So it’s a beautiful Sunday night here in Aberdeen, almost 9:30, and I really should be going to bed…but the writing urge is on me. Sadly, my muse is not cooperating. Punk muse. Anyways, today was rather awesome, even though I spent most of it at home(I feel a creeping sickness coming on…nooo!). I did go to the morning service at church – my first time at Gilc in about 3 weeks! So it was great seeing everyone again and finding out how everyone’s Christmases were…and then I found out my pastor is starting two new sermon series this year – Romans in the morning, Jeremiah at night. EPIC. Two of my fav books – I can’t wait!! So excited that I think I may read Romans tonight before going to bed…not that that will help me get to sleep any sooner. Nah, sleep is so unnecessary.

Also, since apparently I can’t come up with anything original to write(I’ll probably get some inspiration as I’m drifting off to sleep of course), I thought I’d do a year in review:

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
Lived in another country! Scotland w00t!!

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions for 2010? Will you make more for 2011?
Well, I don’t really make resolutions, so no. Will I make any for 2011? Nope.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
DREAM MARIE AND DAVID. WHAT!!!?!?! Baby Gloria is just made of awesome and it makes me sosososo happy I finally got to see her this past Christmas. YES.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, but this question is still quite sobering…knowing how many people die…by the minute…

5. What countries did you visit?
Scotland, obviously. England and Holland, if airports/train stations counted. I don’t think they do, so I won’t count them. Hopefully France(maybe Italy too!) will get visited in the next few months…

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Seeing certain people…whom I haven’t seen ALL YEAR. Namely, Rob G. Among others. There’s quite a few people I haven’t seen all year and that is just wrong.

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Mmm…so many days are memorable, but I can’t think of one single day that stands out above all others. God is good every day. That’s my answer and I’m sticking to it. Any singular moments that stand out in my memory are going to stay with me alone – don’t think I share every intimate detail of my life on here! (Sorry to disappoint)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Achievement? Of my doing? Well, I can’t really credit myself…but just seeking after my Lord and Father’s face more and more every day…I consider that an achievement.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I am a man of many failures.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Got sick a few times…nothing too bad though!

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmm, I don’t buy much, but I guess I’ll say my camera(Canon Powershot) after breaking my old one in a tragic accident on Enchanted Rock about 6 months ago…

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
This is such a weird question and I don’t get it. Everyone’s? I’ll just pick someone out at random…Laura my sister – whose domination in school continues. I swear, I think she’s a harder worker than I ever was; her work ethic puts me to shame. She’s about to graduate from Gaither this year!!

13. Whose behavior made you mad and ill-willed?
Another odd question. I’ll just be boring and say Congress. I don’t like to get political, but they really do a lot of silly things and the rampant corruption and self-serving by the members of the US Congress is a bit depressing. But then I look at the governments of much of the rest of the world and in comparison we look pretty ok…which is scary.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Food? Actually scratch that. Probably rent. Oh yeah and MY CAR. Aeryn took up a lot of my money the first half of this year…*shakes head sadly*

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going home to see my family this Christmas!!! Oh and coming over here to Scotland. Yeah, that was pretty big.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Hm, this is always a tricky question. For some reason the answer’s always a pop song. That’s a bit worrisome. Anyways, the answer(after a moment of reflection) is Alejandro by Lady Gaga. Shh, don’t judge, yo. Or actually, judge all you want. But I don’t care. I’m sure there are other songs that will remind me of 2010…but the year’s barely over, so hard to tell.

Oh and going to add on to this one real quick. Just listening to “Open Your Eyes” by Snow Patrol right now…and that definitely will remain a 2010 song(no matter when it came out). I’ll always remember listening to it driving through Houston crazy traffic as the sun sets behind me…

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
1. Happier or sadder?: Happier? Yes. Every year has always been better than the year before so…
2. Thinner or fatter?: The same? I don’t know – I haven’t weighed myself in ages.
3. Richer or poorer?: Richer, I suppose. Working for a year will do that.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Write. Oh that would be a good resolution(If I made resolutions, which I don’t. So never mind). I do so need to write more but my discipline at forcing myself to write is really quite non-existent. I’d love to start writing an actual long work of some kind…but to write a couple short stories/essays would be a start. Alas, it seems poetry is my only outlet of late. And that rare.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Wow, not sure how to answer this. Waste time on the Internet? Probably that’s it. Eek, sorta scary.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
At home with the fam, relaxing, eating awesome food, playing ping-pong…watching ’24’…actually why am I re-summarizing this. I wrote an entry on this a few days ago, so go read that.

21. How will you be spending New Year’s Eve?
Well, I already spent it..but I spent the first part of it at work(sadly) but spent the rest traveling to the Isle of Man and spending an epic weekend with the Ripamonti family there!! New Year’s Eve, I got in to the airport about 8PM. Robbie picked me up and took me straight to his house, where there was a party going on…so I got to meet lots of people I didn’t know and have good conversations…and watch the clock wind down to midnight where we all celebrated! Five hours ahead of most of you(or six if you’re in Texas…or…well, calculate it yourself if you’re somewhere else), so hah!

