The End of 2010

[Genevra]

Happy New Years Eve! As we get together for the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011. What are you guys doing for this occasion?

Probably better than what I'm doing. I have family and little cousins staying the night. D:

How was your 2010? Best year of your life? The worst? Tell us about it! Any new experiences? Did you change as a person? Give us a summary! New Years resolutions? Do you have any?

2010 was a fairly shitty year for me. It wasn't the worst (my grade 8 year holds that title), but far from the best. But I'm trying to go into 2011 with optimism and work hard to make it a decent year. I had a few new experiences during 2010. I got my first job, I graduated High School, I got asked out TWICE O___o. While it was overall a boring and uneventful year, I still grew as a person.

My New Years Resolution is to stop hating myself so much, and to stop blaming myself for every single thing that goes wrong. To accept that it's natural to make mistakes in life and it's nothing to beat myself up over. Basically to find ~inner peace~ with myself.



You?

[Clyde]

2010 was average.  Actually, scratch that.  Kinda shitty.  But only a little.

The year started off pretty well.  I had a fairly good last semester for my second year in college.  I had some pretty good times around that time.

However, summer came along and I became a working drone.  I literally lost all enjoyment of life and became horribly cynical and disliked everything about everything.  I was just overworked and generally unhappy and annoyed for the most part.  However, to be fair, some good times were had by friends in between.

Then this last semester of school (my whole life seems to revolve around it these days), was the worst semester of my life.  I dealt with a horrible unlikely situation after another horrible unlikely situation followed by another one.  It was almost as if life was playing some big practical joke.  Or another analogy would be like I was the protagonist of one of those movies where everything goes completely wrong for them (like Meet the Parents).

However, I think it will make me a stronger person.  I learned that doing the right thing is not always the nice thing.  This lesson got me out of one horrible friendship and I am as a whole much happier because of it.  It will also allow me to deal with another annoying classmate in the future.

Ultimately looking back, not a whole lot happened in my life in the past year outside of school.  So, really, nothing really substantial happened in my life.  The last few months had been hell, but things are starting to look up.

Now for my new years resolution... I am not sure yet.  It needs to be something huge, but I am not quite sure what it will be yet.  I'll have to pick something before the night is up though.  I'll let you guys know what I chose.

[Fluffy Cocaine]

It's extremely odd to think, because I didn't necessarily feel that way about it while it was going on, but in retrospect, 2010 was probably the best year I've had in recent memory.

My social life blossomed considerably, I grew away from the computer more and more (whenever I do that, I find I'm a lot happier), I learned to accept who I am and I stopped caring so much about my weight and petty little things that don't matter in the long run, I've finally come to something of a realization that I'm not hideously ugly, and I broke the chokehold that my "closest" friends had on my life and am functioning as a much more independent and satisfied person as a result of it.

All in all, I've grown considerably in self-confidence. I still have a lot of room to grow, and there are still things that I hate about myself without merit, but I'm much better about that now than I was before. I no longer doubt my intelligence or aptitude in various things. I've stopped constantly competing with everyone. I've realized, in large part, what I want out of life and I've found that it's honestly not that unrealistic. I've learned to ignore my father and stop allowing him to drag my life down needlessly into his void. This is becoming a ridiculously long laundry list, but the more I think about it, the more I know that I've made a lot of progress this year and I really have spent a large part of it genuinely happy -- that's a concept I would balk at two years ago.

Now I'm genuinely excited. I've finally realized that what I do from here on out really doesn't matter that much -- I've already applied to college and all of that is pretty much done, so I just need to focus now on keeping my grades above the 90 mark and passing all of my APs with at least a 3 and I'm fine. I cannot wait to go to college and start the next chapter of my life, and it seems that the road to the end of this chapter is all a pleasant downhill stroll.

My New Year's resolution is to just keep things in perspective and continue growing in the ways I've already grown in 2010. I'd also like to finally make good on my promise to myself to exercise and get healthier (the focus isn't even necessarily on losing weight, I just want to be healthier overall, with or without the weight loss) but that's the one resolution no one ever keeps, so I'll keep it out of that category.

[Empirical Pussy]

What am I doing tonight? Every year, all our family friends get together for a huge party, and it's usually pretty fun. Except this time, we were first invited somewhere else, somewhere I don't really want to go, while all our family friends are going somewhere else, but to be polite, we have to go where we were invited first... it's gonna suck. I hope I'm wrong, though.

