37 replies to this topic

[The Other 49]

A couple years ago I became a bit depressed around New Years because I kept thinking about how I wasn't where I wanted to be yet. I kept thinking about how I had failed at some of my resolutions for the year. As someone who falls prey far too often to turning self reflection into depressive meditations, I figured I needed a way to curb this habit. Now, every year, I try to reflect on what I did accomplish. It's always good to try and improve yourself, but we also have to stop every now and then and notice the good things we are already doing. Maybe I still work a day job for a shitty company that treats people like crap, but I know I kill it every day I go in.

Here is my list for 2009:


1. Played my first live show in six years with my new band.
2. Recorded debut CD with said band.
3. Was flown to MN, my home state, to do a photo shoot. (yay free vacation)
4. Flown to Dallas to do a photo shoot.
5. Booked my first show as a promoter and several since.
6. Booked a show Jim Adkins came to. (even if he wasn't there to see us)
7. Won the Phoenix Independents Bowl with band mates and friend Mark.
8. 98% accuracy on my first inventory as warehouse manager
9. Quit smoking
10. Went to see Coyotes game
11. Stabilized myself financially
12. Went to some great shows
13. Stopped talking to someone who took advantage of me for years
14. Paid off some old bills.
15. Met some great new people.
16. Saw a ton of great movies (Inglorious Basterds being my favorite I think)
17. Loved the shit out of my friends and family.



It's funny, as someone who has struggled with self esteem and just trying to cope with life, I have noticed how much this can help. When I started thinking about my list this year, I was a little worried because I thought I had done less than last year. Professionally, I am still hoping to make my day job one in the film/video business. In 2008 I was fortunate to work on some great projects. This year I didn't do much with it. However, I later realized it is partially because I was up to a lot of other great things. Yeah, sure, some of it is still laziness. But I'm still fighting.

So, I challenge you to look back on what you liked about this year. Even if you feel like you haven't met your goals, I bet you still did some cool things, met some good people, saw a good show, read a good book, saw a good film, etc., etc.

[The Real Jeffrey Lebowski]

Finally started a website for my photos
Had a photo used in an AZCentral story (for the Dry River Yacht Club CD Release)
Shot some great shows (Black Carl CD & DRYC CD Release, *Shizzfest*, Dr. Dog, Miniature Tigers, etc.)
Light rail drinking!
Vacations: Visited and fell in love with Portland, L.A. in the summer, Zurich/Paris/London upcoming
fell in love with my job
Tried to buy a house - a dry run for the real thing next year
Switched to Mac
found hockey (Go Flyers!) via NHL 2k7 for XBox
Played some excellent NFL2k5, including coming back from 21 points down in the second half to force overtime and WIN (Green Bay Mutherfucken PACKERS) a couple weekends ago.
1/20/09
Cut credit card debt in half (cut and cancelled two cards)
Movies! (especially Star Trek!)
Discovered Herdez salsa (thanks to Weener's recommendation)
Seinfeld / Curb Your Enthusiasm season
Only shaved (with a blade) once? If that.
Discovered Rogue Chipotle Ale (which is *fucking awesome* by the way - @Jacki: one of the next times you brew, you should try figuring all that out)


This was a good idea. I could only think of two when I was reading the post deciding whether I had enough material to work with to post, but it just started to flow. Thanks!

[chadk]

although this year has been shitty and i am really ready for the 2010, i will list some positives.

saw propagandhi, banner pilot, the dead milkmen, dillinger four
sold the largest piece of art i have ever made
sold some art to some friends
recorded with my band for our first release out early next year
played some great shows
went to bisbee, baltimore, and new york

[raubhimself]

this year has been simultaneously awesome and shitty

the good:
played my first show ever
played a few more shows
(about to) put out a cd
started taking guitar lessons again
wrote a song per week for the past 6 months
started studying classical guitar
built and sold and few effects pedals
enjoyed my weekends maximally
fell in love with a bunch of bands

the bad:
despite the above things felt lazier than ever
watched more tv than ever
my diet went down the tubes
tried and failed at setting an exercise regimen
tried and failed to join mig in a photoblog experience (sorry mig)
barely played any videogames (a sign of growing older? )
barely went to any shows

the ugly:
pretty sure i put on weight despite starting to get in shape
definitely felt older and fatter
despite ridding myself of a few-month long bout of depression starting at the end of 2008, i now just feel neurotic most of the time

[glitterbot]

this year has been simultaneously awesome and shitty


the bad:
despite the above things felt lazier than ever
watched more tv than ever
my diet went down the tubes
tried and failed at setting an exercise regimen
barely played any videogames (a sign of growing older? )
barely went to any shows

the ugly:
pretty sure i put on weight despite starting to get in shape
definitely felt older and fatter

All of the above can be blamed on TV. Seriously!! It is TV's fault for making so many engrossing, grossening, and gross programs to watch and be sucked in to. I get SOOOO much less done in a day once the TV goes on.

