2005 In Review

1. What did you do in 2005 that you hadn't done before?

I snorkeled. It was really cool.

2. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No…pretty much everyone who gave birth was very far away from me.

3. Did anyone close to you die?

No, it was the first year in a while that my friends all survived. Mostly because they stopped sky-diving with rabid pit-bulls.

4. Did you travel? Where did you go? Best holiday memory?

The Wife and I went to Hawaii in September. There are just too many awesome memories of our time there, but the best was probably sea-kayaking.

5. Best thing you bought?

I spent way too much money on studio equipment this year but none of it was a mistake. Best purchases are my ProTools Mbox 2 and my new heavy-duty workhorse-of-a-computer in the studio.

6. Where did most of your money go?

I funded a study by university students of predicting earthquakes with the common household blender. It was expensive, with negligible results.

7. What do you wish you had done more of?

Stalking local movie starlets. I really slacked off this year.

8. What do you wish you had done less of?

Playing tuba in the courtyard of my apartment complex at 3 AM. My neighbors have NO sense of humor. I just couldn’t stop myself…

9. What kept you sane?

Music. Listening and playing. And a lot of therapy.

10. What drove you mad?

My boss. He’s kind-of a boob.

11. What made you celebrate?

Honestly? Just being alive. And my dreams make me celebrate.

12. What made you sad?

My loneliness.

13. How was your birthday this year?

It was fine. Nothing to jump up and slap grandma about, but it was fine.

14. What political issue stirred you the most this year?

Politics in California…well, they’re just plain bizarre. Get a bunch of people in one place who aren’t willing to take responsibility when they should, and you have California.

15. Were you in love in 2005?

Yes. Except when I wasn’t. But then I was again, so it's all good.

16. What would you like to have in 2006 that you didn't have this year?

Mostly, I have everything that I need. The things that I want are inconsequential when I have what I need. Having said that, I’d like more job satisfaction. Oh, and continued progress on Artificial Heart, which is taking FOREVER to finish recording.

17. What date from 2005 will be etched in your memory and why?

The year was pretty consistent, and it was consistently “good”. There are a lot of great dates but none of them stand out over the others. I spent a day at Capitol Records recording studio, which was an amazing experience.

18. What song will remind you of 2005?

Impossible for me to answer. Music is the air I breathe. A brief list of the songs that rocked my world in 2005:
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger – Daft Punk
Miracle – Foo Fighters
Such Great Heights – by both Iron and Wine as well as The Postal Service
You and I – Delirium
Jennifer’s Jacket – The Presidents of the United States of America

19. Compared to this time last year are you happier?

Much happier, thank you. Seriously, this last year has been 10 times better than any year in recent memory.

20. Biggest achievement this year?

Every step forward with Rhymes With Orange is a new “Biggest Achievement”. Continued addiction recovery is quite an achievement as well.

21. Biggest disappointment this year?

Not being able to work with Trent Reznor or David Gilmour.

22. What is the one thing that would have made you more satisfied?

Having my potential recognized at work with more challenging projects.

23. Best new person you met this year?

No one comes to mind…all my friends (old and new) are pretty damn awesome.

24. A valuable life lesson you learnt this year?

Sucking water into your car’s engine through an after-market air filter installed too low to the ground by the car’s previous owner is a very bad thing. Especially on a freeway on-ramp. In driving rain. With cars whizzing past. When the car was purchased less than 72 hours prior to this event.

Yeah, don’t do that. Try to avoid that at all costs, actually.