It actually is depressing to me this year to write this entry. In 2004, I was “infinitely happier” than I’d been at the end of 2003. In 2005, I’m not sure what the hell I was doing, but I wasn’t as ickily self-aware. In 2006, sure I hadn’t been happy at UChicago, but I was managing well at that point with my little study group, and I had to grant it to 2006 for containing the best months and most wonderful people I could ever imagine. 2006 was a banner year.
This year, I feel as if I’ve done nothing. Now I’m sure you could come back and say “Listen missy, you got your Masters Degree. You got an enviable job with amazing benefits. You moved back to Astoria, just like you wanted to, to a great apartment and a great roommate, what the hell are you complaining about?”
All of this is true, but I feel as if I’ve done nothing. I haven’t grown, or changed, or learned anything.
But I am nothing if not a traditionalist, and so…
Had a one night stand. Graduated grad school. Got a job where I have actual, terrifying responsibility.
2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make New Year’s resolutions, but at Jill b-day party (12/29/06) Jill-Drew-and-I toasted to “our love lives sucking less in 2007.” Yeah, you really dropped the ball on that one, 2007
3. What countries did you visit?
None
4. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
I would like to be happier with the city/place I’m in than I was for most of 2007
5. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory?
April 13 (turned in my rough draft), May 4 (Turned in my final draft), June 8 (graduated), June 27 (I stepped off the PATH train in Herald Square, got jostled by some commuters, ran into some tourists, and omg felt home) September 29 (moved back to Astoria) Thanksgiving weekend: DC/free choice.
6. What was your biggest achievement of the year??
An MA thesis, and MA degree (“in less than 9 months. Way more productive than getting knocked up.”), getting my job, apartment, and roommate
7. What was your biggest failure??
Not getting my preceptor’s approval? Damn me for feeling that way. And for letting myself get intimidated in school/work situations
8. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Does low grade depression count?
9. What was the best thing you bought?
The gas that got me from Chicago to NYC?
10. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Jill-IAN: for NEVER letting me be less than 100% me. For 2 AM phone calls and happy little text messages, for taking me the a Gin Blossoms concert as a welcome home present, for never ever telling me ‘I told you so’ even though she totally did.
Drucifer: For being the exactly the right type of loving/supporting/cajoling from 800 miles away and then 8 miles away.
Chris: For being my conspirator in realizing we didn’t want to do PhDs. This meant a lot to me, because Chris and I were both starry-eyed when we met at Campus Days in April 2006, and then we spent an entire evening in February 2007 hashing out how we didn’t want to do a PhD program and ‘WTF’ and even though I didn’t have a clue, it helped so much that someone else didn’t either. Plus Chris is generally awesome, and stayed up on the phone with me at like 2 AM that one night when I found out my preceptor had tried to fuck me over.
Emily: Emily is level-headed and sensible, generally, and she is a good influence on me. She has helped influence my “this too shall pass” attitude. Plus she has the same drive of efficiency when it comes to shopping.
11. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
They know.
12. What did you get really, really, really excited about??
Turning in my thesis, graduating, moving back to New York
13. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Not Ready to Make Nice (The Dixie Chicks) ((i have no idea…)), Must Be Sinking Now, Cheryl Wheeler, Up on The Roof, James Taylor (The official theme song of my apartment), Hey There Delilah (only because my roomie plays it CONSTANTLY), Starts with Goodbye, Carrie Underwood
14. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
I don’t know. I’m happy to be back in New York. I like my job (mostly), apartment, and roommate. But I’m still in a weird place right now. I think I will feel better next year.
15. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I’d actually gotten to see Chicago, in a good way, when I lived there.
16. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Less empty-promising
17. How will you be spending Christmas?
Jewishly
18. Did you fall in love in 2007?
In the traditional sense, no (for the fourth year in a row, yeah…) But sitting on the N train at the Astoria Blvd stop, watching the cars race off the Triborough Bridge and seeing the sun set over the city skyline, and Hellgate bridge in the middle ground, how could you not be in love with that?
19. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. I don’t hate anyone, really, in the absolute sense.
20. What was the best book you read?
I can’t say any one book stands out because the first six months of the year I was only reading for academia and the second half of the year I was just reading chick lit, trashy magazines, and blogs. I re-read Lost Legends of New Jersey
21. What was your greatest musical discovery?
No big music epiphanies this year. Suggestions?
22. What did you want and get?
I graduated in June. I moved back to New York. I got a good job.
23. What did you want and not get?
My preceptor’s approval. I hate that I wanted it so bad in the first place, and I hate that I didn’t get it (and that it mattered to me.) And I guess the falling in love thing, but I guessed that.
24. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I freaked about being in my mid-20s. I went out to dinner with Em and Sarah. It was completely uneventful
25. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Preceptor’s approval and if I didn’t know the other shoe was going to drop somewhere around February of 2008
26. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Oh god, it mostly declined. I think I lived in jeans and a hoodie for most of Chicago. Now it’s all about black pants + button down shirt, but still.
27. What kept you sane?
Nothing. It was an insane year.
28. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most??
Christopher Meloni and Jon Stewart are my standards.
29. Who was the best new person you met?
I have to go with the roommate
30. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007?
That “the right thing and the hardest thing are sometimes the same thing.”