2010 has been a pretty huge year for me, and easily the best year of my life so far for more than one reason. Going chronologically...

I went through a pretty big ~maturation process~ in grade 12. Sort of got my emotional instabilities figured out, became a lot less bitchy/uptight, and generally relaxed a lot. Cut out some people who were negatively influencing my life massively, became better friends with some awesome people. The IB class as a whole got pretty tight by the end of it. Grade 12 as a whole, and especially the second half, was actually lots of fun. The only year in high school that I actually enjoyed... the second half especially was much less stressful, because by the time February/March kicked around, I'd already applied to university and already even gotten my decisions back.

IB exams, something I'd been dreading for years, came and passed, and they really weren't too bad at all. After exams, there was probably the best month-long period of my life. Starting mid-May, exams were over, school was out, and everyone was still in town because our graduation was mid-June. Awesome month - just spent the whole thing out with friends, at the beach, etc. I had nothing to worry about, I'd already accepted my offer from McGill, I'd even gotten residence stuff in order. :3
Similarly, summer was fun. Lots of fun. I neglected getting a job, which I sort of regret now that I'm poor and already thousands of dollars in debt... but at least it was a much, much needed break from the hell that was high school. :x

Then I moved across the country and began university. God, those first few weeks were really bad. Freeze can vouch for this - I spent a lot of time complaining to him. :x Once I got settled, though, it was great. I've met some really, really amazing people, and my life is really different from what it was last year this time. I don't spend as much time on the computer, and I spend hardly any time in my room at all. I've had stuff to keep me occupied, which I really need. Of course, all the concerts and being of legal drinking age are nice added benefits, too. :') I thought I really fucked up first semester, academically, but it turns out I actually did really well (except for the fact that I did about 20% worse on my Calc exam than I thought I did walking out of the exam room... gonna need to see that exam... :x), which is a relief.

All in all, it's been a great year. I've changed drastically over the last 12 months, for the better.

New year's resolutions:
- I need to start taking responsibility and control of things in my life.
- Also, I need to learn how to organize my time and my life as a whole, because I'm tired of not being able to take advantage of anything.
- As well, a lighter resolution: keep up with music. My music habits basically completely halted once September kicked around.

[Snoggums]

My 2010 was no where near as thick with happenings as all of yours. :x

2010 Started out amazing. I had an amazing social life and I met an awesome man. Schooling was going well, and I did pretty good in Science Olympiad. Probably one of the most inspiring moments of my life. The year ended on a good note. I was just happy.

Summer was equally amazing.

Then Senior year started, and I haven't met *anyone* who hasn't agreed with the fact that it was the semester from Hell. The tight-knit school lost a father, and a gorgeous friend. Something so terrible made us all become closer in the end. I'll definitely miss KaraLee. I had good times with her.

As I stumbled through the semester without any motivation or cause, I got caught deep into something dark that had finally matured after all these years. Moments of psychosis really hacked at my mind, my life, and everything else. I've self harmed, carried nooses and pills that could kill me with just ten doses. I've planned, only to have it thwarted each time by Jessie, who's never left me. I love that man, but I knew he couldn't pull me out. That much was apparent just these few days where I've been getting drunk and slashing at my flesh.

So I went to one therapy session. I've never actually gone back despite the two appointments I've made LMAO. It's alright, I'll see how these pills work.

I lost my virginity. That's kinda cool, but holy EFF the first time sucks. 

Jessie's family situation really forced me to confront the LDS culture that surrounds my reality. They're crazy. His entire family knows Jessie and I have been intimate, which both infuriates me and saddens me that I've been a path to Satan and bringer of evil spirits in their minds. My mother really has helped me. On Christmas day, I went to his family's house for the first time in quite a long while. We brought them a painting of Christ my step father painted.(I guess he's not my step daddy anymore. I still love him to death) and I wrote a note of my thanks and undying love to his family, which definitely warmed them up to me again and put something into perspective.

I'm not gonna give them what they expect. They expect a rebel who's intolerant and hateful, and they get all defensive and treat people like absolute shit because they're different.

My New Year's resolution? I am by no means religious, however I guess the best way to describe what I want to be is 'Christ-like'. Kill them with love, is what my mother told me. And kill everyone I met with love is what I'll do. Unless they suck. Like Rosti.

Love you guys. 