I had a goal to read 104 books this year, and only got (so far) to 86. If I had back all the time I spent watching TV, I would have easily made my goal. Unless I can bust out 18 books in the next 14 days, I don't think I am going to make it.

[Dez]

Ok, here are bits of highlights from my 2009

Went to Chicago for free for a week and had the best time as always
I saw some sweet shows (U2- My mom’s favorite band. This show was a mad bonding experience for us), Jay Z and GIAC (Got to do shots with the lovely Nina!) and lots of local shows about town
Got a job I like (well for the most part)
Got a raise after only being employed for six months
Saw my baby start Jr. High!!!
Seen my boy go from mediocre to almost great in his guitar skills.
Went to Disneyland with my mama again since the last time we went when I was 7yrs old
Repaired a relationship I didn’t think would ever be restored. It’s all about forgiveness and love people!
Came up on like three different video game systems, new furniture and some cool new art
*Stolen* Curb Your Enthusiasm season!!
Discovered BabbO
Found out one of my best friends is going to be a mama!
Met lots of new people that have added sunshine to my days
And lastly, I fell in love with the most awesome person I never knew I always wanted

[John MFer]

I'm having a very hard time coming up with positives, but here we go.

Played five shows (fewest since 1999, but still, 5 more than I thought I'd play on Jan 1st.)
Bought three guitars, one of which is my new #1 and the benchmark by which I judge all others
Learned Drupal and built two websites
Cooked some of the best meals I've ever made
Wrote two songs. It's better than zero, I guess.
Ran Pat's Run
3 nights in Vegas baby-free, probably the best time I've had in a couple years, at least since I was doing regular band travel.

But for the most part, every week was the same, 95% of my time consumed by work, domestic responsibilities, or being exhausted from both.

EDIT: I didn't get laid off, that' a plus. We'll see about next year, things aren't looking so hot.

What a waste of a year.

[Jacki O.]

i like this idea and i shall participate:

- my show Muff Mondays did quite well (even though it fell apart in May). It helped me meet a lot of people, and i feel way more comfortable on stage than i ever thought possible.
- i went to mexico and met lots of cool people
- i fixed plumbing issues in my house myself! that was very cool
- i started Femocracy which is really exciting and i cant wait to see where it goes next year
- i helped co-organize the Underground Publishers Convention which was fun and something i had always wanted to do
- i won the juror's award for my sculpture piece in a group show at the Mesa Contemporary Art Center
- i got more involved with the shizz and helping plan shizz-sponsored events!
- i published a zine of my writing
- i finally got my website up and running and got an art blog
- my girls and i finally stopped talking about doing a porn mag for women and actually started working on it! PoolBoy in 2010 is going to be fun.
- i sold several pieces of art
- i bought an awesome piece of art from Chad Knapp!
- i got to go to new york and boston to visit friends
- i've taken pictures of naked dudes with boners! i was initially afraid to do and it was a little awkward at first but now i got it down and feel very comfortable doing it. very comfortable. heyo!
- i started composting!! yay!
- i kept my job (didn't think it was gonna last this long)
- i opened myself up to a guy emotionally and got (brutally) rejected - but it was something that i've never really done before, i'm usually very closed off, and even though it ended badly, i'm proud of myself for taking that risk and facing a fear.
- i got a blackberry and finally switched to a cool cell phone company
- i painted a lot more and participated in more art shows and performances this year
- i saw Yo La Tengo live, one of my favorite all-time bands

2009 was good. there were some highs and lows (like every year) but overall, i feel like i am steadily moving onwards and upwards.

[MikeyWretch]

-had 4 records released
-Did a 3 week tour to midwest then over and down west coast
-Lost my house
-went to space.
-moved to crappy fucking hometown an hour away
-fought MechaGodzilla
-Played Northpark Awesome Fast
-Saw Dillinger Four in a house then a bar in one night.
-Built a time machine
-Moved back to Tempe

[Dez]

Props to all the creativity on this Board! I'm slightly green!

My whole year has been predominately focused on family, work and being domesticated. I even had to learn how to cook, again!

I however have big plans for 2010(serious ones, Meh! ) I feel challenged now!

