Gary BUTTERWORTH Online

SILVER SPRING, MD, USA

1. What did you do in 2004 that you’d never done before?
Lived overseas.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t think I made any and I really don’t plan on making any this time around. But I’ll try to start the year off on the right foot.

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

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
USA, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg (transit), Switzerland, Austria (transit), Slovakia, Czechia, and Poland

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
A life worth living in DC.

7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 4-9. I was a little sad about leaving Europe, but Syracuse washed that right away.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finishing school and getting a job, I guess.

9. What was your biggest failure?
That’s tough. I certainly had some disappointments and screw-ups, but I don’t think I really had any serious failures.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Various bus/plane/train tickets to places. Or maybe the cab ride I got for the lost old lady. But if you mean material things, hmmm…I really like some of my scarves?

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The HC Fribourg-Gottéron fans.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I’m not calling people out.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Europe.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Europe, 2 return trips to Syracuse.

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
I’m making a mix CD called “Soundtrack to College.” 2004′s entries are:
In the Shadows -The Rasmus
L’orange -Star Academie cast
Hey Ya -Outkast
Le Chemin -Kyo
A Day Before Tomorrow – Brainstorm

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? As of 12/30, probably slightly happier. That will switch to sadder in just a few days (due to last years timeline, ceteris parabus)
ii. thinner or fatter? About the same.
iii. richer or poorer? Somehow poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Learning at school.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Daydreaming instead of focusing.

20. How will you/did you spend Christmas?
Chilling in my apartment in Silver Spring, slightly annoyed that I couldn’t make it home.

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
No.

23. How many one-night stands?
0.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
The Simpsons? Actually, probably Jeopardy during Ken Jennings’ run.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No.

26. What was the best book you read?
I only actually finished one. Sad, huh? So I guess by default it’s Robert Young Pelton’s autobiography. If I actually finished the other dozen or so that I started, we might have a contest.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
You’re NOT going to make me choose between The Arcade Fire and MacZde Carpate, are you?! Cuz that would be wrong.

28. What did you want and get?
See #15.

29. What did you want and not get?
A happily ever after after college.

30. Did you make any new friends this year?
::Flashes Schiltigheim gang sign:: Yes, the Strasbourg crew.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 21, and my French family and I ate in the dining room.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
The year was immeasurably satisfying to begin with. However, I’d have no problem trimming the fat by removing November and December.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Existant. For the first time.

34. What kept you sane?
My ability to take a tiny step back from my emotions and be objective, no matter how much I didn’t want to be.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No idea.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
A combination of the Iraq war and the Darfur crisis.

37. Who did you miss?
My Syracuse friends.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Hard to say.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
No matter what they tell you, college does indeed prepare you for life after college. It does not prepare you for being a grown-up.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
This is next to impossible because 2004 had the study abroad stage, the umemployed stage, and the unhappily working stage. If you know of any song that can cover all three, please let me know. In the mean time, I’ll get a little abstract, pretend I’m the girl AND the guy, and quote Edward Bear’s “Close Your Eyes”: (British punctuation)
“Said that she go back to school
And try things once again
But you know it didn’t take too long
Till she lost her way
And all the reason in the world could see
She couldn’t stay
As I helped her pack her things
It didn’t hurt to say
Close your eyes
I’m right beside you”

March 2003-May 2004 was the best period of my life, and I’m pretty sure it will hold that title until I die. Considering that, 2004 is a very strong candidate for the “Best Year in Gary’s Life” award. But despite caring for me, it seems like 2004 was a complete bitch to a lot of other people I know (and honestly, these last couple of months weren’t even that great for me). So, 2004, it’s been nice knowing you, but it’s time to go.

Current Mood: Tired (I have no idea why). Also, pessimistic about how incredibly bored I’m going to be this weekend.