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November 26, 2007
(Most of) 2007 in Review
01. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Bury four relatives
Essentially take a year-long sabbatical
Finish drawing a graphic novel (hopefully two by year's end)
02. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more?
My life changed so fucking drastically this year that my resolutions became moot points by June or so. Next year I'm hoping to have things back on track enough and going in the right direction to have new ones set up.
03. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.
04. Did anyone close to you die?
Helen "Grandma" McDonald
"Aunt" Kathleen Schamberger
"Aunt" Doreen Schamberger
"Aunt" Lois James
My mom's cats Lucie and Zippy
Every one of them still hurts to think about. It will take quite a bit of time to come to terms with the losses I've suffered in my life this past year.
05. What countries did you visit?
The US of A.
06. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A dependable source of income
07. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 1st. A very good birthday, but coming on the heels of three funerals and being laid off from work. Bittersweet.
08. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
The work I'm doing on my graphic novel 'Too Late'. This book's going to be a real milestone for 2007.
09. What was your biggest failure?
Even with all of the tragedies and setbacks suffered this year, I can't think of anything I'd classify as a failure.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing to speak of.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
The Wire Seasons 1-3
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My cat Monkey. She's become a real sweetheart.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
A family member at my Aunt Lois' funeral. It was like we were all transported to the Twilight Zone.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent.
Car.
Comic books.
DVD's.
And a pretty sizable decrease in income at the end of June.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Drawing.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Paper Planes by M.I.A.
My buddy Jason Preu got me a copy before it came out and I was digging hard on it. Then it was playing at the first Dr Sketchys and every one since, but the first stands out as that was the night before I got laid off.
This bit of dialogue sums up my year as well:
Everyone's a winner, we're making our name
Bonafide hustler making my name
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Honestly? I don't know. There's a lot of good things in my life, but there's a lot to feel sad about as well.
ii. thinner or fatter?
Slightly fatter.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Nothing, really.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Going to funerals.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With people who care as much about me as I do them. Take that for what it's worth.
22. Did you fall in love in 2007?
With my buddy cat Korma.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
Monday Night Raw
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate. That's a weak emotion.
26. What was the best book you read?
Novel? "The Long Goodbye" by Raymond Chandler
Comic? "The Black Dossier" by Alan Moore, Kevin O'Neill and Todd Klein
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Nothing really stands out for me this year. Just continuing with new music from artists I'm already fond of. New Beastie Boys, Chemical Brothers, Black Keys, M.I.A., etc.
28. What did you want and get?
Want? To make 'Too Late' better than 'Black Chamber'.
Get? A body of work that I'm very proud of.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
Not actually from this year, but the best I saw was 'The Killing'
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
27. Had a party at my pad with a bunch of really good friends and a very special woman who I love very much.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having had a better final conversation with my Aunt Kathy
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Dayjob - Dress Casual
Personal - Comfortable
34. What kept you sane?
Comic books.
Monkey.
Drawing.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Greta Garbo
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The fact that all politicians lie. I can't get past that.
37. Who did you miss?
Grandma, Kathy, Doreen, and Lois.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Korma Schamberger
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
When your life story is written, you're measured by the obstacles you faced and more importantly, how you dealt with them. Have I had a worse year than 2007? Oh hell yes. But only one year I'd consider to be worse. But I made it through that, and I've made it through this.
I've had to reinvent my life from the ground up before as well. I'm sure I'll do it again in the future, too.
But I know what my measure is now, and I'm pretty proud of what that is.
Posted by Schamberger at November 26, 2007 11:47 AM