1. What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before?
Turned 22, visited St. Louis and looked out the windows at the top of the Arch, tried on a wedding dress, called the police on my baby brother, rafted down a river drunk, hated Shakespeare with the hate of a thousand angry wildebeasts, wrote a story about sex, took dancing classes with Debbie the fringe-wearing fool

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
If I made resolutions I have no idea what they were- but maybe I accomplished them and I just dont know it because I cant remember what they were...

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not close to me, but a friend from high school had a baby

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My stepgrandpa. This was very sad, it was the second husband of my nana, the coolest person in the world. Can you even imagine losing TWO husbands??

5. What countries did you visit?
Just the boring old US this year- I didnt even go to Canada!

6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003?
Maybe a real job? No, thats not true, I dont want a job. An absence of debt? A book deal? A shopping spree in target? No, no. A hammock. All I want in the world is a hammock.

7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I cant think of a single one. Wow, boring year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I won a creative writing award- i was pretty proud of myself for that. I also had one of my photographs accepted into an art show..

9. What was your biggest failure?
Despite my five month plan, I have failed to pay off my credit card bill.
But hey, if youre going to fail, fail miserably, and that I did.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was in Meijer a month ago and I reached for the Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Orange and stubbed my finger on the metal shelf. it still hurts sometimes.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I have to go with Johanna on this one- I bought a damn good pair of jeans that never EVER make me feel fat when I put them on. Also- A Jack Johnson CD, A green square purse, Valpraiso Sheeps Milk Feta Cheese, and a candle chandelier from Goodwill for $5

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Justin Timberlake's when he hosted Saturday Night Live

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
if only I had the guts to say such things..

14. Where did most of your money go?
Food! have you ever met anyone who loved to eat out so much? BAD!! badbadbadbadbad. Also, to application fees for graduate schools.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
?? Ill have to think this over and reenter it .

16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
Ignition Remix- R. Kelly

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?happier, with myself in general
ii. thinner or fatter? thesame, despite the fact that I spend obscene amounts of time at the gym
iii. richer or poorer? maybe a little richer?? but more debt. maybe the same.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
spent more time in the photo lab, drove around more in summer.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
work.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Driving between Kalamazoo and Davison three times during Christmas week.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
My sister. who calls me at 7am.

22. Did you fall in love in 2003?
Oh, I was already in love.

23. How many one-night stands?
None- but I have one more night here, lets see what I can do. I KID! I KID!

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Will and Grace- and Rich Girls

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not really- I hated you all last year too. KIDDING!

26. What was the best book you read?
re-reading Catcher in the Rye, I'm reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy right now and Im rather enjoying it. I started East of Eden and it is damn good, though I havent finished it. And I like the Nanny Diaries.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I love Pearl Jam this year.

28. What did you want and get?
lots of stuff

29. What did you want and not get?
a banana holder

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
"Love Actually"

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 22, and I cried and told Rob that no one loved me.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A hammock

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?
I would describe it as irritating to my roommate. She is a fashion diva. I wear sweatpants with paint stains on them. If I could care less about clothes, I dont know how.

34. What kept you sane?
Rob speaking in Kermit voice.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I have a middle school crush on Ashton Kutcher. And Colin Firth. And the lead singer of Coldplay, based solely on his lyrics. And Jack Johnson.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
This idiodic (sp?) rep from Portage who thinks that all the colleges that receive state funding should turn in a list of the classes they teach and the government should be able to veto classes they dont think are appropriate. Im still seething. This alone makes me realize why Pink Floyd wrote "brick in the wall"

37. Who did you miss?
Lily, my Irish Boys, Ireland in general, Jessica Sprovtsoff

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Well, I knew them before, but I got to know Jen and Ryan a lot better this year. And now I love them. Love love love love love.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003:
still thinking...

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"I get by with a little help from my friends..."