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rubykatewriting1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Went to Vegas and Miami Beach. Both were a little less exciting than anticipated (Vegas especially), but I had a blast simply because I was with my friends. God knows, LaLa is always good for a laugh.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make any, and I don’t plan to this year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes. Hyo had a BEAUTIFUL baby boy named Andrew. He’s this thick, rolly-polly little guy and he's always smiling. I just want to zerbert his belly a million times eleventy.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, unfortunately. My grandmother, my father’s mother, passed. I was able to say goodbye to her, which was a first, and that, more than anything, makes it a little easier. I got to tell her I love her and that I’ve always loved her. (She was seriously the best grandmother in the history of ever. Her love was so completely unconditional.) If anything good has come of it, it’s that I’ve reconnected with my cousins after falling out of touch in recent years.
5. What countries did you visit?
Oy. STILL none. That has to be rectified this year.
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A place of my own. Some clarity in my life. A completed novel.
– That’s what I wrote last year. It still remains the same with an add of: to make a decision regarding my future, whether it be L.A., buying a house here in Houston, or doing something completely different like running off to Europe and living the life of an ex-Pat.
7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
None, really.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Growing up a little bit more. I think that is what I am most proud of; that and getting more politically active and embracing my opinions no matter what.
9. What was your biggest failure?
My work life and that I’m still stuck in this fucking place, but I have faith something is around the corner that will prove awesome. I have this sense of possibility bubbling in my belly.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, thank the dear and fluffy Lord.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My new car, Ladybug; she’s a four door Honda Civic, black, and I love her.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Traveling. Vegas, not so much because we were able to utilize the kitchen in our suite, but in Miami, I left broke as a joke and then some. And for some really shitty food, too; the Big Pink? Sent Tiff and I straight to the loo, back-to-back, which led to the awesome conversation between four or five of us about our poo preferences. Also proved that we should always, always get a suite with two bathrooms.
The only good local place we found was this hole-in-the-wall Cuban place one block up from Ocean Drive. I left half my chicken behind because the black beans and the rice and the grilled plantains? AWESOME. Del and I were just shoveling in the food between gasps of, “Oh my God, SO. GOOD.”
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
This is going to sound so corny, but life. Seriously, I’m embracing life and its endless possibilities. Oy, I sound like a complete and total – for lack of an apt American term – git.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
"No One" by Alicia Keys. Man, I love that girl.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder? Maybe just a shade happier. Yeah, I think so.
Older or wiser? A wee bit wiser, but just barely. I’m just cultivating the wisdom gained in 2006 at this point.
Thinner or fatter? Thinner. YAY!
Richer or poorer? Same. OY.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Writing. Traveling. Going to the movies. Reading books. Talking to and spending time with my family.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Vegetating in front of the boob tube.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Playing moderator between Mom and The Grandmother, as well as an all-around calmer-downer of Mom because she is just so not in the mood for The Grandmother’s shit. She's about maxed-out right now, between school and her thesis and the chaos on her unit. We will be hosting our now annual Christmas dinner on Mom’s unit again, which will be awesome. I’m going to try making candied yams this year.
22. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Nope. Not even lust. Poo.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Still How I Met Your Mother. It’s consistently awesome, and between the way the whole Robin/Ted relationship played out and Lily and Marshall’s wedding plus all the myriad details mixed therein, I was laughing and crying and then laughing some more.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. I can’t stand a couple of people, namely my suck ass supervisor and manager, but it’s nowhere approaching hate if only because I truly believe in karma and I know what’s headed their way. Plus, I can't have all the bad juju on my doorstep.
26. What was the best book you read?
I loved, loved, loved A Room with a View by E.M. Forster.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Dead Man’s Bones. I can't wait until they put out some more music. I think I listened to "Dead Man's Bones" about fifty times that very first day.
28. What did you want and get?
Nothing really springs to mind.
29. What did you want and not get?
A new job.
– Oh, God, that is so much more appropriate this year. Whew boy howdy is it.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
This is sort of a Friends-like answer: the snooty, uppity film critic living inside me loves and adores Waitress, and I did. It was a really beautiful little film. But I really, really dug less-Indie-cred-establishing, Oscar-baiting fair like Fracture, Zodiac, Disturbia and Transformers, too.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On the weekend prior to my birthday, I went out to the Americas restaurant with Del and Tiff and we pigged out on really great South American food. On my birthday-birthday, I hung out with Mom and The Grandmother. It was my 28th.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting even halfway through my novel.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
I’m a little more daring as far as fashion goes, and this has a lot to do with losing quite a bit of weight this year. I worked some really cute chocolate-colored Bermuda shorts when we went to Privé in Miami Beach, and I wore a black, foofy skirt when we went on our cruise of Miami Harbor.
34. What kept you sane?
My friends and officemates.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
He's not very well know, really. His name is Shia. Shia LaBeouf? Yeah, I know, right? You've so never heard of him. And that name? Is that REALLY a guy. Yep. He's the It Boy of 2007, and I'm a sucker for the It Boy of the Moment.
I swear, I’d probably want to punch him at least once a day if I actually knew him, but I love what he’s doing acting-wise and those eyes do funny things to my tummy. Plus, you know, he’s half coon-ass. That always makes a man infinitely hotter in my book.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The upcoming election, the mess going on at Gitmo and the resulting mess in the Supreme Court, immigration: it’s really run the gamut this year and I think it all really goes back to the fact we're facing an election that will make or break us. It’s sort of scary, and we’ve still got a ways to go.
37. Who did you miss?
Poppies and Nana.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Cat. She’s really cool and laid back, and one of those people that we constantly find ourselves saying, "Oh we are so sisters of another mother." Plus, we've decided that between her grandmother and my grandmother and their particular brand of evil? Yeah, there has to be some relation somewhere.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
That I need to focus more; it’s really going to be the test this year.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I think a little India.Arie is appropriate here.
Inside my head there lives a dream that I want to see in the sun
Behind my eyes there lives a me that I've been hiding for much too long
'Cause I've been, too afraid to let it show
'Cause I'm scared of the judgment that may follow
Always putting off my living for tomorrow
It's time to step out on faith, I've gotta show my faith
It's been illusive for so long, but freedom is mine today
I've gotta step out on faith, It's time to show my faith
Procrastination had me down but look what I have found, I found
- "Strength, Courage & Wisdom"
