2011 meme from Amber

I love doing these kinds of things!

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Spent half the year in Afghanistan. Never did that before.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Didn't make any.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My older brother and his girlfriend had a baby boy -- he's 3 months old now and one heck of a cute little nub. : P

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Nope.

5. What countries did you visit?

Brief stops in Spain, Iraq, Kuwait, Germany, and a long stay in the remote regions of Afghanistan.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

A decent job that will pay the bills but won't require me to be somewhere where I get rockets shot at my base.

7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

16 June 2011. The day my feet touched the ground in the US.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Making it back from the 'Stan in one piece.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not being able to find a decent job after getting back.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I've been sick a couple of times, just enough to make me miserable but not life-threatening.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I don't know....

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My cats for being excited to see me when I came home.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

My younger brother's.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Buying books!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Coming home to my kitties! Getting to see my friends and family. Being able to drive and buy books.

16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2011?

"DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" by Usher, "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele, every song on Darren Hayes' "Secret Codes and Battleships" album, "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. Happier or sadder?

ii. Happier in some ways -- I'm home!

iii. Thinner or fatter?

iv. Fatter (but only by a little bit!)

v. richer or poorer?

vi. Definitely poorer. :/

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Reading. I read about 70 books the first half of the year, but not so much since I've been home.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Shopping. :/

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I spent it eating brunch at Denny's with a friend and working at the bookstore (we got bored and decided to come work and open the store for about 3 hours).

21. How many one-night stands?

None.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

"Army Wives"

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Yep, one person who showed themself to be a thief and liar.

24. What was the best book you read?

If I have to pick just one, I'd say "Just Kids" by Patti Smith. Close runner-up is "Built of Books: How Reading Defined the Life of Oscar Wilde" by Thomas Wright.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Being introduced to Muslim artists Native Deen and Maher Zain.

26. What did you want and get?

I wanted books and I got them.

27. What was your favorite film of this year?

I don't really have one.

28. What did you do on your birthday?

I ate a cheeseburger and chocolate ice cream at the DFAC with my platoon sergeant.

29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

1st half of the year: brown camo. Second half: jeans and t-shirts.

30. What kept you sane?

Reading, watching "Star Trek", and lots of prayer time.

31. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Chris Pine...

32. What political issue stirred you the most?

When the politicians almost didn't pull their heads out of their backsides and approve the budget so soldiers could get paid.

33. Who did you miss?

Everybody! (But my cats especially.)

34. Who was the best new person you met?

I don't think I met anyone new, really.

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

Family is important and freedom and peace shouldn't be taken for granted.

The TBR Double Dare Challenge

Can you do it? I'm taking the dare to reading only the books in my TBR pile from 1 January until 1 April. I have literally hundreds of books waiting their turn to be read.

See here for more details:
http://readywhenyouarecb.blogspot.com/p/tbr-dare.html