Here's my amazingly predictable and totally repetitive list:
- Best gig: Caparezza, in Biella. It helps that it's the only gig I've been to in 2006.
- Best CD: "The Sufferer & the Witness", by Rise Against.
- Best band: Rise Against.
- Best song: Good news, everyone! It's not by Rise Against. "Burden of Truth", by Circle II Circle.
- Most pleasant memory: A couple of weeks ago, my girlfriend's dad opened up the first bottle of red wine he brewed in 2006. Two hours later and upstairs, I was pleasantly falling asleep in bed (and my girlfriend was too) while watching "The Black Dahlia". The morning after, I had no idea of who I was or where I was but I did not have the faintest trace of a hangover. I silently wished my life could be like this, every day, forever.
- Best trip/traveling experience: California, back in August. It was my first time away for a month in an English-speaking country without a native as a guide. The things I managed to accomplish in terms of "fitting in" with the locals and learning how to blend in with life in that specific neck of the woods have been a reward in themselves. Plus, the sight-seeing and time spent with my loved one, of course.
- A new person you've met and how they have affected you: I don't want this to be too personal or tasteless, so let's just say that I seem to have found the most appropriate romantic companion I could hope for.
- Best film: Like hyena, I'm not very good at remembering when movies came out. If they're from 2006, I'd say either Syriana or Match Point. Guilty pleasure: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
- Best computer game: Heroes of Might and Magic V is the only game I played in 2006 (aside from emulated roms, and post-World of Warcraft).
- How many jobs you've held and how were they: My usual job at the University Library. Nothing new under the sun: it can get irritating and frustrating any day, but the advantages are many and obvious, as shown by the fact that I'm sitting here posting this without worrying about what I should be doing instead.
- Boyfriends/girlfriends; Anything you want to say about any or none of them? : I believe I said enough. And since she doesn't read the board there's no point in showering her in compliments, is there?
- In what ways did Dark Tranquillity fit into your year? Unfortunately, they didn't. I really should get my pretty little bottom busy getting in touch with the band more often and recovering that feeling of homosexual camaraderie that we used to feel some time ago! Just kidding, about the homosexual camaraderie. In fact, we prove to each other how straight we are by comparing penis size, that's how NOT GAY we are. Hah.
- What could have made this year better i.e what would you change or have done differently?: My health has been an issue, this past year. Nothing serious, but many little (and not so little) inconveniences that you can't simply ignore. Also, I feel uncomfortable worrying about my health, for different reasons that are not worth mentioning here, and that in itself adds a psychological component to every future sneeze or cough that I had much rather done without. I hope I'll be fine for a few years now - and I mean completely fine, not even a cold - so maybe I'll be able to regain some confidence.
- Finally, how did you feel about the Dark Tranquillity forum this year? The same we do every night, Pinky: Trying to conq... Err, where was I? Ah, yes, the DT forum. Well, it's a bit like the rest of the Internet, which is plummeting into generalized ignorance and ridicule as the number of users increases and their quality decreases. The DT board used to host meaningful discussions between individuals who were, if not on top of an intellectual food chain, at least in a position to use a metaphorical fork and a metaphorical knife. Perhaps it is still so, but just by comparison with the atrocities that take place elsewhere on the WEB 2.0 OH GOD I SAID IT I'M SUCH A LEARNED CONSUMER! After all, who ever writes an honest opinion on the Internet anymore? It's all either dumb, or a catchphrase, or the cynical/sarcastic knowledge that everything and everyone is either dumb, or a catchphrase, or indistinguishable from yourself. Once we would mock people for liking Opeth, but where you only needed to say "I'm joking" now you better start explaining yourself for a couple of pages before most users get the obvious. Which is: it doesn't matter, no one really cares any longer, words in your on line message have lost the little impact they used to have four years ago.
I don't want to say that it's been a bad year, because I'm sure UndoControl (or a likewise equipped new guy) will bump this thread fourteen years from now and quote this part and add a sassy comment and think that he's making some sort of point. So, maybe it's been a good year. But I didn't like it.
