I was on that island for what seems like an eternity. I want to enjoy things on the other side.

OK, so I pretty much still have no idea what to write about for NaBloMe but I have about 10,000 words left to NaNo so I'm calling today a win. Anyway, apparently there's this thing called Ten on Tuesday and I don't even care that it's Wednesday, I'm doing it today SO THERE, INTERNET, HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES?

Before I get to the questions, I do have some thoughts about recent pop culture events.

1. Hurley was on How I Met Your Mother and IT. WAS. AWESOME.

2. I've been reading The Walking Dead graphic novels but I have to take frequent breaks because the dialogue, you guys...the dialogue is so bad that it's distracting and I hate it because it's ruining the story. The way the characters talk is, like, not how real people talk or have ever talked in the history of humanity. Also! The female characters are just awful. Actually, most of the male characters aren't that great, either. I know it sounds like I'm not enjoying the series and...that's just because I'm not sure I am.

3. Speaking of The Walking Dead, I love the TV show. Like, a lot, even though watching it makes me all tense and sometimes also like I want to vomit. But wtf, why are all of these survivors CAMPING?! Tents don't even keep out bears, why would they think they might keep out zombies? I don't care how far away from the city they are, they are OUTSIDE. Zombies are outside. Go inside, dumbasses, and lock the doors! It's like no one in zombie movies (...TV shows, whatever) has ever seen a zombie movie before.

Anyway, Ten on Tuesday stolen from here.

1. If you won the lottery, what would be your one random, off-the-wall purchase?

Penguin. And penguin habitat.

2. What is popular now that you just don’t get?

Two and a Half Men (duh). Taylor Swift. Jersey Shore. Dancing with the Stars. Sarah Palin. Mind-boggling stupidity.

3. What would your last meal, you know, if you were ever about to be executed and you got to choose that sort of thing?

Chimichangas with quacamole and rice and chips and salsa and margarita. Side of mashed potatoes. What, it's my last meal, I DO WHAT I WANT.

4. When is it okay to start listening to Christmas music?

I used to say after Thanksgiving, but I started listening to it a few days ago so clearly the week of Thanksgiving is now OK.

5. How do you feel about facial hair on men?

Big fan.

6. McDonald’s or Burger King? Those are the only two options.

Fuck you, I pick Wendy's.

7. What kind of soap do you use?

Whatever's on sale?

8. What movie can you watch over and over and never get tired of?

SO MANY. Bridget Jones's Diary. Pride and Prejudice. You've Got Mail. The Princess Bride. Shaun of the Dead. Mary Poppins. Goonies.

9. Favorite beverage?

Dude, I don't care.

10. What do you want for Christmas?

I already got a puppy. WHAT ELSE COULD I POSSIBLY WANT?

wedding question: feel free to skip (real post coming soon, I promise)

So, like, I'm pretty sure I don't want a traditional wedding dress. I don't want some long train thing I'm just going to trip over all night (um, hi, I'm clumsy). I'm worried about looking for a dress at the Big Name Wedding Dress Chains because I either won't find what I want or it'll be wicked expensive and HELLO I'm only going to wear it one day, unless I get bored or something some Sunday afternoon and decide to wear it while I do laundry but ANYWAY I DIGRESS.

My question is: what's the deal with buying wedding dresses online? Is it dangerous? Not like someone will stab you dangerous, but like you just paid a bunch of money for something that looks like a Kmart Halloween costume dangerous. Do you know anyone who has done that, with good results?

OK thanks (in advance) for solving my problems for me, Internets. Again.

QUESTION

This took me a long time to finish, for some reason, but please don't think that had any affect on the quality. Because, well, yeah...anyway, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Resolutions to follow...you know, sometime.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?

Got engaged. Wrote A NOVEL. Interviewed Owly Andy Runton.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't remember really making any, so I'm going to say that I succeeded in all of them. Go me!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not to my knowledge, unless they hid their pregnancy, gave birth, and then sold it on eBay speedy quick.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

It feels like tempting fate to answer this, yes?

5. What countries did you visit?

Um. USA?

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

More traveling! More time off of work. Actually, more time period. Do you think Hermione would let me borrow her time turner?

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

12/14/09. True story.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

DUDE. I wrote A NOVEL.

9. What was your biggest failure?

After I wrote A NOVEL, I didn't do anything else with it.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Only daily.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

New camera?

