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A Post Entitled Best/Worst of 2011.

∞ posted 1 month ago in Best/Worst List contains 2 notes

In keeping with tradition, here’s my top ten list of best events in 2011 and worst events of 2011, ranked in the order that they most impacted my life.

The Best Events of 2011:

1. I took a road trip to Richmond, Virginia to see my friend Mary, who sat me on a bar stool next to a girl named Liz. (March 11)
2. I gambled responsibly, probably, for the first time in my life. I kept up with every dollar I wagered and discovered where I make my mistakes. I finished up around $1,500, which may not be much, but it’s a huge leap from losing…well, as much as I have in the past. In 2012, I’ll be starting a blog to document every dollar I wager. I’m hoping the public format will provide an accountability that I need. Follow along at IBelieveInMySystem.tumblr.com.
3. I moved into a space I really like in the French Quarter. (October 27)
4. I decided to stop fooling with point-and-shoot cameras and buy a camera I actually like. (August 17)
5. I got back into riding my bicycle, including actively participating in the New Orleans Critical Mass Bicycle Ride. (January 28-Present)
6. Jonathan Brown gave me an inside look at the New Orleans Spoken Word scene. (September)
7. I got a public library card for the first time since I was a child. Seriously, do you guys realize that place is full of books? (June 14)
8. I got a new niece. (July 7)
9. I attended two weddings where I knew less than two people. Somehow it’s more fun to go to weddings where I’m a complete stranger than weddings where I know people. Can’t explain it, not sure it makes sense, but it’s true. (April 9, October 8)
10. I bought a trumpet. (May 26)

The Worst Events of 2011:

1. Three of my friends died this year—Dianna Portilla died in a car accident (May 6), Dustin Benton died of unknown causes (July 24), and Andy Pease died of unknown causes (November 1).
2. Endured my first semester of teaching Freshman Composition, which turned out to be hellish. (Fall)
3. My house flooded a couple of times, to the tune of over $5,000. (Early May, December 5)
4. Marked an entire year of diarrhea. Despite efforts, still unidentifiable causes. (Late June)
5. The city of New Orleans came down hard on me with their Red Light Camera speeding tickets. I’m refusing to pay. I’ll let you know how it turns out. (Fall)
6. During a Critical Mass Bike Ride, I was a witness to violence when a getaway car almost ran me over immediately following the sound of gunshots. Then I watched a 17-year-old kid die in a ditch. (August 26)
7. I got dumped. (March 8)
8. I found my first gray hairs. (July 11)
9. I broke my phone…again. (November 8)
10. A perfectly good walk through the French Quarter was ruined by hundreds of football fans “calling the Hogs.” (January 3)

Previous Best/Worst Lists: 2008, 2009, 2010.