A few of you have done this already, so it’s my turn now. :)
1. What did you do in 2004 that you’d never done before? Driving on the left side of the road for four days straight. Yes, I’m talking about our trip to Ireland.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn’t have any resolutions. I don’t think you need the “magic of the new year” if you want to accomplish something. Do it or do it not, heck, you might even just try, but you don’t need the new year to do it. :)
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No. But a number of people are hard at work to make me answer this question with a clear “yes” next year.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No.
5. What countries did you visit? Ireland (lovely!). Austria (very briefly).
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? Emotional equilibrium. (Yes, I stole that answer from Beryl. So sue me – she is right and I couldn’t have put it any better.)
7. What day from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Oiy. I clearly remember the wedding days of my little sister Claudia and my big semi- sister Susi. :) And I recall a number of days because I was kicked in the nuts at work, so to speak. Can’t remember the dates, tho.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Not quitting my job. Took an aweful lot of self-constraint, but I have to earn money to keep us afloat.
9. What was your biggest failure? Not getting an Oscar. Really, no idea. I don’t say I didn’t fail anywhere, but there’s nothing standing out.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Not really, apart from the occasional cold.
11. What was the best thing you bought? Tough call… Our new leather couch comes to mind. Finally something Dana and I can spread out on at the same time. :)
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Jon Stewart, for telling the media about itself.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? There are too many fuckers in the company to name, sorry. On a global scale: the US government. Politically, we’re where we were some decades ago. Thankyouverymuch.
14. Where did most of your money go? IKEA.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The USA didn’t start a real World War in 2004. Yes, Iraq is screwed up, terrorism is on the rise, but at least they didn’t fuck with the Middle East as a whole and/or North Korea and/or China (yet). I’m not kidding, that makes me somewhat happy. Yes, that is sad, but not on a personal level, I think.
16. What song will always remind you of 2004? Probably “Vertigo” by U2.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: i. happier or sadder? Personal life: happier. Work life: much sadder. ii. thinner or fatter? No change. iii. richer or poorer? A bit richer both in experience and financially, I think. ;)
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Quitting my job, telling them to shove it. I wish I could do this once a week… the fun would never stop. Of course this’d mean we’d be broke in no time, so that makes it a no-go. (Short explanation: Dana needs to get a new job before I’ll be willing to even consider any next steps.)
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Getting that much agitated in the office. It’s just not healty.
20. How did you spend Christmas? With my wife. Good times, good times. :)
22. Did you fall in love in 2004? I am in love already. Deeply, I might add. No need or processing power to stray.
23. How many one-night stands? I have an enormous penis. – Oh wait, that wasn’t the question… None.
24. What was your favorite TV program? Firefly.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I don’t hate much. There’s a lot of new stuff I find highly annoying, tho, yes.
26. What was the best book you read? The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson. Powerful books.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? I can make sounds with my armpits.
28. What did you want and get? Oh boy. A new couch, check. Enough money to finally buy new furniture in January, check. Halo 2, check. World of Warcraft, checkcheckcheck. :) Seriously tho, there’s a lot of stuff I wanted that I got. I am grateful.
29. What did you want and not get? New job.
30. What was your favorite film of this year? “The Incredibles”, I think. “Luther” was great, too.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Can’t really remember. And I turned 30.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? You should be able to guess by now. ;)
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? Ah, this “fashion” thing everyone is talking about. I’ve heard it’s the rage among the kids nowadays, no?
34. What kept you sane? The mood in our home, my marriage, and a few friends.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you admire the most? I can’t think of a single public figure I particularly admire.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? The insanity of the US election and its outcome. I’m unable to understand it. At all. How…? Why…? Didn’t they…? Well, fear-mongering + deception + democracy == one big “WTF?”. I mean, seriously, what the fuck. The World as such is a closed system, and one of the components seem to be completely fucking out of its mind… It’s a good reason to be worried, methings. – Hey, you asked.
37. Who did you miss? A couple of friends which are living far away.
38. Who were the best new people you met? Hmm. Good question. Next!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004: Even if you’re a total fuckwit, you can still be a big number in management.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: Though the sea will be strong I know we’ll carry on ‘Cos if there’s somebody calling me on She’s the one
