contemplativeSo without further ado, I present,
1. Where did you begin 2010?
Living in Ottawa. Nothing wrong with that. I still like the city (most of the time). As usual, I was invited to the New Year's party thrown by SteveB and Kathy every year, and was able to make it out there in 2010. Given that I don't drink on any day other than my birthday, I didn't touch a drop of alcohol last night, but still had a pretty good evening of it. And I got kissed on the stroke of midnight, so all's well with the world. :)
2. Was 2010 a good year for you?
Overall, no I don't think so. Too much stress, too many (stubbed/broken) toe accidents, too many bad things happened to me this year, and too much time spent at doctors' offices or in hospital laboratories and the like. This isn't to say that there were no good things this past year that happened to me, but they were outweighed by some of the bad stuff.
3. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
While my diabetes didn't improve, it didn't get any worse. Managed to get a deal with Rogue Games to do some editing. Oh, and I managed not to screw up my goddaughter personality and life in any significant ways. :)
4. What was your biggest failure?
Same as it was last year. Not being able to stay healthy this past year, and completely losing control of the lifestyle I wanted to lead this year.
5. What was your status by Valentines Day?
Single.
6. Compared to this time last year are you:
a) Fatter or thinner? I've gained about 5 lbs. this year. Some bad food choices, a few health problems that prevented me from exercising, and the lack of lots of exercise, all contributed to that.
b) Happier or sadder? About the same, I think.
c) Richer or poorer? Much poorer. The disastrous sewage flood of 2009 left me with money problems pretty much all of the year, and buying roleplaying games and some other items that will never see use was a waste of time.
7. Were you in school anytime this year?
Not this past year.
8. Did you have to go to the hospital?
While I didn't have to go into the hospital myself, other than for some tests and the like, there were the two unfortunate incidents when I went to the hospital to see my goddaughter, Ellie, who'd been admitted with problems relating to her diabetes, and the night I went to the hospital after learning that SteveB had been admitted after having another heart attack.
9. Did you have any encounters with the police?
Nope, thank Goddess.
10. Where did you go on vacation?
Due to the tightness of the finances this past year, I didn't go anywhere on vacation. More's the pity. I could have used a good time to do so.
11. What did you purchase that was over $100?
Haha. Bought new snow tires for the car for $600. Bought the HBO Rome DVD sets. A few things for the house and the like. Oh, and there were also way too many Doctor Who DVDs bought this year. :)
12. Did you know anybody who got married?
Nope.
13. Did you know anybody who passed away?
Several people that I know died this year, but no one close to me and no direct family members. The biggest loss to me this year was the death of Kage Baker, whose writing abilities and sensibilities will no longer grace us in her sf and fantasy novels.
14. Did you move anywhere?
Nope, I continue to live in the condo townhouse that I am in and have been for the last 15 years.
15. What sporting events did you attend?
I went to a couple of the Ottawa Senators NHL hockey games this past year. One against Montreal, and one against Carolina. Both losses. :(
16. What concerts/shows did you go to?
I managed to get to the Ottawa Bluesfest, and caught MonkeyJunk, Renaissance, and Steve Winwood. Good shows. Chose not to go and see Ian Anderson in concert at the NAC in October, and somewhat regret that.
17. Describe your birthday.
Rather than describe my birthday here, I refer you to the Birthday Report 1, Birthday Report 2, and Birthday Report 3 that I posted. You can also see some birthday photos here. Pretty good birthday, actually. :)
18. What is the ONE thing you thought you would not do, but did, in 2010?
I didn't expect to have problems with my prostate this past year. On a lighter note, I didn't expect to spend and waste as much money as I did on roleplaying games that I will never run. Bad mistake on my part.
19. What have been your favourite moments?
There were several actually. The Renaissance concert at the Ottawa Bluesfest was terrific. Several of the game sessions I ran of Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space and Desolation, notably some gaming sessions in the hospital with SteveB, with the really great nursing staff and some rpg interest on their part as well. A couple of games of the Tales of the Arabian Nights board game. Watching some of first through third series Primeval episodes on DVD. Re-watching several of the classic William Hartnell Doctor Who stories on DVD and getting that old feel of excitement that I had watching them when I was just a child. Having dinner with my cousin, Deena, and her husband, whom I've not seen in years.
20. What was your favorite moment of the year?
Having dinner with my cousin Deena, and her husband.
21. What was your least favorite moment of the year?
Three of these. Hearing that my goddaughter Ellie was in the hospital with problems resulting from her Type 1 diabetes. When I heard that SteveB had had another heart attack, and was in the hospital. The night when I suffered from food poisoning, and the hellish day immediately after.
22. Any new additions to your family?
Nope.
23. What was your best month?
Definitely July, but that's not saying much.
