1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
I got my teaching license, a full-time job, and my own parking space. 

2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I never make them. I usually make changes during Lent.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit?
OMG, I didn't even go to Canada.

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
A nice big bed, a new car (which I'm getting this Spring!), a lesson-planning schedule for work, and a brilliant and sweet man (Anderson Cooper's been too busy).

7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Two: March 6, because our extended family changed irrevocably, and it still doesn't make sense to any of us; and August something, when I finally got a job, a week before I had to either start substitute teaching (and live with my aunts) or move home.  

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting a job! It's my first actual job.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Losing touch with my ESL friends, because we're all so busy with our new jobs. We're starting a book group this year.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had the worse cold of my life last week. For 4 days, everytime I coughed, I couldn't stop until I started drinking water or ate a cough drop. I had a horrible tickle in my throat that would even wake me up in the middle of the night.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I don't know. I love buying books for my students, especially ones that give them confidence by showing their culture. I finally found an Arabic-English picture dictionary at the Arab-American Museum in Dearborn, MI, which makes me so happy, especially after starting to look for Arabic books in Minnesota through kind of sketchy stores. I love my mini-sharpie too; it's cute and resourceful!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Wow, my family. They are so sweet and supportive. Papageorgio got me a digital camera so I can tape my students' presentations! Hermano, who takes care of me like a big brother, even though he's only one in stature:) And my friends, who always make me laugh.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
All of the people involved with not helping after Hurricane Katrina depressed me. And I was appalled when one of my students was asked to interpret for his family when they received their eviction notice. People who don't have sympathy for immigrants and children's sensitivity make me so mad.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Surprizingly, to food. I love grocery shopping! But almost half of the food I bought went bad before I had time to eat it. I'm going to start making a weekly plan, so my cart isn't bigger than my stomach. 

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Chicago for my grandparents' anniversary! It was such a needed break from work.

16. What song will always remind you of 2005?
"Contigo" by Federico Aubele. I really liked Brazilian techno/tango music this summer, which sounds a bit strange, but it reminded me of Barcelona, and I listened to it while I ran.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? I honestly can't remember how I felt last year. I think I was stressed out by my coursework. But Christmas was so much fun.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer, which isn't saying much since I was living off loans last year. I'm going to have to start paying back my loans this month :(

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Spent time with friends, volunteered, gone to church (now that I finally found a nice one).

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Obsessed about my job.

20. How did you Christmas?
With all of my mom's family, as usual. It was so crowded though, that next year is going to be different.

22. Did you fall in love in 2005?
No.

23. How many one-night stands?
There's no graceful answer to that question...

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It's so altruistic and sweet, even if it's a bit forced. And I like Grey's Anatomy. I watch so much CNN, though.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't really hate anyone. There are some people who have such different interests that I don't want to hang out with them, but that's fine.

26. What was the best book you read?
Paris to the Moon, by Adam Gopnik. I miss Paris and my life would be perfect if they spoke Spanish there, because then maybe I could justify going again.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ringside, the New Pornographers, and Embrace.

28. What did you want and get?
A job! After the torture of job-searching this summer, I'm so lucky that it all worked out in the end.

29. What did you want and not get?
A classroom to teach in, a guy to have fun with, and a dog.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I can't remember. I almost stopped going to movies because I don't have much time. I liked the new Pride and Prejudice- the acting was so good.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I took two Praxis exams (education tests for licensure) and had dinner at Aunt Ali's.

32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I want to find a fun and fulfilling volunteer position. I'm not going to do Habitat for Humanity again, since I have minimal construction skills:) So I'm still looking. 

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
It's all about dressing against type: I don't want to look like a teacher! So I wore a lot of nice button-down shirts and tweed skirts. My favorite work-clothes store is Ann Taylor. But, it was fun on the weekends to wear my inappropriate clothes, which is pretty much all of them.

34. What kept you sane?
My students' enthusiasm kept me dedicated to my job.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Anderson Cooper for brains, but Clive Owen for brawn;)

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The aftermath of Katrina.

37. Who did you miss?
hermano, my grandparents, ECM

38. Who was the best new person you met?
My radio friends are the best, because it's nice to have guy friends that I can count on. Chris even offered to chaperone when my sketchy relative was hitting on me!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005.
Rudeness usually has nothing to do with you and kindness actually works better in fixing it. It's also shown me that hyper-peppiness can sometimes be a manipulative tool (in a positive way) while working at a school.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"Oh, simple thing, where have you gone? I'm getting old and I need something to rely on"- Keane

Happy New Year...especially to you:)