[Cardinal]

fucking 2010 what the hell happy new year guys

Um let's see, I liked 2010 okay? It was alright.
School has sucked majorly. I wish I had transferred forever ago when I had the chance. I hate the laziness and apathy of my peers though I realize it's not much better anywhere else. But I really despise it. I want to be successful through honesty, they want to be successful through dishonesty, and they have no conscience for it to hit later in life.
Relationship wise, I've had a good year. Laur and I, except for one spat, have been together all year. Pretty awesome.
I went to two amazing conferences - HOBY and KUNA. I'll be going to KUNA again in March, be ready for bitching about that. I'm applying to staff at HOBY this summer because it was that amazing and impactful on my life.
I saw Wicked (SO AMAZING OMG) and was in my first musical and had so much fun doing it.
I've expanded my music taste widely and will continue to do so.
Most importantly, I think 2010 was the year of me finally setting in place who I am. Most of you have known me since NIM, and as corny as it is, you've seen me grow up. I fucking hate saying that. Anyway, I feel like I know who I am now. Freeze and I were talking one day about how my political views have changed so much over time. And they have, but so have my views on other people, on school, on life, etc. I feel like...this is me now. I don't care about what others say anymore. I'm mostly content with myself. I refuse to cheat. I refuse to stop learning. I'm not going to let people be ignorant. I don't stand for laziness. I'm not shy about anything. GUYS I'VE FUCKING FOUND MY CENTER.
loljk but forreal 2010 was a good year. I had some shit happen - my school lost a 2010 graduate. It was so hard. Everyone loved him. And then my friend lost her mother, who although was not my favorite person, was one of the most caring people, and always helped out with class stuff, etc. I've lost several family members, my baby cousin went through cancer and treatment (she is in 100% remission at the moment ?).  Another cousin served in Afghanistan for all of this year. I lost one of my best friends to stupid arguments, but that doesn't bother me as much now.
And I want to express my love for everyone here, 'cause it's been what, 5 years now? And we still have this shit?
When I graduate high school, there will be some sort of meet-up party. Because I think what we have here is a testament not to the power of the Internet or any bullshit like that, but it's a testament to our friendship. fuck yeah sappy shit

As far as 2011...
-I've basically decided to apply to as many schools as possible in the coming year. I won't apply to any Ivy Leagues, because they're a waste of my time. However, I'm already planning on putting the most effort into Boston University. As of this moment, that's my #1. Ohio, Syracuse, NYU all interest me as well, as does Wash U in STL, Oberlin, and some other schools. Now that I've topped 30 on my ACT, I feel like my chances at some of these places are much better, and now I'm set on getting accepted into an awesome school away from this shithole town and these awful people.
-I'm waiting to hear back on my application for the Governor's Scholars Program, which is a 5-week academic program at 3 of the state's colleges. It's extremely prestigious, and if I get in I'm basically guaranteed a full ride to any school in Kentucky, thus cementing that my safety schools will be in state.  I would also like to go because from everyone I know that's been it, they swear up and down it's life-changing.
-I want to get my driver's license, but I honestly don't know if I will anytime soon. Driving just scares the shit out of me for some reason. I can't even explain the feeling. But, hopefully I'll get over it? :\
-I want to work out and get stronger but fuck that'll never happen <3
-I'm going to stop blowing off homework. I did that in 2 subjects first semester, and by doing that, it probably cost me an A in at least one of them. No more. I'm also going to study more and stop getting on FUCKING FACEBOOK all the time.
-i also want to go to some concerts. a lot hopefully.

happy new years guys <3

[Clyde]

D'aww, I love you all after reading these.

And Kylie, that is a really awesome painting of Jesus.  I am impressed.

Edit: And I want to add that the countdowns on TV were pathetic this year.  All the local channels were playing movies except for Citytv.  Which is supposed to be mostly focused on Edmonton from my understanding, but they were simply repeating Toronto's countdown.

...However, it was hilarious.  Literally a minute before the countdown one of the announcers say before the crowd of people "And now lets cheer for our favourite chocolate, Ferrero Rocher!"  Followed by, "Now lets cheer for our troops serving in Afghanistan!"

I laughed my ass off at that (at the Ferrero Rocher part that is).  However... When the countdown appeared on the corner of the screen, a little mini Ferrero Rocher appeared in the corner.  I bursted out laughing.  If they didn't force the crowd to cheer for the chocolate beforehand, I probably would have thought nothing of it.

Product placement can be such a funny thing depending on how it is handled.

