Answering the questions

If the last year were a movie of your life, what would the genre be?
Oh heavens. Not anything you'd want to watch, it'd be so dull. Perhaps a comedy.

What were the two or three major themes that kept recurring? Jobs jobs jobs. I feel like everyone I know is either looking for a new job, or switching careers, or thinking about switching, or wishing to switch, or something. There's a lot of jobbiness on the minds of everyone.

What did you accomplish this past year that you are the most proud of?
Working consistently on my writing.
Getting back to consistent reading.
Consistently posting on my blog.
Finally going to Stratford.

What do you feel you should have been acknowledged for but weren’t?Nothing.

What disappointments or regrets did you experience this past year?
I was disappointed to discover that cats don't live forever!

What was missing from last year as you look back? A more goal-driven approach to my writing. You know... with due dates. That I kept.

What were the major life-lessons you learned this past year?
Whether or not I go through something shitty is, generally, in my own hands. Kind of obvious, and something I already knew... I've never been the type to blame others for my problems. But I think this year I became conscious of that moment right before one hits the SEND button (literally or figuratively) when one thinks: "Do I believe enough in what I'm about to do/say that I'm willing to weather the accompanying crapitude?"

That was sort of a boring questionnaire. I need a better one.

My books books books

Been doing some more web site building. Today I listed up a bunch of the stories I've written over the years.

My life in stats

I have a terrible memory for dates. So I've decided to start A Chronology of Moi. I've created an excel sheet, put in my birthdays, and started filling in my school years, where I lived, jobs I was working, wedding etc. There's some guesswork involved, though. Like, I'm not sure the exact year I was vegan--I'm pretty sure it was the summer I stopped being a full-time manager. I recall taking a 3 week vacation in which I was allowed to eat my final milk-based cravings, and when it was over I started veganning. So around 2001-2002? For some reason I can remember that I started working in my current store in 1997, but to remember my wedding anniversary I have to think "It was the summer after I started at Current Store, and on Prince's birthday." June 7 1998.

So here's where we stand.

I'm 36 years old
Married 11 years, and living in same apartment.
Writing stories since about grade 2, so about 29 years
I think it was in 1996 (end of BA) that I set my 20 year goal to be published: 6 years left
Vegetarian about 14 years
Vegan about 8 years
Lived in about 12 homes (4 without parents)
Attended 6 schools (Montessori, Woodhaven Elementary twice, Landsdowne, Jean XXIII, John Abbott, McGill three times)
Lived in 3 provinces (Manitoba, Alberta, Quebec)

Ghosts of Bloggies Past 8

Prison poetry by Tommy Lee:

The floor has a sticky slime that
Is detriment to body and soul
I spin not in circles but in squares
From the shape of this room

And my description of the best story from the Motley Crue biography:

one day Nikki and Ozzie were by a poolside at a motel, and Ozzie said - oh I don't have any drugs and I want a line. I'm going to snort those ants. And he did. He snorted a line of ants. Then he peed on the ground, and drank it, and turned to Nikki and yelled "Top that Sixx!" Nikki felt he had a reputation to keep so he got up, peed on the ground, and was about to drink it when Ozzie got down and drank it. So Nikki admitted defeat. And always drew comfort from the idea that no matter how fucked up he was, there was always one person in the world more fucked up than him.

reviewing your year?

7 Questions to ask yourself about the last year (click link to see more details). Tune in tomorrow to see if I answer any! For now I'm going to finish Love is a Many Trousered Thing and go to bed.

1. If the last year were a movie of your life, what would the genre be? Drama, romance, adventure, comedy, tragedy, or a combination?
2. What were the two or three major themes that kept recurring? These can be single words or phrases.
3. What did you accomplish this past year that you are the most proud of? These can be in any area of your life—spiritual, relational, vocational physical, etc. Be as specific as possible.
4. What do you feel you should have been acknowledged for but weren’t?
5. What disappointments or regrets did you experience this past year? As leaders, we naturally have high expectations of ourselves and others. Where did you let yourself down? Where did you let others down?
6. What was missing from last year as you look back? Again, look at each major area of your life. Don’t focus now on having to do anything about it. For now, just list each item.
7. What were the major life-lessons you learned this past year? Boil this down to a few short, pithy statements. For example:
   • There comes a point in every experience where I am too far in to quit but almost certain I can’t finish. If I keep moving forward I will eventually get to the other side.
   • Being present with the people I love is the most important gift I can give them.
   • Don’t over-think the outcome; just do the next right thing.