contemplativevisited Japan for 2 weeks - it had been a lifelong dream to go there
Did you keep your new years resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I resolved to pay down debt & paid off 3 of 4 credit cards in full and now will work on the last one!
Did anyone close to you give birth?
My dear friends Jessika and Albert had a lovely daughter :)
Did anyone close to you die?
Weirdly enough the other night I googled an old friend I used to go to a lot of concerts with and had been thinking about and found her obituary - she had died 2 weeks earlier which was a huge shock.
What countries did you visit?
Japan
What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
probably Halloween since I missed it by crossing the international date line! (somehow having a doubly long November 12th just isn't the same thing!)
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Making some $ at my photography shooting weddings and drumming up some more interest
What was your biggest failure?
I can't think of any major failures
Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just the usual problems with asthma & respiratory infections :(
What was the best thing you bought?
My new camera - totally upgraded my gear & went to a full frame Nikon dSLR D700 with some kickass pro glass (24-70mm f/2.8 & 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms), plus my 24" iMac that is wonderful for photo editing!
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
going to Japan
What song/album will always remind you of 2009?
Albums: AFI - Crash Love, Muse - The Resistance
Songs: Silversun Pickups - Panic Switch, Lady GaGa - Bad Romance
Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder?
Sadder, not really anything in particular, its just been an awful year for so many people around me
Thinner or fatter?
a bit thinner, no special diet, just eating less
Richer or poorer?
richer - having paid off debt plus my investments rebounded from 2008 losses
What do you wish you’d done more of?
travelling
What do you wish you’d done less of?
coughing
How did you spend Christmas?
driving up to NJ the day after with my friends Radu & Aerianne to see Danzig at the Starland Ballroon
Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
my buddy
atomagedevilman who moved outta state :(Did you fall in love in 2009?
no
What were your favourite TV programs?
Venture Bros, Fringe, LOST (which I only just discovered & quickly worked thru 5 seasons), True Blood, Dollhouse
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
no, the folks who caused me grief are long outta my life
What was the best book(s) you read?
while they are not exactly great literature, the Charlene Harris Sookie Stackhouse novels are lots of fun and I enjoyed them all
What was your greatest musical discovery?
Didn't really discover a whole lotta new stuff this year -I guess I'd have to say Silversun Pickups and Lady Gaga
What were your favourite films of this year?
Inglourious Basterds, Avatar, District 9, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Moon, Star Trek, Ponyo, Coraline, The Fantastic Mr Fox, Up
+ Honorable mention to Zombieland which was crazy ass fun and Woody Harrelson chews a lotta scenery
I still need to see Up In The Air, The Hurt Locker, The Road & a Serious Man
I am most looking forward to The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Shutter Island (Scorcese) and Inception (Christopher Nolan) in 2010!
What did you do on your birthday?
I celebrated it the weekend before as Tiger Army played the HOB in Las Vegas that weekend so I flew out to see them & hang out with my friends and also caught Criss Angel and Penn & Teller's shows and the Viva Las Vegas rockabilly fest!
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
uhhh winning the lottery?
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
if you just wear black it all matches
What kept you sane?
who me, sane?
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Johnny Depp :)
Who did you miss?
that
atomagedevilman couldn't make it to Japan with me and now lives so far away :(Who was the best new person you met?
Claudia the new girl in my office who is also a huge movie buff so we are always recommending stuff to each other
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
travel broadens the mind :)
Shows I saw in 2009
not so many shows as some years but some really good ones:
Morrissey / Red Cortez (2x)
Tiger Army/ Frenzy
The Quakes / Deadnecks
Ink & Iron fest with Brigette Handley and the Dark Shadows, The Henchmen, The Peacocks, The Koffin Kats, Creepshow, Frenzy, Batmobile
Nine Inch Nails / Janes Addiction / Street Sweeper Social Club
Nine Inch Nails / Mew / Queen Kwong
The Cult / The LIving Things
AFI / The Gallows (3x)
Tiger Army / Combichrist / Creepshow
Tiger Army / The Peacocks / Miss Derringer
John Christ
The Koffin Kats
Danzig/ Gorgeous Frankenstein/ Newfits reunion/ Seventh Void
