2015 End of the year survey in Safety Net

1. What did you do in 2015 that you’d never done before?
   ~ Drove cross country (I’ve road tripped to California before, but this time I did all of the driving), drove in rush hour traffic in Southern California, joined a “closed group” on Facebook, placed flowers on a sibling’s grave, drove an SUV full of children, drank with my youngest sister (why is it so hard to drink 8 glasses of water a day, but 8 glasses of wine can be consumed in a single meal?), signed as a “witness” for a wedding, ate nopales (cactus leaves), many things apparently.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
   ~ I don’t remember setting any goals for this year. It was probably something about financial stability and better health because I say that every year. Neither happened as usual.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
   ~ Not anyone particularly close.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
   ~ My grandpa passed in April while we were in California which brought the grand total to six in a year.

5. What countries did you visit?
   ~ California is almost another country…

6. Where did you go on vacation?
   ~ I spent a month in California. It was hard to come back. If I could bring my dogs with me (and it didn’t cost so damn much to live out there), I would move out there.

7. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?
   ~ The usual. Financial stability. A job I enjoy. Better health. A home away from my grandparents.

8. What date from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
   ~ I already don’t remember the exact date my grandpa died, but I remember the day well. My birthday was pretty eventful. We went to the beach, caught dungeness crabs for supper, I never heard a peep from my father (not even a text), it was a good day.

9. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
   ~ Helping the local police pull off a major drug bust (my boss doesn’t know this. She hates me and would probably fire me if she knew).

10. What was your biggest failure or regret?
    ~ That we couldn’t stay for my grandpa’s funeral. We had already been in California for a month and the people who were taking care of our dogs had plans and needed us to pick them up.

11. Did you suffer illness or injury?
    ~ The usual migraines and shoulder issues. Last year was kidney stones. At least that wasn’t in the mix this year!

12. What was the best thing you bought?
    ~ Hmm…I haven’t really bought anything exciting.

13. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
    ~ I’ve known for awhile now that my sisters are pretty great, but the more I get to know them the more I realize how awesome they are. It must be because we’re related or something. ;-)

14. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
    ~ All of the Republican candidates for president (and most of the Republican party for that matter), especially Trump, my boss (It’s a family owned business, a brother and sister run the place. He’s great. She’s a bitch), I’m sure there are others.

15. Where did most of your money go?
    ~ Car (car payment, brakes, tires, gas…), food, medical bills, student loans, cell phone....

16. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
    ~ Going to California

17. What song will always remind you of 2015?
    ~ On the road again

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

i. happier or sadder?
~ about the same

ii. thinner or fatter?
~ Thinner actually. I started up my migraine meds again (even though I can’t afford them, I can’t afford to miss work either) and loss of appetite is a side effect. When I first started taking them I lost 50 pounds. I’d be okay with that happening again.

iii. richer or poorer?
~ poorer

1. What do you wish you’d done more of?
   ~ Nothing. Seriously, I wish I’d done nothing more often.

2. What do you wish you’d done less of?
   ~ Working. I need the money but this job is killing me mentally.

3. How did you spend Christmas?
   ~ With my sister and her family. We made plans for this weekend as well. I’m glad we’re starting to spend more time together. :-)

4. Did you fall in love in 2015?
   ~ I’m going to steal Andrea’s answer: with every passing year, this question becomes more and more absurd.

5. How many one-night stands?
   ~ I don’t have one in my room here at the farm. I use a rocking chair. I had several in hotels across the country in April. ;-)

6. What was your favourite TV program? ~ I don’t think I’ve watched tv at all since we got back from California. But it would be Scorpion, Castle and NCIS. Not from this year (in fact it’s not even on any more), but I discovered The IT Crowd on Netflix. Hilarious!

7. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
   ~ Hate is too strong a word, but I’m not a big fan of my boss.

8. Who is someone you will probably never see again after this year?
   ~ Well my grandpa would be the obvious answer.

9. What was the best book(s) you read?
   ~ I did a lot of rereading this year. And continuing series.

10. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    ~ Nothing really.

11. What did you want and get?
    ~ To see my grandpa one more time.

12. What did you want and not get?
    ~ A winning lottery ticket.

13. What was your favourite film of this year?
    ~ I haven’t seen it yet, but it came out in 2015 so I’m going to say Star Wars. That I actually saw would be Minions (yes, I’m a nerd).

14. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
    ~ We were in San Francisco with my sister and her family. We were going to go to the aquarium in Monterey, but it was super expensive. So we went to the beach, caught dungeness crabs, stopped by a roadside stand for fresh strawberries, and ate fresh crab and strawberries with lots of wine for supper. It was great.

15. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
    ~ A different job

16. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?
    ~ Khaki or black pants and a Navy uniform shirt since June. Before that was black pants and a butcher coat.

17. What kept you sane?
    ~ Define sane.

18. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
    ~ I think I’m still on Elyes Gabel.

19. Who did you miss?
    ~ Family

20. Who was the best new person you met?
    ~ I haven’t really met anyone new.

21. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015:
    ~ People still suck.

22. Tell us something you’ve learned about yourself:
    ~ I like jobs where I only have to be responsible for myself. I don’t like having to worry about who’s going to clean the bathroom or scoop the snow in the parking lot. I like being able to go in, do my thing, and leave.

23. If you could relive any day from 2015, which would it be and why?
    ~ None. I’m not a huge fan of the past couple of years. We either need to go back a bit more so I can change stuff or keep moving forward.

24. Did any of your predictions for the future come true in 2015?
    ~ I figured it would be more of the same

25. What was the funniest thing that happened to you (or the funniest thing you did) this year?
    ~ Any day spent with my family in California. We all have the same warped sense of humor.

26. What was the worst thing that happened to you this year?
    ~ Either the constant harassment at work at the beginning of the year that ultimately ended with me walking out or my grandpa dying.

27. What was the best thing that happened to you this year?
    ~ Getting to see all of my family and getting to spend so much time with them all in April.

28. What was the hardest thing you did this year?
    ~ Walking out on a job, leaving California before the funeral, wearing Angels’ gear (I’m a White Sox fan) ;-)

29. A new food that you were introduced to:
    ~ Nopales, Pupusas (El Salvadoran), roasted chestnuts

30. What traditions were started?
    ~ Technically it started last year and continued this year. Christmas at my sister’s.

31. What traditions were broken?
    ~ Christmas Eve with my grandparents. I had to work.

32. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
    ~ “Fuck you very much”

33. Did you save any Chinese fortune cookie fortunes from this year, what do they say?
    ~ I didn’t save any. The only one I remember was something about someone with blue eyes admires me.

34. What is something you have vowed to never do again?
    ~ I’m not coming up with anything.

35. Headlines in the news from this year that you’ll remember most:
    ~ Syrian refugees, Trump, everything is Obama’s fault.

36. In 2015, what did you realize you had previously taken for granted?
    ~ Health insurance.

37. Are there any memorable slogans/sayings that describe and/or are from this year?
    ~ Make America Great Again (Made in China), or my choice, FEEL THE BERN!!

38. What will you be doing this New Years’ Eve?
    ~ I worked and then filled this out while everyone else in the house slept.

39. Where were you last New Years’ Day (2015)?
    ~ Sitting in the same place I think.

Last updated January 01, 2016