24. What date in 2010 will remain etched in your memory?
Nothing really stands out in this regard, other than the ghastly night and the next day when I suffered from food poisoning. :(
25. Who has been your best drinking buddy?
Nobody. I don't don't drink alcohol these days. Well, other than the Bailey's Irish Cream that I had on my birthday. :)
26. Made new friends?
Yep, I've made a couple of new friends this year. One or two folks that I've met through Twitter. A couple of other people that I know from LiveJournal and elsewhere. And two very good people that I met through the roleplaying game industry.
27. Favourite night out?
A toss-up between going to dinner with my cousin, Deena, and the Renaissance concert at Bluesfest.
28. Other than home, where did you spend most of your time?
At work and doctors' offices, unfortunately. That refers to the latter, of course. :( Over at Kathy and SteveB's as well.
29. What songs will always remind you of 2010?
Rockapella's "Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?", Martin Barre's Stage Left.
30. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I had stayed a lot more healthy this year.
31. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I wish I had stressed out less; bought less rpg material that I'll never run; eaten food that is bad for me; and had accidents and the like where I've gotten hurt this past year.
32. Have you lost any friends this year?
I don't believe so.
33. Change your hairstyle?
Nope. Still balding, and getting balder. Adding more grey to my hair (such as I have left!). Did shave off the goatee for a while this year, though. :)
34. Have any car accidents?
Nope.
35. How old did you turn this year?
55
36. Do you have a New Years resolution?
Oh, yes, definitely. I have a couple that I have made for this coming year. Hopefully I can keep them.
37. What countries did you visit?
Didn't go out of country at all in 2010.
38. Do anything embarrassing?
Other than being prone to stupid accidents this year? Nah... And if there were, I wouldn't even mention them here! :)
39. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Lady Gaga, Tiger Woods, and a certain company that polluted the Gulf with oil.
40. Where did most of your money go?
Buying music CDs, Doctor Who DVDs, rpgs, a couple of board games, snow tires, paying off the credit card on the stuff that had to be replaced from 2009's sewage flood.
41. Buy anything from eBay?
Not a thing.
42. Get married or divorced?
Not that I know of. :)
43. Get hit on?
Yes, once. However, I'm not going to share any more details on this stuff.
44. Been snowboarding?
Nope.
45. Did you get sick this year?
Nothing major in terms of actual illness, but a couple of colds here and there. Then there's the diabetes, the problem with the prostate, and the food poisoning.
46. Are you happy to see 2010 go?
Damn right I am. From the pov of the year of diabetes-related stuff this year, definitely want to see the end of the year, but I'm also looking forward to a new year and a clean slate, so to speak.
47. Been naughty or nice?
Yes ;)
48. How will you be spending Christmas?
Next Christmas? No idea. Probably on my own, and then dinner with friends. But who knows what the year will bring, so can't predict the end of the year.
49. Which LJ users did you meet for the first time?
Can't actually remember if I met any... Oh, right, met
doc_mystery and knightbane this year. Don't think I met any others this year, but didn't get out to a lot of stuff other than a few concerts and hockey games. Look forward to meeting a few more in 2011.50. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Sadly, no.
51. How many one night stands?
Definitely not. Not really me.
52. What was your favorite TV show?
Hmm, I rather am enjoying The Event so far, still enjoy Castle very much, but nothing else really comes to mind. Oh, and there is Primeval, of course. :)
53. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I try not to hate people, as that's a very negative emotion, although there are a few people I dislike or who drive me crazy. Takes too much energy to hate someone, and not worth the time and effort.
54. What was/were the best books you read?
Several this year, but always pretty much everything I read by Kage Baker and Charles Stross this year. Also enjoyed Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke, the two Millennium books that I've read so far by Stieg Larsson, and On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and Fiction by Brian Boyde.
55. What was your greatest musical discovery?
No artist really this year.
56. What was your favourite film this year?
No film really. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, based on the Stieg Larsson book, was excellent, and quite disturbing.
57. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Business suits for work, t-shirts and slacks for home.
58. What kept you sane?
My friends, the music of Thea Gilmore and Jethro Tull, and reading books.
59. Which celebrity did you fancy the most?
Hmm, tough one... Nothing really happened here for me this year.
60. Which political issue stirred you the most?
The Gulf oil spill disaster, that had both political and ecological ramifications.
61. Did you treat somebody badly in 2010?
I hope not, but there are times when I'm not a nice person.
62. Did somebody treat you badly in 2010?
Not gonna answer this one.
63. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned this year.
Be careful about karma. It has a way of coming around.
64. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Nothing comes to mind here.
65. What are your plans for 2011?
Trying to eat healthy, lose some weight, and keep my diabetes under control. Deal with the medical problems I'm facing. Do a bit more fiction writing. Try to cut down on roleplaying game and board game purchases, and run only 2 or 3 roleplaying games during the course of the year. Not stress out so much.
66. What are you looking forward to most in 2011?
Nothing comes to mind, other than new Primeval episodes and the roleplaying game.
As you can see, that was quite a long set of questions and answers. But a good indication of the basics of how 2010 was. Looking forward to 2011, for sure! :)