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Winston. He's hanging in there, despite sickness and SURGERY, just like that one cat who is always like, "hang in there!" and stuff.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Sarah Palin. Glenn Beck. You know, the usual suspects.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Honestly? I saved more money this year than I've ever saved IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. Still, too much money went to restaurants, Target, and the internet.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Inauguration Day. Seeing "50,000" pop up on the NaNo word count. This.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

No song in particular, but David Berkeley, maybe.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. Happier or sadder? Happier!
ii. Thinner or fatter? Slightly fatter, wah wah.
iii. Richer or poorer? Slightly richer, whoohoo!

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Sleep. No, JK. I wish I was smarter with my money and vacation time and visited more people.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Work, obviously.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

You mean, like, next Christmas? I DON'T KNOW.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

I was already totes magotes in love.

22. How many one-night stands?

Zero!

23. What was your favorite TV program?

Hmm. I don't know. Possibly Lost. Maybe The Office. Glee, perhaps? Or It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

No, hating people makes me feel icky.

25. What was the best book you read?

This is too much pressure, I don't know. I will say that, according to Goodreads, here are some of the books I ranked 5 Stars: City of Thieves, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Stardust. Although, to be completely honest, I'm not very good about updating Goodreads.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Most likely something Kat sent me, which doesn't make it my discovery, really.

27. What did you want and get?

I got everything I wanted this year, other than maybe a puppy. Heh.

28. What did you want and not get?

OK, also a baby penguin.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

Hmm. District 9 was really good. And Up made me cry like a tiny baby.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I was 27, which I have to keep reminding myself because, for some reason, I keep trying to make myself 28 instead. I don't know why. We went to a Reds game and then to drink liters of beer out of giant beer steins.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

Same as always: t-shirt, jeans, flip-flops/sneakers.

32. What kept you sane?

Same as always: Joe. Friends. The Internets. Books.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Paul Rudd. Neil Patrick Harris.

Question 34 was missing. Sorry. You can make up a question if you want and maybe I'll answer it.

35. Who did you miss?

Your mom.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Mr. Schuester.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

Don't Panic.

QUESTION(s)

Sir asked me some questions. You should play, too. It's fun! Like a game. Here is how you play:

1. Leave me a comment saying you want to be interviewed.
2. I'll email you five questions of my choosing.
3. You update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions. They will answer these questions. If they don't, you can legally hunt them down and destroy them by the method of your choosing.

1. The last time I went to Cedar Point, a friend of mine renamed 'The Demon Drop' to 'The Semen Drop' and we laughed and laughed. So, which do you prefer: King's Island or Cedar Point? Explain yourself!

Hee. Semen drop. I'd have to go with King's Island, if only because it's closer and I've been there 80 hundred million times, so I somewhat know my way around. I get lost in my hometown, so knowing how to get around a place is like my favorite thing ever. Plus also, King's Island has The Beast and it's been so long since I've been to Cedar Point that I've forgotten how awesome most of the roller coasters are, so THEREFORE I can live without them.

2. What do you love?

SNOW DAYS. PUPPIES. Also: taking a shower and then putting my pajamas back on, spending an entire afternoon doing nothing but reading, watching Thursday night TV with Heidi, sitting at a bar with friends, drinking outside on a warm day, Guitar Hero, buying books, road trips, cheesecake, spooning, pizza, wine, listening to my parents fake-bicker, text messages from my sister, organizing things, blogging, coffee, warm weather (come back, sun!), live music, when TV shows BLOW MY MIND, The Collective, sleeping in, the Internets, penguins, Tamara's stories, making plans, super spicy chili, roller coasters, stealing pens from hotels.

3. Is the Jesus on I-75 struggling to break free from his Ohio grave or sinking into the state and beseeching his Dad to throw him a rope?

CLEARLY he just witnessed a touchdown.

4. Is there a particular part of the greater Dayton metro area that you really dig? (How about what they've done to the Dayton Mall? Talk about putting lipstick on a pig.)

I really like the Oregon District. Joe lives within walking distance, and I never used to go there because A) I never wanted to try and find a parking spot and B) 15 minutes is SO FAR AWAY. Yeah. Anyway, they have good bars, restaurants, and coffee shops, the most disorganized used book store I have ever seen, a movie theater, a weird shop where they sell random crap and are open really weird hours, and a huge music store. I heart it. Plus, it's home of Hauntfest at Halloween and the street is made of bricks.

I also like Cox Arboretum when I'm feeling nature-y. They have hiking trails and a bird blind and a butterfly house and it's really pretty and quiet there. Plus, it has Cox in the name and that's just awesome.

5. What would be your ideal job and where would it be?

You know how on Television Without Pity they just recap TV shows and then make fun of them? I would like to do this all day. At home, in my pajamas. And get paid for it.

