1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
Went more than a few hours without power, while sick. It was not ideal.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Christina gave birth to the first babies of the Hoboken Crew - twins, no less!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No one close, but a former co-worker died, which was incredibly sad.
5. What places did you visit?
Berlin, Prague, Salzburg, Cedar Rapids, Boca Raton. That last one wasn't so much a visit as a mandate.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
A book deal. But then that's mostly my fault for not finishing this thing.
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched on your memory, and why?
October 29 - the day Sandy hit
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Winning team trivia night. Also, not walking out on my job when the workload got BEYOND back-breakingly heavy. It thankfully righted itself after a few months, but my god that sucked.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I'm still terrible dealing with mice. Especially when they are alive. GAH.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
The usual every-few-years stomach nastiness was something I'd like to not get again EVER.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My record player. It got me listening to full albums again and it was fun to buy vinyl again, too. In the most unpretentiously way possible, of course.
12.Where did most of your money go?
Rent, travel, the ferry, Starbucks' Iced Tea Lemonades and Yankee Stadium concessions
13. What did you get really excited about?
My trip to Europe. The Monkees concert. Raul Ibanez.
14. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Raul Ibanez. Ken, for going an entire week without power, with a dog to look after, and not engaging in a meltdown, which I surely would have.
15. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Appalled? Gossipy, high-school types who needed to grow the eff up. Alleged Yankee fans whining their way through September, then celebrating a trip to the playoffs as if they'd been steadfast and true fans the whole time. Then behaving like entitled brats during the playoffs. Depressed? I don't think anyone drove me to that extreme.
16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
Weirdly enough, "I'm a Believer" popped up while I was on vacation in Prague and Cedar Rapids. "Up on Cripple Creek" followed me around Boca. Of this year? I heard "Gangnam Style" once and don't remember it and I'm okay with this. I did not loathe "Call Me Maybe."
17. Compared to next year are you –
Happier or Sadder? Same
Fatter or thinner? Same
Richer or poorer? Only slighhhhhtly richer. Don't come rob me. The Chicken will attack you with my new cast-iron frying pan and I won't do anything to stop him.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Relaxed. Or wrote. Or both.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Flying with a head cold and almost exploding my eardrums or something.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Here:
21. What was your favorite TV program(s)?
Top 5, In terms of satisfaction:
1) Community (remember Community?)
2) Breaking Bad
3) Mad Men
4) Parks & Recreation
5) The Monkees
Homeland, while exciting, went a little off the rails and made me roll my eyes a few times, which I didn't do at all last season.
22. What were your favorite books of the year?
Books that came out in 2012: The Fault in Our Stars and The List (I didn't read any "new" "grown-up" books this year, but these YA books were outstanding). But the best book I read overall was The Book Thief. Unbelievable, and I hate that it took me so long to pick it up.
23. What were your favorite films of the year?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (the rare case when I liked the movie more than the book and Argo, even if knowing the last third of the film was way more dramatic than it was in real life, which took me out of it.
24. Did you fall in love?
With Austria, yes! The hills were alive and kicking and gorgeous, man.
25. What did you do for your birthday in 2012?
Hahahahahahahahahah. I worked till 9 p.m. Hahahahahahahahahah. I'll pretend my actual bday was the next day, when Ken and I engaged in a ritualistic "Newport Day"
26. Did you make new friends this year?
Not so much as bonded with people I already knew over extreme circumstances.
27. What did you want and get?
To see Salzburg.
28. What did you want and not get?
Extra vacation time to finish my damn book.
29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less job drama and less time spent at my desk.
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Comfort couture, with a Yankee hat to cover bad hair Saturdays and Sundays.
31. What kept you sane?
The weekend.
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't know, would you say I got back into the Monkees this year after a 25-year layoff?
33. What political issue stirred you the most?
It was an election year and lots of politicians talked out of their asses. So there was that. Also, anyone defending people's rights to own a weapon that can take out 100 people in one round. Have a gun to hunt, have a gun to defend yourself, but don't tell me you need one THAT ridiculous.
34. Who did you miss?
Erica, Tonya, Liana and Eric.
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
I was raised, live and work in one of the most resilient, caring and generous areas on god's green earth.