Thirty-nine Questions for '04

Stealthily lifted from Rob:

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?

Get into a serious accident that was my fault.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Didn't make one, probably won't make it again. You try to improve as you go on is my thinking.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No.

5. What countries did you visit?

None.

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?

More time, more money, more books. Three things you can never have enough.

7. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The day of my accident.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Nothing really. It was a mediocre year that was marked by bad accidents. However, I suppose I can say that this year, I've come to accept my calling as a writer.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Like Rob, I didn’t write enough and didn’t save enough money. Did I also mention I've reached 30 like him?

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Does mental trauma count?

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A number of books. For example, a signed copy of Tim Power's Declare and Kelly Link's Stranger Things Happen. Also, a number of books I've been looking for like Michael Swanwick's Jack Faust and Susannah Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. (Now if I can only find Paul Witcover's Waking Beauty, Barry Hughart's A Bridge of Birds, and Paul McAuley's Pasquale's Angel...)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Mmmm...

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Recently, those illegal loggers who kept at it AFTER the disaster of the last storm that killed... oh, around 900 people.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Books and other stuff. Gimmicks. Generally, I'm bad in finances.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

A new shipment of books. Finding hard-to-find SFF books in second-hand shops. (Is there a pattern developing here?)

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?

Anything by Maroon 5, I guess. Death by overplay.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

What?

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Write more. Challenge myself.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Be complacent. Be mediocre.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

With family. [Identity-protected] is going home to the provinces for the Yuletide season so am on my own. *sigh*

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?

I've only got one love: [identity-protected] and it's going on strong for six years.

23. How many one-night stands?

None.

24. What was your favorite TV program?

Amazing Race. *hangs head in shame* Also a lot of anime shows like GTO and Getbackers.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

No one really.

26. What was the best book you read?

I can't remember what books I read this year. (Hell, I can't even make a Best of 2004 list.) I'm getting damned old.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Coldplay. Hey, I'm slow and they grew on me. Maybe Keane.

28. What did you want and get?

Nothing really. As I grow older, I stopped expecting things on birthdays. Less disappointment.

29. What did you want and not get?

See above.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

Was Dog Soldiers this year? Well, I only watched it this year.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

On my 30th birthday, I went to work and had dinner with family after. Too mentally exhausted to do anything else nowadays.

32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Stabilize my finances. Finish all my stories.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?

Jeans and regular shirts, though I got a lot of tight shirts this time.

34. What kept you sane?

Figuring that climbing a clock tower with a rifle is a moot point since we don't have a nice clock tower around here. Am still mulling being the Philippines' first serial killer.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I'm surprised at the direction of Lindsay Lohan is taking. Like your best friend's younger sister all grown up.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

I work in an internet news site. I listen to politics day and day out. After a while, you get innured to it.

37. Who did you miss?

My classmates abroad.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

The people on the net.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:

Even when you keep your head down, someone still gets the shit-thrower right on target.