[joe.distort]

-did my first zine in like three years, which has made it to 30+ states, australia, england,canada and CROATIA?!
-cut out a lot of the cancerous "friends" i needed to for years but was always too scared (unfortunately, this has led to my best friend and i being 'on a break' right now. i miss him)
-moved in with the love of my life. oh also the girl that owns said kittie
-have a new script im breaking right now that im VERY happy with and is conceptually very interesting
-saw my two favorite current bands,HATRED SURGE and DEAR LANDLORD, within weeks of each other
actually saw quite a few of my favorite bands this year.
-made like 1000 dollars selling records, and havent even gotten through 1/20 of them yet!
-got asked to do some projects that i actually was secure enough in myself to turn down. before i would always be so needy that i felt like anything i was asked to do, i should do because who knows what can happen? now, not so much.
-have got my life in a spot where i dont feel like a fucked up piece of shit!
-developed quite a beer-nerd-sense. its like spidey sense, but useful. even against venom.

[weener]

I feel like a completely different person now than I was at the beginning of this year. I've started being afraid of fewer things.

-I started living on my own, completely alone for the first time in my life.
-I lost my mental shit earlier in the year, and finally got help for some problems I've been having for years but was somehow convinced that they were normal/not important. Got on antidepressants which help me be the person I always wanted to be.
-I'm no longer terrified to get up in the morning.
-Made a whole bunch of awesome new friends and started doing things with my life.
-Faced my fears of driving long distances and being in unfamiliar places by first driving to Prescott, then Flagstaff, then going on tour with my band and driving 4000 miles across the country.
-Went on tour with my band and had the time of my life! Drove and parked in many, many unfamiliar locations! Stood on the Golden Gate Bridge and didn't jump!
-I can now turn my car on and off of Grand Avenue. I used to be too nervous.
-Followed my heart for once. Well...twice.

[transonic]

Completed several projects for work like Dove Valley Park sculpture, Agave Branch Library sculpture, Garfield Neighborhood sculpture. Thankful I still have a job with the city.

Thought I wanted to go to ASU for another Masters (Landscape Architecture) but discovered the College of Design over there is no bueno. I did get all my vaccinations up to date before registering for classes, though.

Spearheaded website redesign (coming in 10) and created a collections management database at my job which will drastically improve how our office operates.

Taught hundreds of online students about world mythology and the arts.

Wrote freelance articles for various magazines and zines.

Went to Denver for a vacation and tore my left ACL for a second time. Had knee surgery in June. Faithfully did my physical therapy.

Wrote some poems. Published one. Organized my poetry while recovering from knee surgery. Read a few times.

Helped the shizz in its development of a shizz record label. (Did that effort go anywhere?)

Won 3rd place in the City's Got Talent competition. Did a performance where I played bass while reading poetry. Will develop this performance and do more in 10.

Had season tickets to the Mercury who won their second championship!

Had season tickets to the Diamondbacks who sucked, but Mark Reynolds is my new man crush. I upgraded my season tix to section 133 row 3 so I can sit behind Reynold and watch his ass from close up.

Went to Coachella for the 10th time (that's right, me and the b* have been to every single one). Chatted with Perry Farrell in the VIP area. Ok, maybe I just sat near him and wished I had a Mondegreen CD to give him.

Moderated a session on public art maintenance at the Southwest Arts Conference. Got a panel session on poetry as public art accepted at the Associated Writers and Writing Programs conference in Denver in 10.

Recommitted to another term as Secretary of the Board for Nightboat Books.

Played nursemaid for my wife who had ACL surgery on her right knee in November.

Sat on a panel to jury artists for shows next year at the @central Gallery at Burton Barr Library.

Released Mondegreen's first CD. Had it featured and available for free in copies of hoozdo. Release party was a benefit for 513 Analog and raised a bunch of cash for Catherine. Played some great shows with some great bands. Highlight was playing on the outdoor stage at Lost Leaf for Art Detour First Friday with Back Ted N-Ted and Mr. Meeble. That show was mentioned as a reason the 6th St strip won "Best Place to be Seen during First Friday" in New Times.

Had lunch with Young MC. That's right, Marvin Young who did "Bust a Move". He lives in Scottsdale now. He did a track with my audio engineer friend who lives in LA. He had these credit card-size cards with a one-time download code on it. You enter the code and get the song--that was how he was passing it out--not on CD or anything. His new track sucks. Guess there's a reason you're a one-hit wonder. But it was cool just to hear his opinions on the music industry. He likes indie rock.

[raubhimself]

Wrote some poems. Published one. Organized my poetry while recovering from knee surgery. Read a few times.

I am interested in reading these.

[negicore]

-
Job of nearly 10 years ended.
Unemployed for like 6 weeks.
Got job that pays much less, and is at times degrading.
Living paycheck to paycheck even more so.

+
Got engaged.
Saw some bands, bought some records, drank some beers.

so I guess not bad,
2010 should be good.