if there's one blog post / survey that i look forward to doing, its this one. this is my third year doing it, which i guess it officially a new years tradition for me.
1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
- went to community college / started my ADD pills. »
- jury duty in Compton...
- made my first trip ever to Disneyland!!!
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
fuck yeah i did!!! this is what i put last year:
this year my resolution is to STOP EATING OFF THE FLOOR. maybe that'll help me from getting sick all the fucking time. so yeah, that means no more 20 second rule...and no more eating off the table, especially @ public restaurants.
i used to get sick almost every 4-5 weeks, no fucking joke. Alan and James can even vouch for me because everytime they came down from vegas i was always sick.
but since i quit eating off the floor, i got sick only THREE TIMES this WHOLE YEAR. 
i guess my new years resolution is to have a real job by this time next year. we'll see how that goes, haha.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
- Brennan gave birth to another beautiful baby girl, Talyn.
- cousin Joel gave birth to Marco...another future scarfer in the family!! he's so pudgy!!!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
- Deniz Sarikaya - feb 17, 2005 - how could you live in UDH for years and not know who she is? beloved neighbor and someone that i looked up to my first years in UDH.
- Mrs. Scott - may 11, 2005 - UDH's beloved school secretary. i like how alan said it, "whenever i was sent to the principal's office [for getting in trouble], she was always nice to me."
(if i forgot anyone, please don't come back and haunt me...)
5. What countries did you visit?
Mexico for Amy's Wedding. 
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
eh, i suck at remembering dates -- i remember moments.
- getting back into Cal Poly, spring 2005
- Julie's Wedding, september 2005.
- visiting Chelsea, september 2005
- Amy's Wedding, october 2005.
- Sausage Fest: Santa Barbara, thanksgiving 2005.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
- after getting kicked out last year...i worked my ass off and got back into Cal Poly!!
- i went to White Castle!!!
- my Imperfection Speech is something i'm particularly proud of too.
- my ERP group project for e-business class. "i have just one thing to say to you guys: if i were you, i would print a copy of this for myself and use it the next time i go into a job interview. excellent work, guys. this was extremely well done."
- i mastered the art of The Belly Flop, thanks to Chin.
- straight A's and B's (just one C) this whole year!!
- i scored a 100% on the FRL301 final, which was enough to compensate for my 28% and helped me pass that dreaded class.
9. What was your biggest failure?
- nothing. the hardships from last year taught me to embrace all things that i love and learn from the mistakes of all things that i hate.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
i severely sprained my ankle walking to the gym to play basketball. walking. 
11. What was the best thing you bought?
- definitely my Digital Camera.
- also an account at Flickr.com. finally i got to go all out with pics on the site.
- and my Food Journal keeps me inspired when i'm feeling down.
- my iPod shuffle is right up there too.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
no comment. 
14. Where did most of your money go?
food & gas. since my roommates at the time were hogging the kitchen and fridge, i ate out pretty much every single damn meal.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
- Julie's Wedding - hadn't seen Jules since she left Cali like 3(?) years ago.
- Amy's Wedding - hadn't seen Loren since i left Saudi.
- Sausage Fest: Santa Barbara - first time we had the four guys together since UDH '97 graduation. also hadn't seen the Shaner guys since Sausage Fest: Las Vegas.
16. What song will always remind you of 2005?
- Say That (You Don't Care) by Drop N Harmony
- If I Ever See Heaven Again by Jasmine Trias
- Lovers & Friends by Usher, Lil' John and Ludacris
- These Are The Times by Dru Hill // old school but i just heard about it this year
17. Compared to this time last year, are you...
happier or sadder? definitely happier. a little bit of drama here and there, but nothing ultra depressing like 2004.
thinner or fatter? well, i lost 28 lbs ...and then i found it again.
richer or poorer? richer. started getting paid by Google Ads for my other site. 
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
ummm...sit-ups??
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
nothing. no regrets here.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
ohana, of course. Rose's place is in this year's rotation.
21. Did you fall in love in 2005?
twice:
22. How many one-night stands?
dude, the most ass i got the whole year was walking in on some old, half-naked dude that was bending over, exposing to me his old, wrinkly, hairy balls in the bathroom of Dukes. 
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Nip/Tuck, The Office, Lost, Joey and a bit of Laguna Beach. 
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
hate is such a strong word...
yes. with a passion.
25. What was the best book you read?
How to Win Friends and Persuade People by Dale Carnegie. great book for business majors.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Saiosi jammed on my ukulele and got me back into some island music.
27. What did you want and get?
can't forget White Castle and my boogie board. 
28. What did you want and not get?
i get everything i want. 
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
dude, i didn't do anything for my birthday...
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
the exact same shit as last year — board shorts 24/7 for summer and then Guess shit during fall & winter. i got new red board shorts though cuz my blue hawaiian ones kept exposing rock hard throbbing manhood.
33. What kept you sane?
friends. (i don't think this answer will ever change) shoutouts to April, Chin, Laila and Tracie.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Jasmine. i saw The Island just last week and now Scarlett Johansson is pretty high up there.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
36. Who did you miss?
all my homies, especially Nadin. i saw a lot of homies that i haven't seen in some years at the three reunions, but one person i haven't seen since Saudi is Nadin.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Tracie. well, we met a while back in the dorms...butt after a year or so i went up to talk to her again to talk to her, and she was like "do i know you?" 
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005.
i learned the value of school when i got back into Cal Poly. its like one of those things you take for granted until you have it taken away from you. kinda like how you take your thumb for granted, until you get a big ass paper cut and find yourself completely inadequate.
i can't remember which book i read this in but basically it said to look at your hardships not as a period of darkness, but as an opportunity to grow & learn. this quote by Nelson Mandela (as heard from Coach Carter)
Our biggest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our biggest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?You are a Child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't be insecure around you. We were born to make magnificent the glory of God that is within us.It's not just in some of us, it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others.