22. Did you fall in love in 2010?
Whoa, whoa…what is this personal question doing here! I refuse to answer this on principle.

Hah, but no, no falling in love for me. Not yet.

23. How many one-night stands?
HEY. This is way too personal. And besides, if I said none, would you believe me? Well, you’ll have to take my word for it. No one-night stands for me.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
LOST finished this year!! So I guess I’ll say LOST. Also, got into 24, which is also pretty intense.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Um, no? I don’t like hating people, in general. It’s not fun.

26. What was the best book you read?
Oooh, tough. Best new book, or old one? (I reread lots of books) Best overall might be the Life of Jonathan Edwards, by Iain Murray. I just love that book…read it for the second time earlier this year. Best new book? Possibly the Towers of Midnight, penultimate book of Wheel of Time series. It was EPIC.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Lecrae? Well, I didn’t technically discover Lecrae this year(David introduced me to him a while back), but I didn’t fully appreciate and love him until this year. His older album(Rebel) has been my favorite walking-in-Aberdeen music these last few months…

28. What did you want and got?
For what? Christmas? I’ll pretend that’s what the question is asking. And I asked for clothes, “Contributions to the James-sometimes-looking-cool Fund”…and I got an awesome sweater vest(from the parents), a sweet blazer shirt(from Katharyn) and…a kilt. From(who else) all my sisters.

29. What did you want and not get?
Again, I’ll take it this is Christmas. Anyways, I wanted a Church History book. Didn’t get that, so guess I’ll have to buy it as a present from myself!

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
New film? Inception! A remarkable film in that it was a big Hollywood film and hugely hyped…and it actually delivered. And it is currently in my possession. Great, great movie.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Spent time with some of my awesome Htown friends(after working) at my apartment, eating yummy food, drinking coffee, having sweet conversations… Glorious evening…I miss y’all, Htown friends…you know who you are.

32. What’s one thing would have made 2010 immeasurably more satisfying?
I can’t think of anything. Honest. 2010 was a good year.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Same old? I don’t know what my personal fashion concept even is. Anyone care to enlighten me?

34. What kept you sane?
Finally an easy one!! My Lord and Saviour, Father and King, God of the Universe, Jesus Christ.

35. Which celebrity did you fancy the most?
Hmmm…I don’t really have any celeb crushes at the moment. Sorry to disappoint! Is there anyone I *should* be fancying?

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Hmm, this is a dangerous question…so I’ll just be political and say: “No comment.”

37. Who did you miss?
LOTS OF PEOPLE. Too many to name. Far too many. If you’re reading this and aren’t in Aberdeen(or maybe even if you are!), you’re probably one of them. My family of course…Rob G, Laurie, Deanna…all my Gville friends…David and Dream…all my Tampa friends! Will and Alex…and all my Htown friends…and if you didn’t get named, don’t feel bad – blame it on my sleepiness!! I do truly miss you all. Well, unless you’re a random person I don’t know who’s reading this. Then of course I don’t miss you.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Oh gosh…this is a tough one. I guess I had already met most of my Houston friends in 2009, so I can’t name any of you guys. So that means it would be a Scotland person…well, I guess if you take talking-time as quality of friendship, Aiysha would win that lottery! We’ve had some epic conversations and sweet times together!! Sadly, I haven’t seen her in about 3 weeks…But yeah, she’s pretty awesome(*waves to Aiysha* SERIOUSLY, we must hang out soon!!). ALSO, meeting most of the Ripamontis for the first time!! Me and Robbie had some sweet times together this past weekend on the Isle of Man…a New Year’s never to forget. Technically, I met Robbie on New Year’s Eve, so that counts for 2010, right??

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
Just one? Well, I think I already knew this, but it was further reinforced in 2010: having guy friends is pretty awesome. And now that I’m currently in a far-away land from many of my good friends(specifically thinking of a few of you in Houston…), I think how blessed I was to have some sweet man-friendships in 2010. Ladies, don’t get me wrong…I love you and all…but guy friends are just…different from girls. And having fellow men and brothers whom I can share everything with and pray in sweet communion to our Jesus with…that’s just awesome. And I miss it a bit now.

40. Quote or Song Lyric that sums up your year:
I have become a marvel
to many, for You are my
strong refuge.
My mouth is filled with
Your praise
and with
Your glory
all day long.
-Psalm 71:7-8

And that pretty much sums it up. A MUCH longer survey than I anticipated! All I will say further is something I think I’ve said every year now for the past few years…once again, God has blessed me exceedingly. And I know that this year, 2011, He will bless me still. Whether I am in times of great bounty or times of tribulation, I will always love my Lord. He is good. And He is God.