Looking Back at 2011

It's the start of another new year--better call the newspaper up. And while you're at it, why not read my look back at 2011?

1. Where did you begin 2011? In my parents' basement, watching Inception with My Fetching Blonde and our friends Jon and Lindsay
2. What was your status by Valentine's Day? In a relationship
3. Were you in school (anytime this year)? Sort of: I took a Spanish class through Continuing Education at U of C, which means this was the first time I'd been "in school" since dropping out of teacher's college.
4. How did you earn your money? As an admissions officer
5. Did you have to go to the hospital? No
6. Did you have any encounters with the police? Yup--in Mexico City actually, where my taxi was pulled over and my driver ticketed for not carrying a fire extinguisher (this really happened).
7. Where did you go on holidays? Argentina, the Maritimes, rural Wisconsin, Detroit, and (on numerous occasions) Toronto
8. What did you purchase that was over $1,000? Nothing
9. Have you kissed anyone this year? Sure
10. Did you know anybody who passed away? Unfortunately yes
11. Did you move anywhere? Nope
12. What concerts/shows/sporting events did you go to? Concerts: Pearl Jam seven times (including twice at PJ20, which also featured, among others, Mudhoney, Queens of the Stone Age, and the Strokes), U2 three times, Chris Cornell, the Black Keys, Soundgarden, Big Sugar/Wide Mouth Mason, Arcade Fire, and the Headstones; shows, The Producers, Billy Bishop Goes to War, The Drowsy Chaperone, Barrymore, Billy Elliot, Rent, Mom's the Word: For Crying Out Loud! (I hated this; in fact, I left at intermission), Wicked, The Grapes of Wrath, Jesus Christ Superstar, To Kill a Mockingbird, Memphis, Hair (twice), American Idiot; sporting events, hockey games in Toronto (3) and Calgary (only one!), baseball games in Toronto (7), a Mexican league soccer game in Mexico City, a CIS football game in Calgary...and that's it.
13. Are you registered to vote? Yes--and I did vote in the 2011 federal election for (I think) the Green Party
14. What was the biggest change in your life? Becoming single again
15. Where do you live now? Calgary
16. Describe your birthday? Subdued
17. What has been your favorite moment? Being on the Air Canada Centre ice during a Leafs game and winning a promotion 
18. What's something you learned about yourself? I'm putting it together, slowly but surely 
19. Any new additions to your family? No, but there'll be at least one (official) new member in 2012
20. What was your best month? September
21. What music will you remember 2011 by? Pearl Jam and U2--I saw them a combined ten times in 2011--as well as Queens of the Stone Age, the Black Keys, Bon Iver, American Idiot, Some Girls, Time Out Of Mind, "Metamorphosis 2" by Philip Glass...and "Party Rock Anthem" (obviously "Party Rock Anthem").
22. Who has been your best drinking buddy? Still you, J-What
23. Made new friends? Yup, including a best new travel buddy
24. New best friend? Nope
25. Favorite night out? After Pearl Jam's first night in Toronto, when I was accused of stealing tip money from Real Sports and threatened with arrest. This really happened, by the way. (I was drinking Maudite and laughing.)
26. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before? Run competitively
27. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't make New Year's Resolutions, but 30-for-30 was pretty successful. 
28. Did anyone close to you give birth? Some of my closest friends gave birth this year. Whether they should've been allowed to reproduce is another matter entirely.
29. What countries did you visit? The United States (numerous times), Costa Rica (twice), Panama, Colombia (twice), Ecuador (twice), Peru (twice), Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Trinidad, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman. So thirteen different countries...not to mention eight Canadian provinces (sorry, Manitoba and Newfoundland!).
30. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? I'd like to get published
31. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? July 30: the U2 360° Tour finale in Moncton with Kevin, Laura, and My Fetching Blonde
32. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Becoming a runner
33. What was your biggest failure? Failing to shit (and not in the Kim Jong-Il sense of the word)
34. Did you suffer illness or injury? A pulled groin (which technically happened last Christmas but didn't fully manifest itself till January) and an injured back/hand post-Ride to Conquer Cancer
35. What was the best thing you bought? Flights out east
36. Whose behavior merited celebration? People who embrace their individuality 
37. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Rob Ford's, obviously
38. Where did most of your money go? Rent
39. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Lots of things, in particular a, the U2 and Pearl Jam concerts; b, the Ride to Conquer Cancer; and c, learning to run. What a great year.
40. Compared to this time last year, are you: a, more happy or more sad? b, thinner or fatter? c, richer or poorer? a, happier; b, a bit fatter; c, about the same
41. What do you wish you'd done more of? Golfing and skiing
42. What do you wish you'd done less of? Eaten pizza
43. How will you be spending Christmas? In Toronto with my parents and my dog--and I wouldn't have it any other way.
44. What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2011? This might've been the most embarassing thing that's happened to me, ever.
45. Did you fall in love in 2011? Nope
46. How many one-night stands? None
47. What was your favorite TV program? I didn't watch TV this year. Well, except for sports.
48. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? This is still a stupid question.
49. What was the best book you read? Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, which is one of the best books I've read period
50. What was your greatest musical discovery? Queens of the Stone Age
51. What did you want and get? The deluxe edition of Quadrophenia
52. What did you want and not get? A Manchester United Champions League Final victory 
53. What was your favorite film of this year? I saw precious few films this year--so I'll cop out and say PJ20 and promise to see more movies in 2012.
54. On your birthday, how old were you? 31
55. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A better sense of where I'm headed in life
56. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? Holding steady
57. What kept you sane? Reading, running, and friendship
58. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Naheed Nenshi
59. What political issue stirred you the most? The growing madness of Rob Ford's mayoral administration
60. Who do you miss? Friends who are drifting ever further
61. Who was the best new person you met? Names withheld to protect the innocent
62. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011. There's little a good run can't fix.

Bring it, 2012. It's gonna be a great year!