That, or I wish they'd hire me at that used book store in the Oregon District. I want to organize the shit out of it. Plus, I bet they'd let me wear a t-shirt, jeans, and my Chuck Taylors every day.

Deep Thoughts (not really)

So, it's that time of year where you're supposed to think about what an awful person you've been all year, and what you're going to do in the coming year to change that. I do this every year, I think. It's usually the same things: write more, eat healthier, drink less, be nicer to people, stop procrastinating, blah blah blah, and then I forget about them as soon as they're posted. So, instead of making resolutions, I'm just going to answer these questions. I did it last year. You should do it, too, so I have something to read later.

Real post to come...later...if I feel like it...so probably not. Anyway:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?

Tried to blog for 365 days straight. Then I quit my blog.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

This is as close as I came to making resolutions last year. I did not get married or pregnant, so score!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My favorite RA from college had a baby! So did my 17-year-old cousin. Oops.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Poor Bo.

5. What countries did you visit?

America?

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

A baby penguin.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

November 4th AND I THINK YOU KNOW WHY.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I didn't fall down as much.

9. What was your biggest failure?

DOWNER.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Lots. I said I didn't fall down as much, but I didn't say I didn't fall down at ALL.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A laptop.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Mine. What? I don't know.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

THIS GUY.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Target and Threadless.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

See question 7.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

I'm sure there IS one, but I can't think of it right now. So instead of thinking any longer (my head hurts), I'm going to stop and move on.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. Happier or sadder? Happier
ii. Thinner or fatter? About the same, I think
iii. Richer or poorer? Richer, but not by much

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Writing. Reading.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Working.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Um, I already did this, douchebitch.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Duh.

22. How many one-night stands?

Um, none.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

The Office. Or Pushing Daisies.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

No. I try to hate sometimes, but it doesn't last long.

25. What was the best book you read?

Not Atonement, that's for damn sure.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Vampire Weekend, which I don't think counts, because Kat told me about them. But she always knows the good bands first.

27. What did you want and get?

An iPod. A new computer. A new phone. A new president.

28. What did you want and not get?

A new job.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

WALL-E!

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I was 26 and forgot to celebrate my birthday this year. Or I ran out of time. Either way, oops.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

T-shirts. And more t-shirts.

32. What kept you sane?

To Do lists.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Um, duh, Jim Halpert.

Question 34 was missing. Sorry. You can make up a question if you want and maybe I'll answer it.

35. Who did you miss?

You.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

This question is mean. I love all the new people I met this year.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Never throw anything out. You may need it for your blog one day. BONUS LESSON: don't crack open really old nuts.

YOU GUYS

I don't want to brag, but . . . OK, yes, I do. I totally want to brag. I am going to brag to anyone who will listen because I have never gotten to brag about this particular thing before in the (long) history of all my bragging.

OK. Here goes. Yesterday . . . at Chipotle . . . I ate . . . THE ENTIRE BURRITO. See?

This totally makes up for that time in DC when I couldn't eat the whole thing and I covered it with a napkin and then Abigail mocked me for the rest of the trip.

ALSO. It has not escaped my notice that, well, my blog has sucked donkey balls recently*. So. I am now going to (sort of) rip off Kat's idea. If you guys ask me a question in the comments, I'll answer it or whatever. If I feel like it. And if I don't forget about this by tomorrow. YOU'RE WELCOME.

*recently? ha!

it was like flying with THE RIDDLER

Tamara wanted me to do this and then she YELLED at me because I hadn't done it yet SO HERE, TAMARA, GOSH!

1. What I was doing 10 years ago:

I was a goody-two shoes, over-achieving sophomore in high school. I wish I could go back in time and tell Past!Jennie to calm down already.

2. What 5 things are on on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):

eat ice cream
write 300 words
go running
answer emails that have been sitting in my inbox for like 87 days
write an article

3. Snacks I enjoy:

The answer is chips and salsa. I would live on chips and salsa if I didn't think I'd suffer some sort of nutrition deficiency and die.

4. Things I would do if I was a billionaire:

Pay off my student loans
Pay off everyone else's student loans (my friends, that is, not like everyone in the world)
Move to a beach somewhere. Or Italy.
Hire a professional chef.
Buy a pirate ship.
Invest the rest in hoverboard development.

5. Places I have lived:

Ohio. The womb. Although, the womb was technically in Ohio, so never mind.

I'm supposed to tag some other people. So I tag Kat, because she keeps threatening to quit her blog. And I tag everyone else, too, so I have something to read.