2010: It was an utter unnecessary year to live from most aspects.

The only aspect it was nominally fruitful was in my personal practice and minor revelations into my own mind. But that development just naturally progressively occurs every year of practice.

It's not a reason to have lived this past year, it doesn't justify it. But having lived it, it was what it was. It's a reason not to regret having lived the year, but had I not lived it, I wouldn't regret that, either. Same applies now.

This meme for 2010 confirms that it was a pretty pathetic year. Not that I'm complaining. I made it that way, after all, but it is a reflection of how pathetic my life has gotten:

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
"Never done before" implying something new, bold or ground-breaking, then nothing.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s Resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
New Year's resolutions are the dumbest thing ever. So no.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Brother and sister-in-law had a third child, but I'm prohibited by family privacy guidelines from revealing any information about it. I've probably said too much already. And saying they are "close" to me is a conceit. I've barely heard anything from them or about the new baby all year. I haven't made an effort either, so I'm not blaming them.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. But my laptop is probably getting near. It's approaching 6 years old with a new hard drive that my brother installed in Summer 2009 that has extended its life this long.

5. What countries did you visit?
Countries I was in during 2010 include: U.S., Taiwan, China and Tibet. I did fly all the way around the world on my trip to the U.S. Going there, I flew to Singapore, then Frankfurt, and then to New York. Coming back I flew from New York to San Francisco, then Incheon, S. Korea, and back to Taipei.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Closure (meaning success in what I want to do).

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
None.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Making mix CDs for every year I've been alive. It's hardly an achievement, but it was interesting because it was a little like making an audio diary of my life. Otherwise it's fair to say there were no achievements this year.

9. What was your biggest failure?
August. Still alive. And maybe stopping going to drum practice rooms after deciding there was no more point to it.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Shin splints stopped my running season in May or June. Hardly a major injury. I'm a wimp about any repetitive stress injuries since I've had so many related to running or playing bass or drums before, so I baby myself whenever there's even a hint of the familiar pain.

11. What was the best thing someone bought you?
N/A. A meal, maybe.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
N/A.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
U.S. voters shifting Congressional power to Republicans.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, food, alcohol. In that order.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
N/A.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
My music memory doesn't really work that way. If I like music, it's timeless.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- Fatter or thinner? Same.

- Happier or sadder? Same.

- Richer or poorer? Same. Well, since I quit my job in January, logically I'm poorer, but I don't feel poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Gotten outside during daylight hours. Photography. I think I shot a record low amount of rolls of films, and I don't think I shot more than one roll of Lomo Fisheye.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Sitting in front of a computer.

20. How did you spend Christmas? Just another day.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010? No.

22. How many one night stands? None.

23. What was your favorite TV program? Food shows on TLC, documentaries on National Geographic and Discovery channels.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No.

25. What was the best book you read?
Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche. I read through most of it in Borders when I was still in New Jersey, but I finally bought it here and am giving it a proper read-through.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
K-pop. It's inexplicable and deserves its own post. But for credibility's sake, Taco gave me The Killers and Stereophonics who I found were great, and Yiti gave me a lot that was great, but in particular, Arcade Fire and Wilco.

27. What did you want and get?
New Tokyo Jihen CD. New Tokyo Jihen DVD of the show supporting the new CD. New Namie Amuro DVD. Midori sent me Tokyo Jihen's "Dynamite Out" DVD and Princess Princess's "Last Live" DVD from Japan. There's a pattern here, yo.

28. What did you want and not get?
A box of Velveeta macaroni and cheese. And Versus's first album in 10 years. I've been waiting for a trip back to the U.S. to buy it there, but that hasn't happened.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Since I comment on most films I see, it looks like 2010's best viewing has to go to Beautiful Crazy.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Just another day. Pretty damn old.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Succeeding in the August attempt.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Irrelevant. I stopped combing my hair.

33. What kept you sane?
Nothing. Just being sane. And morning sitting. Or "after waking up" sitting, rather.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Fancy? What does that mean? Appreciate? Admire? Want to do? Anyway, probably none. Although there are plenty who I wouldn't kick out of bed in the morning.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Finding clear evidence that the cultural genocide in Tibet being committed by China is real.

36. Who do you miss?
Sadie and Madoka, I guess. I unfriended Sadie on Facebook. Why? I'm a sucky friend, maybe? And my friendship with Madoka will likely never be what it was before.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Yiti. If she's the best, that is so fucking sad. She has good taste in music, but is a pro-China yoga freak. She's like a yoga cult member.

38. What was the best thing you ate?
There was a dinner of Tibetan food in Tibet (that's notable because for most part we ate Chinese multi-course, banquet-style meals) that was memorable. Otherwise, my culinary experience in Taiwan is so skewed by the pickings here that I'm likely to say a chicken sandwich from Burger King. Chicken enchiladas at a Mexican place in Danshui also always hit the spot. If it weren't so far away, I'd go more often.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010?
Without meditating or reflecting on death as part of the life cycle on a regular basis and in a positive way, it's very possible that we are wasting valuable time appreciating how precious our lives and those of everyone around us are.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: See Dec. 27 post.