2007 in Review
I did this last year too. I like these - it makes for interesting perspective.
1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Supported my partner fleeing the country for a year. Got mildly addicted to exercise. Figured out that exercise makes my depression lift more easily. Joined a gym. Took part in a psych study. Took a university night class. Booked my first flight out of this hemisphere. Paid off all our debts (excepting of course the mortgage, but making huge headways on that as well).2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make New Year’s resolutions last year, I made a 25 in 25 list, and did very well on it. I plan to (belatedly) do a 26 in 26 list. 3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Darren’s sister did – he’s an adorable baby. The soft spot on his head freaked John out a lot.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no.
5. What countries did you visit?
The States (Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Montana) and the Dominican Republic.
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
Less grief. No stupid drama. No family vacations. *grin* No fucking mice in the house.
7. What date(s) from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
October 13th – the day John left.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Coping with the above with far more composure than anyone expected – myself included.
9. What was your biggest failure?
You know, that’s a tough one. I don’t think I really failed at anything this year. I mean, I haven’t been a total success or anything, but to me, to have failed carries a tone of not doing my best. I mean, I failed to learn to do an upside down flip called the helicopter at my pole dancing class, but I tried really hard. I bruised ribs, feet, ass, hip bone, and tail bone. Eventually I quit trying to do it, but I don’t really care. I tried my best, and it didn’t work. *shrug* I don’t feel bad about it. It just is – I can’t do that move – my weight distribution in my body is wrong for it, and I don’t care. I could do other stuff.
I failed at all sorts of things this year, like keep the house clean like a good little Martha would. But I don’t feel that I particularly failed at anything. On the whole, I gave things my best shot. And that’s good enough.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
We discovered that the constant colds and infections and feeling like crap was all based on a cat allergy gone out of control. No more visits to the in-laws, where the cat lives, no more being sick. (Okay, I’ve had a cold or two, but NOTHING like before.) I think I may have given myself another mild concussion. I have got to stop doing that.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
(I’m hoping) my flight to see John in the January. Otherwise, probably all the yoga 20 class passes.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine, dammit. My boyfriend of six years goes to the Middle East, and on the whole, I keep my shit together and don’t get depressed. I’m proud of myself, even if no one else is.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Okay, listen, I just got back from a seven day vacation with my parents and adult sister. That’s a hell of a loaded question.
Also, ***** for being an absolutely insane jerk about something so pathetically trivial – a reaction that will essentially taint our relationship for the rest of our lives.
14. Where did most of your money go?
The mortgage. Followed by vacations. Followed by groceries. Followed by a lovely piece of art.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
All the travel I’m getting to do.
Also, paying off all the money we owed John’s parents.
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2007?
Jeremy Fisher – High School. Heard him at the Folk Fest this summer. I can listen to it over and over and over.
Wolf Parade – I’ll Believe Anything. Bought the album before the road trip this summer. Blasted the thing at loud volume while driving through America with a window open (because our little old car has a non functioning air conditioning system, and it was 100oF outside) and just feeling it.
Raine Maida – Yellow Brick Road. I like the version that’s on the radio, but we say him perform it in February, and it just blew both of us away.
Snow Patrol – pretty much the entire Eyes Open album. Love.
The Killers – Sam’s Town album. Awesome road trip music, blasting away, sometimes rolling up a window so that we can sing along with the lyrics.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? This time last year I was depressed. So I’m happier than that, but I’m also really lonely. It’s a draw, I think.
ii. Thinner or fatter? About the same weight – but far more ripped muscles.
iii. Richer or poorer? Richer. That is, when they actually remember to pay John.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Laugh. Go to live theatre. Stood up for myself.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Complain. Cry. Whine. Feel sad. Feel self loathing.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
In the Dominican Republic, without the love of my life, with my parents and sister. Drinking pina coladas, relaxing around the pool and getting a tan. Very relaxing.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
I am in love.
22. How many one-night stands?
None. But I am about to fly 11,268km for a booty call, so that’s got to earn me some trashy points.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Heroes. Doctor Who. House. Grey’s Anatomy. Corner Gas. Little Mosque on the Prairies.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, I try not to hate anyone. I may loathe certain people extra much though.
25. What was the best book you read?
I’ve read around 183 books this year. Many were very good.
26. What were your greatest musical discoveries?
Wolf Parade. Jeremy Fisher. Final Fantasy. Silver Sun Pickups. Feist. Plain White Ts. I bought more cds this year at full price than I have in pretty much the rest of my life put together. Yay having a job.
27. What did you want and get?
Vacations. Love. Solid friendship. The confidence to strut my overweight ass around in short shorts and hooker heels and feel sexy doing it.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I really enjoyed Enchanted, The Bourne Identity, My Little Sunshine, and a few others.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 26. My parents took me out for Indian food at the Taj Mahal restaurant. A few days early I invited friends over and roasted my first turkey, and made them bring me food, potluck style.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having John here for all of it. Also, not having the stupid drama with his father. Though if John had stayed, that never would have happened…
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Jeans are good. And I have enormous breasts that make shopping for clothes hard and really frustrating. I did start layering t-shirts…
32. What kept you sane?
John. Books. Strongbow. Gin. The promise of vacations.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Oh, let’s go with the perennial favorite Colin Firth.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Not much this year. Pretty quiet on the Canadian front. Our civic election didn’t result in many surprises.
