2006: Year in Review

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?
Went on a cruise, road tripped to a football game, partied a lot, travelled with the cycling team

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I can't find this year's resolutions anywhere, although I'm certain that riding more and losing weight were included, and if that's the case then I was mostly successful!

This year: stress less, lose the last 10-12 pounds, put myself first, do all those things I've always wanted to

3. Did someone close to you give birth?
Nope!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Does my kitty Ringo count?

5. What countries did you visit?
Bahamas

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2006?
Better friends.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
hmmm... none really stand out right now

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
2 semesters of straight As? Got my first car all on my own!

9. What was your biggest failure?
Letting it all get to me again. Not being happier.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I sprained my ankle on the cruise and had surgery on my sinuses.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
2 new bikes, a bike rack for my car, a new digital camera, miscellaneous other bike stuff (to total an exorbitant amount of money)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Will, as usual. He is the best person I know.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Princess Yak and my dear roommate Alex Kennedy the girl

14. Where did most of your money go?
cycling, drinking, going out

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
meeting all the newbies, going out a lot, New Years (ok, hasn't happened yet, but I'm excited!)

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
Luda's Money Maker, Lostprophets' We Still Kill the Old Way

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or hardened? happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? 15 pounds thinner!!
iii. richer or poorer? richer!

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
sleep, ride my bike, party, enjoy life

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
stress out, work

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
family and friends

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

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Top Gear, Colbert Report, Daily Show, Ugly Betty

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
hate is a strong word, and I don't know if anyone affected me enough to merit that

26. What was the best book you read?
The Devil Wears Prada. I didn't read that much this year. Currently in the middle of Life of Pi

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Lostprophets, more hip hop

28. What did you want and get?
new bicycle, new earrings, a racquetball racquet

29. What did you want and not get?
One of those ipod alarm clock things, extension cord thing for the ibook... I was very fortunate this year

30. Favorite film of this year?
V for Vendetta

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 23on March 13. Went out to Cheesecake factory with various people. Jocelyn surprised me at the Tech race with brownies. Hoping to have something not as low key this year.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Reaching the point I'm at now much earlier in the year

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
More effort!

34. What kept you sane?
Will. Coffee.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
George Hincapie (ok, so no one knows who he is), Barack Obama

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Argh... again, there are too many to list. I'd say voting, the war in Iraq, the current state of the system here.

37. Who do you miss?
My soulmate Melissa, my friend Sarah

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I adore all the newbies who break the tech mold, especially the one from TN

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:
To put myself first... I can't take care of anyone else if I'm not taking care of myself

So it continues...

Now that my hair is back to a normal-ish color (still a little dark, but the soft permanent will begin to wash out), I have a terrible hair cut.

I went the other day to Hair Cuttery, because I was trying to save money. I asked for shoulder length hair with long layers, and instead I got something somewhat resembling the whole Friends hair craze thing. I've had this haircut before... it's equally bad the second time around.

Conclusion: there are some things you shouldn't try to save money on... hair is one of them

We'll see whether going to a real salon and begging them to fix it will work, although I doubt they'll be able to do much since it's already so short.

Hair Fiasco

I was attempting to dye my hair close to its natural color (so that I could quit messing with dye) but the dye I used was bad and I ended up with almost black hair... and not uniformly so. Although, it wasn't too noticeable, but I didn't like it.

I am currently mid-second attempt at making myself a brunette again. The first time I tried to lighten it with permanent dye, that didn't work. Now I'm trying to "strip" the dark color, then use a soft permanent to give me a normal brown until my natural color grows back in.

Here's hoping it works and I can quit spending my hard earned money on hair products.

Time flies...

...when you're busy. And when you're having fun! So, the semester ended, not a moment too soon, and ended very well. I was able to pull off straight A's among all that contract work. Not an easy task, and I'm glad it's over with.

After my final Wednesday we went to Sweetwater to celebrate. And again Thursday. Even the Sweetwater people commented about us being alcoholics. Oh well. Friday I threw an end of semester party that was a lot of fun. Since then, it's been out and about basically every night to catch up on the fun until the end of this week, with a little work thrown in during the day.

Now I'm glad to be sitting still for the first time in a long time and to have a moment to myself with my thoughts. Although it's bittersweet, because I already miss people who are gone. I still have a lot on my to-do list for this break, although I doubt I'll accomplish much of it. Among other things, I need to clean out my car, upload a ton of pictures, get a haircut, finally get my spa sydell massage, organize a ton of paperwork, and do some fun and not-for-fun reading. I also want to do something active every day, whether it's cycling, running or playing racquetball. We'll see how it goes.

I can't wait for everyone to come back!

YAY!

Excellent game, even though the refs were crappy.

Finals Week

Hours at the Lab
Sunday: 10am-930pm
Monday : 730am -830pm

Coming up
Wednesday: ADM Final (must get extemely high grade), some contract meeting, Sweetwater!
Thursday: 6:30am meeting at Lockheed Marietta (that's going to be a fun one), but done!

Friday: end of boot camp celebration!

Lush

We hit up Buckhead Friday night.

Saturday morning I woke up and found my shoes in the kitchen sink.

I love my life.

Not Enough Hours in the Day

Too much going on, not enough time!!

1. FWD test Friday
2. Navy meeting stuff due Friday
3. ADM Report due Monday
4. Navy meeting Monday
5. IPPD Presentation Tuesday
6. Lockheed Thursday
7. IPPD Report Friday
   

Then done! Except for the fact that I have to work until Dec 21st. Joy.

Happy, though. :-)

Weekend

Awesome weekend. Despite the football team's suckage.

Flying (I miss it!), extremely shady hotel, and lots of alcohol... very memorable.

pictures. :-)

HOLY CRAP

I dropped the ball tonight, got in over my head and we got pulled over after moondogs. Thank god for Danny! He is my hero! He passed all the sobriety tests, including breathalyzer, with flying colors! Without him, we'd would have been screwed.

Not really sure how I'm going to make it up to him yet. Suggestions?

Definitely oa fun night, though!