is a delightful person you met this year? I met
Alison
and
Jenifer
in person for the first time. Both meetings were unique in that I've known
them onlien for what seems like forever. So to see them in person was a mix
between meeting up with an old friend and spending time with someone brand
new as well.
IV. What was the biggest point of upheaval or change in your life since
last December? 2000 saw the start of the journal. With 2001 came 9/11.
2002 had graduation and the start of a career. Alex issues took the spotlight
in '03 and '04. Everything turned upside down in '05. I was engaged and married
in '06. I sort of operated on cruise control in 2007 and 2008. Considering
all of that, 2009 may still go down as the year of the most change in all
aspects of my life. The biggest single change of the year? I'm not sure yet.
But I'm guessing I will know that sometime before the clock rolls around
to 2011.
V. What was a really, really good time in which you had a lot of fun with
people? The Alaskan cruise rocked. We were assigned to a table with two
pairs of women -- one pair from California and the other from New York. On
the first night, I was leery of the demographic... but dinners were so
entertaining that that we made a point to dine together every night -- even
in port.
VI. Who do you think you talked with the most over the last year?
The Wife. In the last four months, we've had several good, long conversations
in strange places like the garage or my truck while it's parked in the driveway.
We've have some good conversations in more conventional places, too. Regardless
of venue, this is a good thing. Conversation is what brought us together
in the old days (circa the first Clinton administration).
VII. What is your favorite material belonging you acquired over the past
year? I started the year without a laptop or a smart phone. Now I have
both. If I had to pick a favorite of the two, I'd probably go with The Droid...
But I think they both deserve the honor.
VIII. Did you fall in love this year? Say something about it? What about
your hobbies? I'm still married and running briefly became a hobby --
or, at the least, a masochistic pastime.
9. What food item / beverage / illicit drug was your most characteristic
this year? At work, we've got a lunch place we frequent. My order is
always a grilled chicken breast and curly fries. I don't even have to ask
for it with some servers as they just know. It's half healthy and half junk.
I'd call that pretty characteristic of me.
10. What was your best blooper reel moment? I struggled with this
one... until I stabbed myself in the head with a butcher knife while taking
a pill on New Year's Eve day. That has to count for something.
11. Describe a conversation you had this year that you will never
forget. August 27th. But I'm keeping that one to myself for now...
12. What was the funniest inside joke of the year? Yeah,
I don't really have any inside jokes. Besides, if I did and then shared them
with you guys, they wouldn't be inside jokes any more, eh?
13. What was your most expensive purchase of the year? Siding for
the house takes the cake on this one since there are five figures involved
in that. It looks good, but I don't get to play with it much. The Alaskan
cruise would be the most expensive "fun" purchase, but it's sort of intangible.
So, I'll give honorable mention to the laptop I picked up in September.
14. What was your favorite live performance (a play, a band, an orchestra,
the ice capades) that you attended this year? I really enjoyed the symphony's
Christmas pops concert. Interestingly, it was the third live performance
from three different acts in three different genres at two different venues
I saw in a 24-hour span. That's the most music I've thrown at me almost at
once in a long time (maybe ever).
15. What song will always remind you of this year? I don't know yet.
I think I need some separation from 2009 to know for sure.
16. What is a big lesson you learned this year? You can't
live life on cruise control... if you try, you're probably going to crash
into a ravine.
17. What was the phone number you called most frequently this year?
Either The Wife or Frank. Truth be told... probably Frank.
18. Describe one instant this year in which you were giddily, grinningly
happy. The first day I ditched my interval training and just ran 5k without
stopping -- and, more importantly, without anyone (or anything) chasing me.
19. What place, thing, person, creative outlet, etc. did you turn to when
you needed cheering? During the last four months of the year? Food. That,
of course, explains why I gained back a few of the many pounds I lost in
2009. For the record, food makes a poor source for lasting cheer.
20. What did you do this year youd like to do more of in the
future? Lose weight. I lost a bunch of it through the first half of the
year and then gained a few pounds back. If I could lose the same amount in
2010 and not gain it back, I'd be perfect. (Well, at least according
to that little chart at the doctor's office.)