35. Who did you miss?
John. God, am I repetitive enough yet?
36. Who was the best new person you met?
Trisha, though work. Look, I’m making a new friend! How unlike me.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
You are stronger than you think.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
If I knew now what I knew then, I’d
Back up do it all again, I’d
Take a bow, take it real slow
Take a ride down the yellow brick road
Raine Maida - Yellow Brick Road
Also:
Give me your eyes
I need sunshine
Give me your eyes
I need sunshine
Your blood
Your bones
Your voice
and your ghost
We've both been very brave
Walk around with both legs
Fight the scary day
We both pull the tricks out of our sleeves
Wolf Parade – I’ll Believe Anything
Labels: 25 in 25, body, boredom, family, holidailies, identity, meme, solo year, the boy, twisty, vacation, writing
26 random things
In honour of my 26
th birthday and the entry a day requirements, a list of 26 random things connected to me. Randomly, as they come in to my head.
1. I just turned 26.
2. I've been with John for 6 years this week. That's 23% of my life, or 29% of my life that I actually have memories from. That's a lot.
3. He's in Saudi Arabia. For a year.
4. He sent me flowers that are sitting on my desk right now, for our anniversary.
5. Having a work
crackberry makes me feel important.
6. I have sent exactly one text message in my life and it was an accident.
7.
Apparently my father in law is no longer speaking to me. Oops!
8. I can't even tell you how excited I am to travel to the Middle East in January. Bahrain and Qatar, here we come!
9. My mother hates Christmas, and without John around, I am also deeply disinclined to celebrate.
10. So my family is going to the
Dominican Republic for
Christmas instead.
Yay!
11. I generally read around 200 books a year.
12. I am a nerd.
13. Last summer we road tripped around Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. The year before that, Oregon and way northern California coast. Year before that -
Puerto Vallarta with his entire family. Year before that - BC interior, coast and island. Year before that - Toronto. Year before that - a week in the
Okanogan Valley.
14. This next year: Bahrain and Qatar, then maybe Jordan for Petra, and then probably Dubai and the
Emirates. Can we saw upgrade??
15. I've read so many books set in the UK that I often forget I've never been there.
16. I've been to Costa Rice twice, Mexico 4 times (twice in the interior) and that's it for my travel. I am deeply, deeply excite by this year.
17. It still doesn't make up for John being in Saudi for a year.
18. I've become a big fan of cross
stitching.
19. My friend Erin has a program that turns pictures in to cross stitch patterns. The first one she helped me with was
Chinese characters that spell out pornography. The one I've working on now is, um, very graphic and uses a lot of flesh tone. It makes me laugh so hard.
20. I love to cook, and to bake, and to eat. A lot.
21. I've won
NaNo three times. I've been blogging since 2000. I keep a paper journal. That is, all told, a hell of a lot of words.
22. I have no boundaries and a host of problems. At least I can
acknowledge - that's a start, right?
23. I have a nice job that bears no relation to my degree.
24. My house is far nicer than I deserve. It also has 40 year old blue/green shag carpet that John loves and I do not. No one deserves 40 year old shag carpet.
25. I still feel about 15 much of the time.
26. My brain is as random as this post.
Labels: holidailies, identity, meme, writing
Done, baby!
If you look down the right side of that bar over there, you'll notice a pair of new icons - a big NaNoWriMo winner sign, and Holidailies. The quick one first - Holidailes is something I did a few years ago - I'm going to try it again and see if I can get back in to actually blogging instead of just obsessively reading others.
As for Nano? That is correct - 3 for 3, baby! At around 9 tonight, I hit 50,545 words, called it a night, uploaded it and went and watched Torchwood. There may have been some celebratory dancing around the house first. Wolf Parade and Feist and a really, really good mood make me dance like a goof. *grin*
This year's book was better than last year's, for sure. It was a hot mess - Tina deemed my genre cracktastic, because there was no other genre that could have fit. It involved, god, I can barely remember. A road trip from hell across the States, aliens in black leather on motorcycles, Vegas, some fine dining, a prophesy, a chosen one, some cross species breeding, and at the end, when I ran out of other shit to write about, a couple of lesbian pool side sex scenes to make the word count. I KNOW, okay? I never even finished spell checking it. I knew how bad it was - I just wanted to finish it, you know?
I didn't write one in 2005 (I didn't write a single word - I don't know if I even signed up). In 2004 I wrote a fairly nice, if not particularly original chick lit book. It two had a late sex scene just to fulfill word count goals - though I will say it was far better integrated in the plot. I mean, it was chick lit - it was practically required.
This year? Oh, dude. I don't know what the inside of my brain must look like. It was vampire chick lit that spun off more than a little dirtier than I planned, even before they got captured by the Queen of the Fairies. One of the final chapters was called Deux ex Machina, and I litterarly had a god(dess) show up. I seriously have no idea where this randomness comes from. It does, however, cememnt my desire to never, ever let anyone read them. This is all for me.
