Jason F.C. Clarke

Okay, so there’s a lot of ground to cover since my last post…Christmas in LA, my birthday, and a brief review of the game Gears of War, for starters. But I’ll try to spread those out over the next couple of weeks. To tide you over, here’s a New Year’s questionnaire I shamelessly stole from Robin.

1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
Completed a story about zombies.

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I can’t recall what my New Year’s resolution was last year, but I’ll make one now so I can refer to it next year. Let’s skip eating better and exercising more…my resolution is to become reasonably competent in online multiplayer for Gears of War and Halo 3. Also to save some money, for once.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My Aunt Vicky.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully.

5. What places did you visit?
Los Angeles. Simi Valley specifically.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Halo 3. And a finished manuscript. Also life meaning.

7. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 31…first time I’ve ever been laid off.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Scoring a new job.

9. What was your biggest failure?
See #7.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
In my head, yes, many. In real life, not really, no.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Though it’s a recent arrival and I didn’t actually buy it, I’m going to have to go with the Xbox 360. Between Gears of War and Sneak King, I’m well on my way to a gamerscore of 275 (that’s really lame, for the uninitiated). The best thing about the 360, though, is the sweet set-up we made for it. The newly-minted Badass Gaming Room features a TV reserved just for the 360 (a hand-me-down from my parents), its own stand, and a little stool for the console so that it can hover in the air all by itself, venting in all directions.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The voters of America, for restoring some semblance of balance to the government.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The entire spectrum of news media, outside of a few blogs and C-SPAN.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, student loans, Christmas gifts, and toys. Also car repairs.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The new job; going to Los Angeles for Christmas; getting an Xbox 360.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
“Worldwide Suicide” by Pearl Jam; “Alive with the Glory of Love” by Say Anything; and that annoying Panic at the Disco song with the really repetitive lyrics.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Right about now, happier, though there were times I was sadder at other points during the year.

ii. thinner or fatter?
About the same.

iii. richer or poorer?
About the same. Which is to say, keeping my head above water.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Writing; socializing; going out; saving money.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Fretting about minor or imaginary health problems; blowing money on eBay; watching television.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
I spent my first Christmas away from home with DG and her family in Simi Valley, outside Los Angeles. I was a bit hesitant at first, as I come from a very Christmas-y family (we drive an hour to cut down our Christmas tree two days after Thanksgiving, my parents’ house has sometimes been part of a town tour due to its extensive decorations, and we often have at least one gala event with the relatives—basically the movie Christmas Vacation). But I had a great time. DG’s family was wonderful and made sure to make me feel welcome and at home, and even the weather conspired to remind me of New England, much to DG’s chagrin (it was in the 50s and 60s most of the time we were there).

21. How did you spend New Year’s?
Went to a party at a friend’s house, where I spent most of the night discussing politics with people I’d just met.

22. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Moreso with DG, yes. (So sappy!)

23. How many one-night stands?
None. DG frowns on them, what with the committed relationship and all.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Probably Veronica Mars.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nah.

26. What was the best book you read?
Did I read the Phillip Pullman books this year or last year? I’ll go with Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Storm Large. I ran across her on Rock Star Supernova, but her album as “Storm, Inc.” is a lot better than her participation in said show would suggest.

28. What did you want and get?
An Xbox 360.

29. What did you want and not get?
Fame and fortune. Also The Rundown on DVD.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I haven’t seen Pan’s Labyrinth yet, so I guess I’ll have to go with Casino Royale.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I had a cool birthday this year. After our return from California, DG and I drove down to my parents’ house, where I had a combined Christmas and birthday. Of course, the particular Xbox 360 my parents got me turned out to be broken, so I had to exchange it the following morning. That was quite annoying (the advice from the Microsoft support rep was essentially, “You’re screwed”), but otherwise it was a great birthday.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not having been unemployed for a few months.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Same as always…jeans, khakis, t-shirts and button-up shirts. I did bleach my hair though.

34. What kept you sane?
Television; movies; videogames; DG.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
See #27.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The torture and wiretapping bills.

37. Who did you miss?
Pretty much anyone and everyone from college. No one’s around in MA anymore.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Let’s see. My new co-workers. SeanScottBob. MAB. Robin, from whom I swiped this questionnaire.

38.b. Side question…who would you like to get to know better?
Me. (Yeah, total cop-out, I know.)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:
Motivation follows action. You’ve got to start something before you actually start wanting to work on it. At least that seems to be how it works for me.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

You’re always saying that there’s something wrong,
I’m starting to believe it’s your plan all along[…]
I have faced it, a life wasted,
and I’m never going back again.
—Pearl Jam, “Life Wasted”