Ali and 2005

It will be a long, long time until I am able to have closure for 2005 in terms of film, but I do feel like I am able to look back on the past year in other respects...

1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
- I got straight A's and a 3.9 GPA. That was certainly a first (in university at least).
- Finally, finally read Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, which I had been putting off reading for months (!).
- At long last attempted to get my driver's permit (I failed the test tho). I'm not in a hurry to try again ("Sir, why would you drive over the curb during your driving test? That's the one thing you don't do! Where's your attention??!"). Um, FUCK YOU. Sir.
- Fell in love. (It was unrequited, so that's all I'll say on that). In fact, the term ("love") is rather debatable.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
- I'm not good at New Year's resolutions. But each time around, I do make a mental reminder to work harder at school, stop biting my nails, keep in touch with people, get a better job, be more proactive about career goals, lose more weight and start writing reviews again. I don't think any of that will happen.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
- No, but my aunt will have her third kid in March of this year.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
- A couple of family friends, no one particularly close to me, but still unsettling nonetheless.

5. What countries did you visit?
- Just the U.S. (Houston and Allentown). I seriously need to change this. I can't stay in North America anymore.

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
- More self-confidence, better study habits and less cynicism.

7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
- Nothing really big of significance happened this year. It was all one big mush of events, people and things, nothing stupendous. The three highlights - going to Dani's cottage in July, the film festival in September and my mum's wedding just recently. Oh, one date in November as well (whether it was a highlight, I dunno), but that event shall remain private for now.

9. What was your biggest failure?
- God, so many of them, don't ask me.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
- A couple of minor ailments, but nothing too serious.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
- All my DVDs? My Criterion Collection stash tripled in size this year with a lot of Bergman, Cronenberg and the like.
- My new desktop, which I got along with fine until the hard drive crashed a couple of weeks ago (grrr).

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
- Certainly not mine. My family has been fun and good and helpful and supportive...

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
- My own.

14. Where did most of your money go?
- DVDs, transit fare, movie tickets, Diet Coke.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
- Movies (obviously), my mum's new fiancee, the cottage trip, my high grades, my new-found major (the switch from Poli Sci to South Asian Studies), the discovery of new writers, the beginning of awards season, and not much else.

16. What song will always remind you of 2005?
- "Dheere Jalna" from Paheli.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you...

i. happier or sadder?
- Hard to tell. A tad happier, but not by much.

ii. thinner or fatter?
- Fatter.

iii. richer or poorer?
- Poorer, because I don't have a job right now unlike last year.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
- Living.

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

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
- I spent it sleeping in, I think. Then I decorated. Watched some films.

21. How will you be spending New Years?
- The family came over. It was the night before the wedding, so it wasn't the most relaxing time (preparations, preparations).

22. Did you fall in love in 2005?
- Debatable (see above). I did have a HUGE crush, but I don't know if it can be described as such.

23. How many one night stands?
- Hah.

24. What was your favourite TV program?
- I enjoyed Six Feet Under while it lasted (I say good-day to you, naysayers! Nothing on t.v. comes close). America's Next Top Model is a guilty pleasure. I try to get into Arrested Development every season and while I enjoy it, I never form a lasting connection.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
- The same people, more or less.

26. What was the best book you read?
- Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
- Alexandre Desplat (well, carry-over from 2004, but still...)

28. What did you want and get?
- Material things.

29. What did you want and not get?
- No comment.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
- A History of Violence, but there's still more to see.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
- Went to the cottage. 21.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
- Probably travelling out of the country.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
- American Eagle (because I worked there so long). Now I can't stand to even look at their clothes. Time to shop.

34. What kept you sane?
- Diet Coke. Gym membership. Movies. Campus distractions. Food.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
- All of them, except the ones that suck.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
- Oh, so many to choose from. We're having an election here in a few weeks, so I am trying to involve myself in the issues as much as possible.

37. Who did you miss?
- The regular crew (Dani, Sam, Durlaks, Stew, Cooney, Laura, Jordi, Jason, Andrew). All my PASS-ers (Tom, Melissa, Charlie, "Erik"). Noorie and Shab. The old times.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
- Robbie (however briefly I spent time with him). My World Lit Prof. Munir.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005.
- I should thank the powers that be for leading such a priveleged, lucky life. I've been extremely ungrateful for many years.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
- I don't listen to a lot of music.

EDIT: Coming soon, reviews and thoughts on SAG/DGA (I know, I'm very slooow). Plus a write-up on the BFCA ceremony (thank god they got rid of Eric McCormack this year).