End of the New Year - Survey Time!
Try to contain your excitement

Well, I'm going to try to do that end of year survey thing. Looking back at the year that was and all that jazz. So, without further ado, we commence:

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Lived in America for an extended period of time - that was a weird experience, especially being so far away from everything that I knew. I met a lot of wonderful people, but I believe the consensus is that it was a good thing that I left, why? Because I also had another first, I broke an appendage for the first time. In the positive side I bought my first car, a wonderful Subaru that I called Sloan and then had to painfully sell once I came back to Canada.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more
for next year?
I never make resolutions

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope, but several friends are on that path in a few years or so.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Literally and thankfully: No
Figurativly: Yes - when I had to sell the Subaru.
I loved that car. I'm kind of ashamed to say that, but it was such a great feeling to have the freedom to just get into a car and drive through the New England area. Stopping in Burlington, or going to play shinny in Conway, it was such a sweet ride. 6 disc in dash cd changer and a full heating system, plus it was large enough to carry all of my important worldly posessions back into Canada. It's the freedom that I miss the most.

5. What countries did you visit?
America, Insanity, Crazytown.
They're good times, I can get you all a package deal, especially in the offseason.

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
A sense of direction and a grip on reality. I'm still searching for a grip on responsibility that's been sorely lacking for a while.
Come to think of it, I've never really had a firm grip on responsibility . . . . and now because I had to be uber-responsible during my time in America I feel like I almost have a license to be a little looser.

7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
September 11th. The date of my first restraint. It sucked. I got inadvertantly punched in the gut during the whole thing and then 20 minutes after I had to run an hour and a half long September 11th memorial. It was a heavy day all around.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Actually writing and recording my own songs with Nick in New Hampshire. Having the entire group for a few weekends by myself and having no problems during those times. We were severely shorthanded for three weeks and I had to take my group for three wekends in a row. Saturdays and Sundays are the most stressful times at the camp for a variety of reasons and it was a pretty big thing that I was able to

9. What was your biggest failure?
Having to quit only a year into a two year commitment. I signed on for two and couldn't handle it.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I wound up breaking my left thumb and that really put a cramp in my style. You never realise how much you take your dominant hand for granted until it ceases being a useful apendage and becomes a club wrapped in blue plaster. I also got pink eye a lot, and did a lot of damage to my arms from the many restraints that I was involved in. Oh, I also became a bit of an alcoholic for a while - it was an illness that lead to many minor injuries.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A car, tons of cds and dvds, an iPod

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
The Scott Courtice-Megan Winkler wedding I attended as a member of the wedding party. I honestly can't remember a weekend of such fun from beginning to end. Two really great people got married, there were good friends there and everything went the way it should. I felt proud and humble to be involved in such a great event.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
The kids at camp - to the point where I seriously do not want kids at all. Well, there's a variety of reasons: I don't want to deal with the hassle of it, I really don't. I want to have the freedom to go and do what I want without having to worry about school schedules or anything like that.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Settling old debts, especially a two year old, $2000 loan from Queen's that I completely forgot about until they got a hold of me. They'll track you down, all the way to the wilds of New England - mark my words. I also managed to buy a car, but I've said enough on that. I bought an Xbox at the end of Eckerd training in August and I just recently bought an iPod

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Well, every five days I was excited about going off and going exploring in New England. I was able to visit Boston and Montreal a number of times with my good friend Large Amounts of Disposable American Income - he's always a riot no matter where you are. I also was excited to make several visits to Kingston, by a year apart in Octobers and they were a great time in a city that's always been good to me.

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
"Glen Tipton" - Sun Kil Moon

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder?
Happier - MUCH happier
ii. Thinner or fatter?
Thinner
iii. Richer or poorer?
poorer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
songwriting, staying in touch with friends

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
drinking, restraining juvenile delinquints

20. Did you fall in love in 2004?
Ummm, I was in some relationships, some good, some bad, but nothing spectacular.
Short answer: No.

21. How many one-night stands?
Ben and Becca dubbed me the Dean of Dirtbag University . . . . I had a few, meh.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Daily Show, Chapelle's Show, The Office

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not really, well no, scratch that. After watching the Euro Championship soccer matches this summer I now have an irrational hatred of Christinao Ronaldo. He's an absolutely amazing footabller, but everytime anything goes wrong in the slightest he cries to the ref more than a French soccer player. It's funny because it's so impossible. Someone with that much talent shouldn't need a pacificer.

24. What was the best book you read?
"Fool on the Hill" by Matt Ruff
damn damn damn good.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
A few here: Sun Kil Moon, Mountain Goats, Stars, Go Team

26. What did you want and get?
A job after graduation. A car of my own.

27. What did you want and not get?
A steady relationship

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was in Toronto, it was at the CN Tower for my birthday/sister's graduation and it wasn't very memorable. I turned half of 50, and I guess that shows you my mentality behind it.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Steady access to music out in the woods. We couldn't listen to headphones because we had to be guard all the time for noises, and I could only play guitar in 30 minute snatches.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Woodsman chic. I had a tremendous beard and hair combo going on. 6 months of grwoth left me looking like Mike Commodore. It was a spectacular sight.

32. What kept you sane?
My co-counselors. My co-counselors. My co-counselors. Beer. My co-counselors.
Also, when I got back to Toronto it was the way I was able to reconnect with a ton of people and put together a social life.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?
Same-sex marriage. It's going to happen so get on board or get out of the way.

34. Who did you miss?
Many different friends that I have lost contact with from Queen's. It sucks being stuck here in Toronto without the ability to travel to see people that I want to.

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004.
Do not panic in any situation. At all.

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
no, no I won't
There's way too many

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