I like these.

01. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Broke up with someone, went on holidays by myself, got a regular job, read a book in a foreign language that wasn't English, drank a proper cup of coffee - I could go on.

02. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I think my new year's resolution might have been to try something new, so I kept it. Apparently I also predicted that I'd turn into a Stereolab-fan. That didn't work out as I'm way too distracted.

03. Did someone close to you give birth?
Just yesterday - my godfather's wife.

04. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

05. What countries did you visit?
Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands.

06. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A bunch of people I feel I belong with.

07. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
24th - 31st of August because I have rarely felt so content. Kevin's birthday (16th of May) because it was dramatic and shit and I never want to be like that again. 22nd of November because it was an amazing day both in "official" i.e. university terms and in private terms. An overload of good and interesting and frightening stuff was packed into that day.

08. What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year?
"Herzlichen Glückwunsch zu Ihrer inhaltlich wie sprachlich brillianten Arbeit!"
University, I really feel that I have learned a lot and done well, not merely gotten good marks.
Doing my job at the museum well feels like an achievment.

09. What was your biggest failure(s)?
Kevin. Boys in general, I suppose. Actually, people in general, I didn't put enough effort into that.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A plane ticket to the Netherlands. Wait, that was a birthday present. Jens Lekman's new album.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Quinten's, he let me stay in his room for a week! He gave me food! He's ace!
Kevin's, he was nice to me.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I'm easily appalled by people's behaviour, so I'll just ignore this question...

14. Where did most of your money go?
To the bank.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The past!!!
The Netherlands, before and after.
New friends, for good and bad reasons.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you...
i. happier or sadder? About the same.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Loving. Relaxing.

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

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my two families, good food and the Christmas tree. Can't wait!

22. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Yes.

23. How many one-night stands?
None!

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Simpsons, of course. I really like the euro.film thing, but that's not technically a program.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Probably.

26. What was the best book you read?
E.M. Forster, Howard's End. Katherine Mansfield's short stories. Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness. Harry Potter of course.
There's also this book about geographical perceptions of Macedonia which I adore.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Young Marble Giants, Left Banke (I knew them before, but I only really got into them this year), Benoit Pioulard, Scott Walker, I think I started listening to The Radio Dept this year. Led Zeppelin (oh my gooood).

28. What did you want and get?
I wanted to see Quinten again and hoped it wouldn't be all awkward.
I wanted to stay friends with Kevin.
I wanted to write an excellent essay about the Albanian "revival" and I did, apparently.
I wanted to do my job well.
I wanted to drink tea with a new person.


29. What did you want and not get?
Someone special to call me which that person never did.

30. Favorite film of this year?
Infamous and History Boys.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Lots of university, Kevin, dinner with my family at a really nice restaurant, 20.

32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less anxiety about if what I want is the right thing.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Re-discovering the simple things, clothes that are as well-cut as is possible when you're on a budget, becoming more comfortable with what I look like. More skirts.

34. What kept you sane?
As always, my family.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I was too busy fancying real people/characters in books to do that.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Mostly past ones, i.e. Greek politics in the 1910s/1920s, Albanian politics around 1900, the Macedonian question. Contemporary ones include the Democratic primaries, the Kosovo question and Russian elections. No Austrian ones, strangely.

37. Who do you miss?
Quinten and the whole city of Utrecht and Quinten's roommate David.
Some friends who I don't see often enough, if you ask me.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Stephan and David.
And the professor for Greek history, he's really good!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
There are people who might not like the same music or films or books and who like things you thought only lunatics like. They might still be the nicest and most decent people you'll ever know.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"you keep your cards so close to your chest, you're making me confused"