[Rosti LFC]

I fucking hate you guys. You have all these long posts on how 2010 went for you, and I really can't remember fucking anything notable happening to me this year. I guess I've come a reasonable way with knowing more people, I presume I've changed as a person, and I've had reasonable but not exceptional success with rowing (though winning our University IVs division was definitely a highlight). And I sort of replaced Tetris with fansubbing and rowing. I did well at Uni, and then I branched off to a different course that I enjoy a fair bit more, but which I'm still not entirely sure about yet.

I just don't really feel like I've actually progressed much in my life or that anything substantial has changed since this time last year. Maybe it's because you guys are all still doing stuff and ~maturing~ and the like and I've mostly been through all that shit. I have the same routine near enough, the same sort of social life and everything that I had last year, and while this year has been pretty fun it's not really been life-changing or eventful in any way :\

And I guess in continued apathy and bitterness towards the start of 2011, I'm not making any resolutions this year either. I made several a year ago and I've failed with pretty much all of them - they're a waste of time. If there was anything about my life that I really wanted to change, then the recognition that I probably should change it in the next 12 months is going to make no difference. If it was that easy then I'd have already done it, or I'm going to do it anyway. And you tend to forget about them entirely after a couple of weeks anyway. I might make it a resolution to make monthly resolutions throughout the year, because I reckon you could actually see some focused life-improvement going on with that sort of deadline length, but trying to do something consistently for a whole year is pretty much futile, and setting a clear goal is just easy to procrastinate until you forget about it anyway.

[Fluffy Cocaine]

@Cardinal: Something that genuinely does help with Facebook addiction that I've found is the new lists feature that they've introduced. You can make custom lists of your friends (it works kind of like the Facebook chat groups feature did, and is in many ways that feature's successor) and then, when you go to the Most Recent tab on the homepage, a little drop-down arrow will appear and you can select that group, which will show you only updates from that predefined group of people. When I sat down and thought about it, there were only about 15 people I'm friends with on Facebook that I genuinely care about, and reading tons of updates from everyone else is useless to me and doesn't affect my life at all. After I did that and changed my Facebook bookmark to go straight to that, the time I spent on Facebook was cut almost instantaneously by three-quarters or more.

I guess that will really only help you, though, if you're like me and get obsessed with reading every single update on your news feed.

Oh, and, if we're talking about lighter resolutions, I guess I can add catching up on video games to my resolutions. There are a couple great games I have that I know I'll really enjoy playing (Okami, Tales of the Abyss, Heavy Rain, Uncharted, Super Paper Mario, etc.) that I haven't touched in more than a year because I always thought I was too busy for gaming. Now that I've broken away from my Facebook addiction, I'm finding myself with a lot more free time. I'm about 50% of the way through Kirby's Epic Yarn and I can say it's a fantastic game for anyone who might've been interested in it.

[Rosti LFC]

I'd really love to replay ?kami sometime. Also Ico and Shadow of the Colossus when I get the time too.

I also wish that Facebook friendship was something reserved for actual friends and not just "oh yeah I went to primary school with you and we've spoken twice in the last ten years or so". I go through a purging process ever now and again to limit myself to 250 friends, but even that is way too many when I consider who I actually use Facebook to communicate with, and most likely ever will.

[Fluffy Cocaine]

I also wish that Facebook friendship was something reserved for actual friends and not just "oh yeah I went to primary school with you and we've spoken twice in the last ten years or so". I go through a purging process ever now and again to limit myself to 250 friends, but even that is way too many when I consider who I actually use Facebook to communicate with, and most likely ever will.

My main problem is the awkwardness. I used to treat my number of Facebook friends as a trophy thing, but I realized pretty quickly that that's just stupid. Now, I don't reject people because it's awkward and I don't have any real reason to. I see a large number of these people nearly every day through school, and I'd wager that they'd know if I rejected them and it would be taken as an affront.

[Cardinal]

I literally reject 90% of the people attempting to add me on Facebook. So many 7th/8th graders from my school try to, and it's weird because my sister is in 7th grade. I don't want to add her friends that are 12 and shit. Just weird.
Also, I've had this happen about 10 times: people (all girls) will add me. I'll look at mutual friends - it'll be one (usually a male, sometimes a girl), but they're all people I've met at conferences. It's weird to think they might go down through friend lists and just add people.
So now I only add those who I know personally or those who are close to someone I know.
Also: fucking parents (not mine) keep trying to add me. So awkward.

