(no subject)

[caribou_gen]

1. What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before?
Volunteered in another country. Be involved in an open relationship. Worn a formal kimono to an event (graduation ceremony at school). Got hired on as a real live professional teacher (in the past, I have been a substitute/supply teacher and a "teaching assistant).

2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't really make them.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
Vietnam (was still there on January 1st), Cambodia, Japan, Canada

6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003?
A little more direction in my life. A little more stability.

7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Being in Vietnam on January 1st. The day the Iraq war started. The day I put in my resignation at my workplace in Japan. My good-bye party in Japan. Watching a naked man run across the stage at Waynefest. The day I got hired for my current job.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Did I actually achieve anything of substance? I could say getting my current job but I haven't actually done anything to merit calling it an achievement; let's see how I perform, first. Maybe the fact that I'm learning to knit and crochet and I've stuck with it for longer than a week (coming on about 2 months, now).

9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't know. Leaving Japan feels a bit like a failure. I didn't put in that third year that a lot of my fellow AET's did and I sometimes regret that. I didn't learn as much Japanese as I would have liked.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
The repairs on my car. Despite being an '88, she still runs like a charm.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
No one in particular.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I'd have to agree with J. The U.S. government's. Grrr...

14. Where did most of your money go?
Airfare. Petrol. Auto insurance. Food.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Volunteering in another country. Seeing my boys, Captain Tractor, take the stage and *shine*.

16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
ABBA "Happy New Year" (played everywhere on Jan. 1st in Vietnam)
Anything by Melissa Ferrick.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? A bit of both.
ii. thinner or fatter? I think I'm a little bit thinner.
iii. richer or poorer? Definitely poorer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Read. Learn Japanese. Travel.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Games/Internet on the computer.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my immediate family in Canada. First time in 2 years that I've done that.

21. How will you be spending New Year's Eve?
At Marty and Jill's fancy dress house party.

22. Did you fall in love in 2003?
Fell a little deeper in love.

23. How many one-night stands?
Anyone who knows me knows the answer to this. (Answer, of course, is hundreds upon thousands.)

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Nothing much. West Wing. Angel. CSI Las Vegas. None of these I watch weekly. I'm currently watching season one of "Babylon 5."

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.

26. What was the best book you read?
What sticks out, right now, are two books: "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver" and "Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China" by Jung Chang.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Both happened at Folk Fest: Melissa Ferrick and Mary Gauthier. Melissa is amazing live (and very sexy) but I'd probably say Mary is the better songwriter.

28. What did you want and get?
A teaching job in E-town. Getting to my friends' wedding. Spending more time with the gang.

29.What did you want and not get?
Can't complain about much. A full-time job. Travelling more of SE Asia on my way back from Japan.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Haven't seen that many. Tie with "Spirited Away" and "Return of the King." Really, though, "Spirited Away" was released last year.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I spent it with people I cared about and went to a nice restaurant. I turned older than I was the year before.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More travel.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?
Having breasts limits your shopping choices in Japan. My fashion concept was the same as what I had in 2001 since I didn't buy many clothes while living abroad.

34. What kept you sane?
Friends. Taking time away from everything to camp/travel to remind myself that the world is an amazingly beautiful place.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Sean Bean as Boromir.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The war in Iraq; lots of talk about how that would affect us in Japan.

37. Who did you miss?
Depends on where I was. In Japan, I missed the folks back in Canada. Now back in Canada, I miss the people in Japan.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
My new boss. He looks to be a really cool influence and mentor.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003:
1. Patience is a virtue I need to work on.
2. No matter how crazy the world might seem, I need to take the time to step back and savour what surrounds me.
3. My friends are amazingly talented, wonderful people that can help you through some tought times. Sometimes I stand agog and wonder how I lucked out.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Nope, can't think of any.

Comments

[therealjae.livejournal.com]

Watching a naked man run across the stage at Waynefest.

*snicker* How could I have forgotten!

-J