The Final Tally

This last year I had three personal challenges for myself. The first was: WATCH MORE MOVIES.

I ADORE movies but over the last several years I've found it difficult to just sit down (or go out and watch one). I loved high school when I saw a movie in the theater almost every weekend (I'm probably exagerrating but that's what it felt like). Joining the Gee El Ay Ay Dee movie nomination committee helped somewhat in this challenge a few years ago and I stayed a member for two years. But in 2008 I decided not to return because I couldn't juggle the meetings and school. In exchange I decided to join Netflix. (Logically this made financial sense since my film ticket purchases for Gee El Ay Ay Dee were not comped and considered "donations" ... joining the 1 at a Time Netflix plan was actually cheaper than being a nomination committee member.) This also meant that I got to watch movies that I ACTUALLY WANTED TO SEE (as opposed to strictly GLBT, and often "not-that-awesome", movies). Yay!

Well, I kept my tally on Spout.com (where I like to play movie expert) and I'm proud to say that I totally won that challenge! In 2007 I watched 45 movies. In 2008 - 75!!! (The last movie I watched in 2008 was technically finished in 2009 but I'm still counting it - Terminator 3!)

The second challenge was: READ MORE BOOKS. (And I totally include comic books, audio books and text books in that tally.) I keep that count on GoodReads.com and it looks like I didn't do as well. (I'm sure this has something to do with all the movies I was watching.) In 2007 I read 34 books. In 2008... only 26. (Hanging head low.) BUT CLOSE at least. (This has a lot to do with not listening to as many audio books.)

The third personal challenge was: TRAVEL MORE. I don't even think I have a tally for 2007 because I don't think I went anywhere. Well this year I started 2008 in Portland (Oregon) to visit Adrea, then moving to Tacoma to meet/visit Jenni and Seattle (Washington). Next up was Providence (Rhode Island) to hang out with my friend Jeff (and see Denise and family briefly) with day trips to Boston (Massachusetts) to see Val and Mystic (Connecticut) (to see the pizza). In August I went to Tokyo JAPAN with a few other girls (including Gringa Frijolera)!!! (For my 30th birthday.) Then I ended the year with a quick pre-Christmas trip back to Tacoma (Washington) to see Jenni and family again.

Another challenge that I completed, that wasn't originally on my list, was the 100 Push Up Challenge. I decided to do that, strictly to see if I could (and maybe also because I was being a little competetive with theMAC) and I did! Totally surprised myself on that one. Turns out - I actually CAN finish things from time to time.

What else did I do this year? Well I didn't originally intend for this to be a sum-up-the-year post but now it is so:

- I tried out for a reality show (true)
- Hunted for ghosts in Seattle, Newport (Rhode Island) and Hollywood
- Ouiji-ed 5 times!! (with Jenni, Kristin (no luck) and Deidre) and got to know the various ghosts and fairies that follow me around (or live in my room, as it were)
- I ate tomato, corn and cheese flavored ice creams
- DisneySea!!
- Visited a shrine, a love hotel, a food amusement park, bought Sony products FROM SONY, played Pachinko, ate at a restaurant full of ninjas, rented time at a cat petting zoo, ate sushi at the Tsukiji Fish market, drank Sake (and ate McDonald's) in Shibuya, climbed a tower, went to the Ghibli Museum and saw Harajuku girls in Harajuku!!
- Gained a nephew (Ellis) and a wing man (Jose)
- Had a brief freelance job at Mogreet.com
- Learned how to take better photos and develop film in a dark room (Photo 2 class at Santa Monica College)
- Went to Cafe 50's in my pajamas for a discount
- Saw Wicked (again), The Color Purple (twice), Nine to Five and Spring Awakening
- Went to the Gee El Ay Ay Dee Media Awards with Adrea (my second time, her first)
- Lost an aunt to cancer (oh you weren't expecting bad stuff?)
- Took care of my Dad after his bout with pancreatis
- Dealt with mom after one of her surgeries (elective)
- Went to The Little Mermaid sing-a-long at the El Capitan with Amy
- Went to Brenda's wedding and got asked to be a bridesmaid in Taysha's wedding
- Went to a Red Hat Society tea with Taysha & Monica
- Saw friend Alicia do stand-up comedy
- Saw Hedwig & The Angry Inch at midnight with Kristin
- Saw Clue at midnight with Amy
- Said Goodbye to Leslie (when she moved away) and Hello to Leslie when she came back for her and Taysha's 30th birthdays
- Went to "Girls Night Out" at the Grove with the girls (Brenda, Taysha & Monica)
- Braved the scary monster corn maze with Jenni
- Met Tippi Hedren at her tiger sanctuary, Shambala
- Went to a Prop 8 protest with Michael and his husband
- Saw "Repo - The Genetic Opera" with Deidra
- Saw Twilight with Leslie


And all of that was IN ADDITION to all the crazy projects I had going in school (learning how to composite with green screens, code in PHP, Javascript and Actionscript 3, creative directed the production of a YouTube like video site, created and produced a film promotional site for a REAL movie, invented/coded a mobile phone game, authored DVDs, created databases, trained audiences via computer, fought with evil clients, etc. etc. etc.). All in all I would say that I did a good job of balancing school and life in 2008.

Goals for 2009: READ MORE BOOKS, SEE MORE MOVIES (specifically in the theater), FINISH A VIDEO GAME (I have a hard time sticking-to-it), GET A JOB (damnit... I've been avoiding it but I do, indeed, graduate this year) and WRITE MORE (I've already begun with some daily writing prompts...I realize it's only a few days into the year but so far-so good). I also have a bunch of bridesmaid goals that I won't mention other than to mention that I have them.

Life Goals (Maybe for 2009 or Not):

- Go to New York City and see a Broadway play ON Broadway
- Go somewhere thrilling for New Year's Eve (possibly to New York City)(I did celebrate one New Year's at Epcot Center but it was rainy and kinda miserable.) (My mother celebrated New Year's Eve in London this year and followed that up by marching in the New Year's parade with a group of Red Hat Society women. This. Sounds. Fun!)