damn... i had this mega essaylong, colourful, version of the year end review thingy going around, but now i'm bitter and jaded from my browser crashing, and we'll hafta settle for 2nd best. *sigh* most of the responses are the faded shadows of my previous answers for the most part, but maybe i'll be good cuz it won't be so boring... haha! ;p still, I wrote in more than one thing where I was supposed to choose one, just cuz i'm indecisive.. haha

[warning: this is kinda long. get a comfy chair, get a drink, and pay your bills first.] ;)

1. What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before?
travelled to costa rica, japan, tobermory, stratford, sudbury.
became a digital camera fiend
lived with my love in a townhouse
went in a corn maze, parasailing, to the enviro sci bash
made to walk in straight line to get into a bar.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
i don't really remember making one last year, but for this year, my resolution is live my life more actively, fully and completely, in the following aspects: physically, mentally, emotionally, academically, spiritually, activistically to be healthier, in terms of exercising.
to do better in school.
and to keep in better touch with the people I cherish in my life

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nay

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, and I just thought about that happening in my life... never seeing then smile, hearing their voice, or even just chatting to them online. that to me is really bizarre and kind of frightening, even though I try to see death as a natural part of life.

5. What countries did you visit?
Costa Rica, Japan, USA, and Canada

6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003?
A career related job, the knowledge and ability to dive, more exercise, less procrastination on my part, a specific direction in life/work/school

7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?:
I don't know the precise date, it was much more a specific moment in time that in my memory. It was roughly 5 days after I got to costa rica(end of april), and we had hiked up to the very top of the continental divide, and I had straddled my way up a 10 ft tree stump, and it looked and felt like I was on top of the world. I was on the highest point that I could see in any direction, and the billowing clouds were rushing towards and past me from all directions. And another really big moment was on mid-late May, the day after I had arrived in Japan, two weeks after leaving costa rica, and just being floored by the shocking difference between the two cultures, one of wild jungles and oceans of navy blue, and the other of concrete jungles and oceans of black asian hair that covered the streets of japan.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
The only one that readily comes to mind is getting the highest course mark in my university career.... 94% in intro to aquatics (taken distance education)

9. What was your biggest failure?
not keeping in touch very well with friends and family especially, and barely exercising, and letting my poor sleeping habits spiral madly out of control.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
sprained an ankle kinda badly, that's all i can recall...

11. What was the best thing you bought?
If I had bought it, it would be my digital camera, but since i didn't buy it, it would have to be my big travelling backpack. A very fine investment for a future of travelling. :D

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
my friend mark, for him going up to a girl he'd never talked to before, and with sincerity (and not a cheesy pick-up line or whatever) asked her out, and started a really awesome relationship with her for the summer, where they connected very deeply, My description didn't do it nearly enough justice, but for someone who isn't an introvert, but doesn't give his love away freely to anybody, i think that's really rad, and I think that it takes a lot to do something like that.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
my own, for doing a poor job as an RA (i let too much get away, and was almost the cause of something really bad happening), and for doing a poor job at jobhunting for a career related job

14. Where did most of your money go?
going out for dinner, travelling expenses, food, presents, developing photos

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
travelling, student exchanges(even if i didn't go), concerts, meeting new people, seeing friends again seeing katie over the summer, as well as living with her.

16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
cold play - the scientist
travis- baby hit me one more time (covered by my friend stu)
the flaming lips- Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt.1
great big sea- The Old Black Rum
ben harper + Jack Johnson- high tide or low tide


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner, i think
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
school work, exercise, reading, sleeping, being active (physically and in the community), blogging, spending quality time with loved ones, job hunting, spending time in nature, camping, getting involved

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
pulling all nighters, procrastinating, wasting time on the internet without purpose, being in my room

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
It's over already, but x-mas eve was spent with much family (both sides) and some family friends, at my house for a giant chinese-style buffet-feast. Christmas was spent with family as well, and we woke up late, and then went for a mid-afternoon snack and then to the some streets that had awesome christmas light decorations to just look at, and then back home for leftovers.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Katie

22. Did you fall in love in 2003?
yes, constantly, with katie.

23. How many one-night stands?
none

24. What was your favorite TV program?
none on tv really, but anime berserk on the internet (vive l'internet downloading!)

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hating ain't cool. but george bush was close.

26. What was the best book you read?
wow, can't remember when i read what book. neutral buoyancy (tim? escott) was rad. inspired me to really want to dive. all families are psychotic (douglas coupland), blankets by craig thompson(such a sweet/sad story)

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
damn, wish i had my mp3s w/me, but off the top of my head, jack johnson

28. What did want and get?
A digital camera, some travelling, new experiences, and to learn more about myself

29. What did you want and not get?
Peace on earth, the earth saved from being raped, the ability and knowledge to go diving, to be in shape, a (especially a career related one), and a stable computer.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I can't really remember which movies I watched were from this year, but finding nemo,i guess.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went to jill, john, christina, and matt's house for a b-day get-together with a whole bunch of friends, and we just chilled out. I turned 20.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
better sleeping habits
the ability to write papers painlessly
making better use of my time.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?
hair is fun, and clothes are casual.

34. What kept you sane?
Friends, Katie, hugs, writing.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I honestly can't say. I don't fancy them equally.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I guess it would be the war on Iraq, just from my sheer exposure to it.

37. Who did you miss?
My puppy
Katie (while I was apart from her in the summer)
Guelph friends (during the summer)
Vancouver friends (during the school year)
My family

38. Who was the best new person you met?
wow.. so many neat people I met this year, i've truly been blessed. but Livia is really neat! I've only really met her for 6 months when we took intro to aquatic environments together this summer and started talking, but already she feels like an old friend... My fellow insomniac, and i think she understands me well. I can spew a chaos of thoughts, and she like digests and processes them into easy to swallow word pellets.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003:
Things change, whether you want it or not, and not for good nor bad, but simply because that is the way. The biggest changes happen imperceptibly, so gradually that it goes unnoticed, until you wake up one day, and reality slaps you in the face. And there are two ways to deal with it: like a willow tree, waving in the wind, but flexible enough not to snap in strong winds, or like a telephone pole, rigid and unwavering, but liable to snap under extreme duress.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I'm not really a song lyric guy.. I can't transcribe them into my memory... it's very strange. but i came across one looking at the cds i own:
"And times like those
What will be will be
And so it goes
And it always goes on and on...
On and on it goes
But somehow I know it won't be the same
Somehow I know it will never be the same."
-Jack Johnson