I have to agree about gaming, I've been forcing myself to play my 360 a lot, because I literally spent all my money on it/games/Lives. But it's insanely fun. I'm enjoying gaming for the first time since having a fully functional GCN (back in like 04) and it's awesome. Plus I got a couple new Wii games (so excited to start Epic Mickey) that will get me playing that again.
Quick rec: if you want a game that makes you think like hell, and will take forever to complete, grab a Lego game. I've been playing Lego Star Wars lately, and it's pretty awesome in terms of the scope of things it gives you to do. You have to collect so many "studs" (which are like coins) per level to reach "True Jedi", there are 10 "minikit" pieces hidden in each level that will build a model of a ship, there's other shit too. Each successful completion of one of these earns you a +1, as does finishing the level. You have to reach 160, +1 at a time.
I'm up to like 18, and I'm almost done with Revenge of the Sith. SOOOO much more to play.

[Rosti LFC]

My main problem is the awkwardness. I used to treat my number of Facebook friends as a trophy thing, but I realized pretty quickly that that's just stupid. Now, I don't reject people because it's awkward and I don't have any real reason to. I see a large number of these people nearly every day through school, and I'd wager that they'd know if I rejected them and it would be taken as an affront.

Accept them, then if there's no activity for a week or two, just defriend them.

I used to worry about people getting miffed if I defriended them, but really when I thought about it, I wouldn't notice if they defriended me, so I don't get why the reverse would be a big deal. Especially given they usually have more friends than I do.

[Empirical Pussy]

I don't delete people from Facebook, really. I don't really see a point, and there's the awkward factor of deleting people. I've noticed that I've been deleted by a few people, and admittedly I can't blame them because we never talked much, but it's still not a great feeling.

Considering I can always block particularly annoying people from my newsfeed (which I've done quite a bit), then I don't see a point in deleting people. It's faster, too, to block people from my newsfeed as I notice them than it is to delete them. Hell, Facebook loses the entertaining factor when you're only reading updates from your closest friends, imo.

[Snoggums]

You guys are weird. I delete/block people from my list at least once a week. :x I refuse like 99% of friend requests. I only have people on their that I at least don't hate (or am obligated to because they're relatives, but even then I'll delete them).

No one usually notices or cares, so whatever. :x

[Genevra]

Hell, Facebook loses the entertaining factor when you're only reading updates from your closest friends, imo.

^ This. It's always the stupid people that make the most entertaining updates.

[Jake]

You guys are weird. I delete/block people from my list at least once a week. :x I refuse like 99% of friend requests. I only have people on their that I at least don't hate (or am obligated to because they're relatives, but even then I'll delete them).

No one usually notices or cares, so whatever. :x

Yeah since I've started doing shows and stuff I've been receiving a lot of facebook requests and have no qualms with rejecting nearly all of them.  My way of thinking about it is if I haven't spoken to you or seen you in six months and am in no way sad about it, I'll delete you.
Also lol 2010 was cool big time, but I can't think of anything particularly fantastic that's happened to me besides being picked up for the improv troupe.

[Clyde]

@Rosti: Haha, I kind of feel the same way as you.  Everyone had amazing years and grew so much, and I was too busy with school that my year pales in comparison to everyone else.

@Freeze: Does Kirby's Epic Yarn pick up?  I only played the first two levels so far and I find the music very irritating and for some reason I am really bothered by it.  However, I love the narrator.

Also, Freeze... These Facebook lists... When you added me to one, something appeared on my wall.  I am very afraid that all lists you make are public now.  I'm not sure if it was always this way or what.  Because, I added someone to a list titled "Shame" a few months back just so I could block someone from chatting with me on Facebook chat. :x

I sure hope that "Shame" list isn't public for all to see.  I should find out.

@Cardinal: Haha, I see you have been online quite a bit.  It is a shame nobody on Orbital and XBox has many similar games.

[Empirical Pussy]

Clyde - if it helps, I can see Freeze's "Haters" list on his profile, whereas I cannot see your "Shame" list... though this could potentially be because I am on Freeze's list, but not on yours.

[Clyde]

Clyde - if it helps, I can see Freeze's "Haters" list on his profile, whereas I cannot see your "Shame" list... though this could potentially be because I am on Freeze's list, but not on yours.

Hold on, lets do an experiment.  I will add you to my "Shame" list and you tell me if you can see it.

Edit: Nevermind.  Tested it with Jake.  He couldn't see the list.  Good.