a look back at 2005
January 7th, 2006some days ago, i found this set of questions at my friend molly’s blog, and i thought it could be insightful (and found out it to be cheerful and painful as well) to fill them out. here are the lousy results.
1. What did you do in 2005 that you’d never done before?
i went on a trip all through the west coast (seattle, palo alto, san mateo, oakland, berkeley, san francisco, los angeles, temecula, san diego), usa.
2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
i don’t actually remember my resolutions but one, and it is still on it’s way to completion, but it’ll take a little longer than i thought, and i don’t know when i’ll make it. btw, it was to get a postgraduate degree in interaction design.i made only two resolutions for this year, but i’m superstitious, so i won’t tell.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
i think everybody around me is giving birth, but me.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
no. nobody died. better like that, i guess.
5. What countries did you visit?
The US.
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
a better, more fulfilling job, and my friends from abroad.
7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory?
october 19 (my birthday, i spent it having a job interview at my dream company)
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
interviewing with top companies from the field (i guess just being considered for interviewing made my day). but mostly, surviving it.
9. What was your biggest failure?
not striving harder towards my goals.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
none but severe allergy attacks.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
a wireless base station, and new headphones.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
david & lorena, and hector
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
an old friend of mine.
14. Where did most of your money go?
travelling, partying, booze, coffee and cigarrettes.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
interviewing with microsoft, with IDEO, with Frog Design, and the idea of living in san diego, san mateo or seattle for a while.
16. What song/album will always remind you of 2005?
Life In Mono, by Mono (Formica Blues) New Slang, by The Shins (Oh, Inverted World) Velvet, by A-Ha (Minor Earth, Major Sky) Girl, by Beck (Guero) Tabaco y Chanel, by Bacilos (Bacilos) Regálame la silla donde te esperé, by Alejandro Sanz (No es lo mismo) Get Your Snack On, by Amon Tobin (Supermodified) Black Steel, by Tricky (Maxinquaye) La descrizione di un attimo, by Tiromancino (La descrizione di un attimo) Just Like Honey, by The Jesus & Mary Chain (Psychocandy) I Knew These People, by Ry Cooder (Paris/Texas Soundtrack) Feel Good Inc., by Gorillaz (Demon Days) Karaoke (Capri), by Capri/Gustavo Cerati (Reversiones / Siempre es Hoy)
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder? same thinner or fatter? fatter richer or poorer? richer in money and insights
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
sex, going out with friends, and going to the beach.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
smoking, and idling.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
at my mother’s place among family, and then some wild party somewhere.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
friends (i don’t like to talk on the phone)
22. Did you fall in love in 2005?
sure, twice i guess.
23. How many one night stands in this last year?
three, i think.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
i don’t watch tv, but for movies.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
not hate, but very strong feelings and dissapointment on an old friend.
26. What was the best book(s) you read?
The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger The Pearl, by John Steinbeck L’Espace Critique, by Paul Virilio On The Road, by Jack Kerouack Margini (Marges – de la philosophie), by Jacques Derrida
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Mono, The Paris, Texas Soundtrack, Lali Puna (a re-discovery), and Bebe.
28. What did you want and get?
a wireless base station. my personal blog back (actually danny who did). my professional self-esteem back (punchline!). family ties.
29. What did you want and not get?
a postgraduate admission acceptance. one fine girl i know. mo’ money. a job in the US (?)
30. What were your favourite films of this year?
Garden State (Zach Braff) Love The Hard Way (Peter Sehr) Dolls (Takeshi Kitano) and a couple more than i can’t recall now.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
well, wenonah and i we started the day at a hotel in palo alto, went for coffee and cigarrettes, organised my presentation, went to IDEO, had a 2 hrs interview (it was great), went to oakland, picked up a friend, went to berkeley, had real italian pizzas and waiß beer, then went to another very cool and weird place, had many guinnesses, then went back to oakland, dropped off friend, went to davis, got drunk at a student’s beer haus, then went to sacramento, got more beer in a small bar, went to a friend’s place, listen to the music he makes, got stoned, went to sleep. i was 32 before, 33 after, still 26 in my soul.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
more money, snowboarding and a car (how shallow, dude!)
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
whatever it’s not in the floor.
34. What kept you sane?
music, beer and friends.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
angelina jolie, Goodwill Ambassador of the UNHCR.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
i am as much apolitical as i can, by nature and choice.
37. Who did you miss?
mostly nathalie, and everybody i could not see.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
i don’t remember dude!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005.
it is not enough that you’re good at it, you have to have at least two years of proven experience at it.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
surely Velvet by A-Ha. don’t ask me why, ‘cause i don’t know…