And for the pride and delight I feel, as I dance around my kitchen to Wolf Parade. Which, if you actually look at the lyrics, aren't exactly party dance songs, but I'm pretty sure the rest of the entry secured me pretty firmly in the freak camp, so uh, yay me.
Labels: boredom, holidailies, identity, NaNoWriMo, writing
Wouldn't want to rush in to something with like, planning
I am so
predictable.
It's October 30.
NaNoWriMo starts in two days. I thought of the genre weeks ago (trashy vampire chick lit) and then stopped thinking about it. I got the vaguest hint of character last night, during a bout of insomnia.
And... that's about as much story development as I plan to do. Thus setting myself up for another year of
cracktastic novel writing. (Last year's was a hot mess of aliens, a road trip from hell, Vegas, food porn, and by the end some poolside lesbian scenes -
because at that point, I was killing time and words until the end, because I was well aware how
cracktastic is was. But fun! In a way that never, ever involves rereading it or showing it to anyone...)
So we'll see. I was debating doing the Serious Book, that deals with my Darryl issues and all that heavy stuff, but then John reminded me that he's not around to pick up the pieces when that sends me into a bad place. So fun, mildly trashy, vampire chick lit it is!
Of course, it's not like I've even figured out the mythology of my vampires, but hey, I probably have a few days before I need that. Plus, it's not like I'm trying to get this
published. This is just to
prove that I have the
discipline and if I reach far enough I can find some creativity. No plans on giving up my day job!
Labels: life, NaNoWriMo, writing
Would a rose by any other name...
Names are a strange thing. So much power, and yet...
John, for example, has some pretty severe name problems. Maybe disassociation is the word? His legal name is John. To his Polish family, it's Jan, but they call him by his
diminutive name,
Jaś, said '
Yash'. His English speaking family, to a person, calls him Pumpkin. In school in French immersion, he was often called Jean. On the
internet, he normally uses Johnny. I call him by a random assortment of pet names, and only sometimes by his first name. To no one's great surprise, he has trouble with names, both realizing when someone is talking to him, as well as remembering other people's names.
My name is Morgan, for which there are no easy nicknames. There's not even a French equivalent, so in school it was just 'Morgan' with a French accent. There were, however, a random assortment of pet names from my parents. Nothing fixed like Pumpkin though - when we first were dating, I'd be talking to his mother and say something about John and she'd have no idea who I was talking about - for them it's not a nickname, it's his name. His Full, Real Name. (And yes, it creeps me out. I mean, he's 24. Names that are cute for a toddler are a lot less cute for a grown man.)
But for all I'm pretty comfortable with my first name as being Me, I don't tend to hear it much. John doesn't use names if he can possibly help it. (I think we'd been dating for 3 years before he called my parents by name.) My parents tend to use pet names. Most people, especially in the business world, tend to avoid names, at least that I've seen. Even in person with friends, it's more, 'hey!' than 'hello Morgan'.
The result is that every time anyone calls me by name, I flinch a little. Maybe flinch is the wrong word. Twitch? Start? Am surprised, at any rate. Even in the body of an email it has the power to surprise me.
Am I the freak here or is this an example of how casual our society has become, that first names are so little used? Or is this merely my experience, painted clearer because of John's obvious name confusion? How does identity fit in to all this?
I've been thinking about this a lot recently, and I really wish I had
Ginny's knowledge of theory and ability with words. I'm fumbling around my point here - it's not really clear in my own head. Today my friend Tina sent me an email about the
inlaws that started with, "Oh Morgan. They’re going to h8 you no matter what you do,
aren’t they?" The sight of my name was a short - almost a highlighting of what she was trying to say. Same thing when my boss uses it in conversation.
Sigh. I don't have an ending for this as I barely have a beginning. I'm thinking a lot recently, about things, and I swear to god, the more I think, the more tangled I get. Off to ice the best god damn cake my inlaws have ever eaten.
Labels: identity, life, the boy, writing
Whoo!
It sure is shiny. And full of pages. 94 pages, I believe. I'm quite pleased with myself. Also, I'm pretty pleased that many of the recipes I cook somewhat often are all collected in one volume, instead of being spread out over 4 binders, a hardbound book, and 50+ cookbooks. So much simpler this way.
I'm not planning on selling it, though Lulu.com does have that option. I've stolen far too many recipes from various sources to do that, though I did my best to credit every recipe I could think of the origins of.
The book is in large part for me, and for my friend Nathan, who is moving out of his parents' house into his new condo at the end of the month. He's been asking on and off for recipes, and I was planning on photocopying pages out of my binders, but then I thought that this would be better, more interesting, and certainly a nicer presentation for a move in present. John's sister, who is moving to England in a few weeks, is getting one too. I have to say, I struggled with feeling this was far too egotistical a gift to give, but in the end, I said fuck it and did it anyway. I'm pretty pleased with how well they came out, through I noticed more than one grammar or formatting error that I let slip through. Next time I will finish ealier and have more time to review, I swear! :)
Labels: writing
