New Year's Meme: 2008 in Review
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
- Became a Buddhist.
- Had an amazing road trip to Vancouver, BC with my roommate.
- Found out I could write songs.
- Became a vernacular musician full-time.
I don't really believe in resolutions. If you want to make a change in your life, make a change.....screw the calendar.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No....but a lot of my friends in high school are starting to have kids.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.....thankfully.
5. What countries did you visit?
Canada!
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
My second Master's degree.......and maybe a bit more equanimity.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Summer.....Zoukfest, Medieval Music bootcamp, and my first ethnomusicological fieldwork experience.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Stepping out of the classical flute world and into the vernacular music/ethno world full-time. And learning that I'm completely happy in my new identity. Oh....and playing a completely solo traditional recital.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Ummm.....I don't like this question.....I'm going to ignore it. :)
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Summer.....if you can count experiences as being "bought."
12. Where did most of your money go?
Hi....I'm in grad school....where do you think it went?
13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Music, musicology, ethnomusicology, songwriting!
14. What song will always remind you of 2008?
One? You want me to pick ONE song? How is that fair to a musician?
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) much, much happier b) at the moment fatter because I had some great home cooking over break! :) c) monetarily about the same.
16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Made more music.
17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying about things that don't really matter.
18. How did you spend Christmas?
At home reading, writing, and sleeping (a lot).
19. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Nope.....but I think I know more of what I want in a relationship.
20. What was your favorite TV program?
The Biggest Loser.....while eating junk food! :)
21. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is an incredibly strong word. My close friendships have shifted a bit, but I don't really hate anyone.
22. What was the best book you read?
I also think this is an unfair question. I've been reading a lot of Buddhist stuff lately.
23. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ummm....finally buying entire albums of Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan....Joni Mitchell's Blue Album....Fairport Convention.....also not a fair question.
24. What did you want and get?
Going to Vancouver, Zoukfest (Seeing Andy Irvine LIVE!!!!!!).
25. What did you want and not get?
A pet....but that's entirely my self-restraint.
26. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 25, the entire city flooded, classes were canceled, and I went and played tunes and lit a cake on fire!
27. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More time for friends and myself.
28. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Ummm....yay jeans!
29. What kept you sane?
Friends, music, songwriting.
30. Who was the best new person you met?
New friends in the flute studio, and the great musicians in Vancouver and at Zoukfest!
31. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Your identity both professional and personal keep developing, and you can't be afraid to move into that new kind of scary place.
Peace, Love, and Tunes,
Mac.
