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

A House Christmas Eve Tradition.

1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
   I got my own studio apartment, and began living sans roommates. I got a full time job, with a whole new set of responsibilities and a certain amount of respect.
   I did a lot of stupid things that are worth repeating but too embarassing to repeat.
2. Did you keep your New Years resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
   I've discovered I can't make anything work only by the sheer force of my will, which is really what a New Year's resolutions amounts to—will power. Not getting out of debt, not passing classes, not loosing weight. I'm swearing off resolutions all together, and next year, I'm dropping this question.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
   No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
   No!
5. What countries did you visit?
   I haven't been outside the US in 20 years.
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you didn't have in 2005?
   Starts with S. Ends in X.
7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory and why?
   There was one night when under the influence of alcohol I made a few stupid decisions that suddenly rolled into a big problem and things quickly started to get out of hand. I barely stopped something major from going down. The weird thing was: I couldn't figure out if I was relieved that I didn't go through with it or just left unsatisfied.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
   Getting a major promotion and going full time at The Company.
9. What was your biggest failure?
   I flunked out of school. I'm taking the spring semester off before I try again.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
    One awful flu. Sometimes mysterious bruises of unknown origin that appeared after long nights of drinking.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
    I spent a quite a bit decorating my new apartment to my taste, and it really is a very homey place, at least to me. My favorite toy, however, is my hawt digital camera.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
    I've gotten along better with my mother in this past year than I ever have in my whole life. It's because she learned to be calm and caring, and how to curb the unintentional psychological sabotage. (I also learned how to not be so sensitive.) I now don't absolutely dread talking to her, and that is a huge step in the right direction.
13. Whose behavious made you appalled and depressed?
    All I will say here is that I don't care for judgemental people.
14. Where did most of your money go?
    Outside of bills, probably booze.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
    My promotion.
16. What song will always remind you of 2005?
    “Sugar, We're Going Down” by Fall Out Boy.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
    Of late, a little sadder. But it'll past.

    ii. Thinner or fatter?
    Fatter.

    iii. Richer or poorer?
    Richer, sorta. More debt than last year but more money coming in too.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
    Getting up in the morning to go out and take pictures instead of drinking all night and sleeping all day.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
    Work. But it's unavoidable.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
    With the fam.
21. Did you fall in love in 2004?
    Nope.
22. How many one night stands?
    Almost a few. Technically none.
23. What was your favorite TV programme?
    I bought the first four seasons of the Sapranos on DVD within about a month. I thought I would hate the show because of the violence, but it's fantastic. (I don't have cable, so TV on DVD is where it's at.)
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate at this time last year?
    Hate is shut a strong word. I'm dropping this question next year too.
25. What was the best book you read?
    Aloft by Chang-Rae Lee
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, My Chemical Romance. Yes, this has been a very dramatic and angsty year for me music-wise.
27. What did you want and get?
    An iPod. And then I sold that one and got a color iPod. Life is good!
28. What did you want and not get?
    To not fuck up this semester, for once.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
    I didn't see many movies in 2005 that were actually released in 2005. I think the last movie I actually saw in a theatre was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I'm also fairly certain that I'm the only person who loved it. Batman Begins was also waaay excellent.
30. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
    I was 22 and incredibly depressed. You can read all about the birthday here. My wonderful friends wouldn't have any of that and made the best effort to cheer me up.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
    Graduating. Even though it wouldn't have been humanly possible no matter what I did.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
    Lots of vintage fit t-shirts from Old Navy, jeans, aviator sunglasses, and a cigarette.
33. What kept you sane?
    Jack Daniels, chocolate milk, cigarettes, and Melissa.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
    I love Usher. I don't even know a lot of Usher's music, but damn, he is nice to look at.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
    I have managed to turn into an entirely apolitical animal this year. I have no idea what is going on in the world, and it's unfortunate that this doesn't really bother me.
36. Who did you miss?
    I really haven't spent enough time with either The Indian or HGB of late. I miss them both a lot.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
    It's a toss-up between two coworkers: Kevin Register and Brian Dixon. Kevin is loyal, easy to talk to, and makes weird faces from his seat across from me when it looks like I'm about to kill myself. Dixon is hilarious, loves '80s music, and I'm convinced (from the way he reads my mind) that he's the secret brother my parents didn't tell me about.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005.
    Eventually, you have to admit he's pretty flakey, despite his gorgeous smile.
    If you get drunk enough, you may wind up kissing everyone.
    If you imply that you have experience, people assume, and you never have to actually lie; it's easy.
    I want what I can't have, even when what I can't have is totally not my type; it's enough for me to watch him throw himself at someone else for awhile to make me want him.
    You should always ask for the money upfront.
    I am loved.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
    “I keep telling myself / I keep telling myself / I'm not the desperate type”