Jenna's House of Idiosyncrasies Version 10.0 [Focus.]

This morning I was walking to work, through downtown Athens. Athens is a college town. 9 AM, Christmas Eve, downtown Athens, it's empty. Besides being eerily quiet, there are also about a billion parking spaces. And yet, there she was, the meter maid, wearing a Santa hat, giving out parking tickets to all the naughty boys and girls.

Merry. Freakin'. Christmas.

A YEAR IN RETROSPECT... a survey that actually means something, stolen from here.

1. What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before?
Started paying almost all my own bills (70-80%—Yeah, my mom pays my rent but I can only work 19 hours a week, give me a break).

2. Did you keep your New Years resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
a) I didn't make any last year.
b) My main one is to start taking my debt seriously—paying off my high interest cards, making and actually sticking to a budget, maybe even investing.
I can't declare most of my others.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, which at my age (and, consequently, the ages of those close to me) is actually a pretty good thing.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. ::mops brow, knocks on wood::

5. What countries did you visit?
None. I did manage to make it up to Tennessee, but that's it.

6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you didn't have in 2003?
a date

7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory and why?
December 9th. The day I turned in my portfolio at the art school. That was before my plans got dashed.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting and keeping my first job.

9. What was your biggest failure?
This.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Umm, I now have pretty authentic carpal tunnel syndrome from working a desk job.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Best investment is probably my aerobed. But in terms of joy? All the concert tickets. Seems like a cop-out answer, but I'm still never happier than I am at a show.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Jasun :)

13. Whose behavious made you appalled and depressed?
Um, I can't say. Some dude. And me.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills, art supplies, and CDs

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
being in art classes. It was like things were finally turning around.

16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
"Slumber Plane" - Bain Mattox.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Right now, I think sadder. Objectively I have to say it's been a pretty good year. Doesn't feel like that right now though.

ii. Thinner or fatter?
I dunno, I haven't weighted myself since 1998.

iii. Richer or poorer?
Richer. Kinda.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I'd been bolder. I wish I would have just been like carpe fucking diem and gone for what I wanted. Regret, I think, come from things you didn't do, not things you did do.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worry about my shape.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my fam, opening a few presents and eating dinner. Then back to Athens tomorrow evening, after all, I'm working on Friday.

22. Did you fall in love in 2003?
If only, if only. I am still subject to a hard-core infatuation that developed this year, although I wouldn't be so bold as to call it being in love. I'm old enough to know the differences.

23. How many one night stands?
I've lost count at this point.

24. What was your favorite TV programme?
Well we don't have cable tv at my apartment, but I loved to watch Six Feet Under on HBO when I was in a dorm last year. I would love to finally get the DVDs sometime.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate at this time last year?
No, I still hate that one person and no one else.

26. What was the best book you read?
Take the Cannoli by Sarah Vowell.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Bain Mattox. Also I learned I love Outkast, and Missy Elliot, and whole lot of hip-hop, which my tough indie rock persona did not allow before.

28. What did you want and get?
My job. The one great thing I've managed to do so far.

29. What did you want and not get?
To get into art school.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Kill Bill—but I didn't get out to the movies that much so I'm not the best authority—there were lots of things I wanted to see.

31. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
On the day of my birth I took three tests to celebrate the occasion. That weekend I went to Nashville for a Will Hoge show. I was 20.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Umm, can't quite say. Has to do with men. And being horizontal.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?
Looking like I care when I go out, but for work it's basically remained jeans and t-shirts. You sit at a desk for 8 hours and tell me you don't just want to wear the most comfortable thing in your closet.

34. What kept you sane?
Long talks over drinks. Remembering that no matter how horrible I feel most of the time there are people out there pulling for me. Reading (which is mercifully distracting for my brain).

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Gee I dunno. Just watched Good Will Hunting again a few days ago and was reminded of how hot Matt Damon is. Overall I don't go in to much for that kinda thing.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Suspension of our civil liberties, justified by the "war on terror".

37. Who did you miss?
Heather. JJ.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Will.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003.
Being able to eat something everyday is important. Giving yourself a very healthy grocery budget is key, even if it means no CDs for a while. Don't learn that the hard way.

Also, money does not fall from the sky or grow on trees. Respect every dollar you earn.

I learned a lot of money lessons this year really. This is a result of #1.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"You try to tell yourself the things you try to tell yourself / To make yourself forget I am not worried"

also

"The drugs don't work / they just make you worse"