Late 2016 polling!

[superaielman]

2016 polling!

1. Election's on Tuesday for us Americans. We all are sick to death of the national election, so: are there any big local issues on your ballot? How are you planning to vote?

2. What is your theme for 2016?

3. What's your highlight of 2016? Lowlight?

4. Think back to where you where five years ago. Did you expect to end up where you are now? Are you happy where your life has gone? (For those that posted in it five years ago, http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php?topic=5781.msg128288#msg128288 and see if you met those goals)

5. End of year is coming up soon! Got any plans for the holidays?

6. Anything you are looking forward to in 2017 already?

7. You can have one item/possession of your choice within reason (Up to 100 dolars say). What would it be?

8. Has your favorite sports team won a championship in your lifetime? (NA if you don't care for pro sports)

9. How often do you see movies in the theater?

10. Do you go to parks often? Are they local or ones more out in nature?

11. Any big purchases that you are considering? How big is it if so?

12. How important is your job/career to you? Is it something you'd be happy at long term if you stuck around it for another five years?

13. What's the last time you were really surprised (In a good way) by a Christmas gift?

14. Most embarrassing thing (That you're willing to tell) that happened to you in 2016?

15. Current favorite outfit?

[superaielman]

1. Fairfax- Big tax on prepared meals. Would vote no on it.

2. Halestorm- The familar taste of poison. What are good life choices again?

3. Highlight: Weekend trip in the winter to a bunch of waterfalls in the western part of Virginia. Was an amazing trip. Lowlight: Fighting way way way too much with Ashley in Costa Rica, that was ugly.

4.

1. Finish my BA/S
2. Move somewhere new
3. GET A CAR THAT ISN'T SATAN PERSONSIFIED AND DOESN'T CATCH FIRE AND BREAK DOWN RANDOMLY. THAT'D BE WONDERFUL.
4. End up on a decent career path
5.  Get out to a Packers game at Lambeau.

1/2/4 I did, the 5th just hasn't worked out. Let's not talk about number 3 on the list.


5. Working on it. Will be home for CHristmas I'm sure.

6. Next Dresden files book.

7. This is cheating a bit, but A Memory of Light as completely written by Robert Jordan. Sanderson did a good job but I'd still really like to see what RJ would've done.

8. Packers and yes, twice. I kind of doubt the Packers will win another any time soon but who knows.

9. Almost never. Kind of expensive and I don't enjoy movies that much. Last one I saw was Mad Max in summer of 2015.

10. Yep, ones out in the boonies. Mountains are pretty, see this: https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/15000008_10154616954674788_4997391809669903624_o.jpg?oh=5b5aedb98441ef4725b2c3ba5ade5406&oe=58CA9D16

11. I still really want a motorcycle in spite of basically everyone telling me it's a terrible idea. THat's on hold until I get past the medical roadbumps of late though.

12. It matters quite a bit. I want a good career I can do for a long time. I don't want to hate going into work. I'd be happy enough if I was still at the courthouse in five years, just... hopefully I find something that makes more money before then.

13. Got a tablet last year, that was cool.

14. Hernia surgery. Had a double inguinal hernia and all of my doctors and surgeons were women. I had to drop my pants quite often; it's a good thing I mostly lack shame and have a sense of humor to deal with it.

15. London fog grey coat, grey tie and shirt, black pants and dress shoes if I'm dressing up. Shorts, T-shirt, and flipflops otherwise.

[Dark Holy Elf]

2016 polling!

1. Election - Make sure you all go vote! Even if you hate both/all candidates, choosing the least bad one really does matter. Plus y'all Americans have down-ballot races and issues, so no excuses! *cracks whip*

2. Theme - Certainly something from Undertale seems the most fitting. Let's go with Spider Dance.

3. Highlight - Well certainly the biggest thing has been landing a single full-year job at one school, which is a fairly big step. It's definitely the highlight, except that it involves teaching two blocks of science which I feel rather unqualified for and the stress that creates is also the lowlight. Another highlight was finally taking a trip out to Calgary to see my brother after having planned to do this (and had it fall through) for almost three years.

EDIT: I forgot DLCon! That was definitely a highlight. It went smoothly and it was generally awesome to see everyone.

4. Goals - I didn't post in the thread five years ago and I doubt I would have posted many specific goals if I had. Life is in a good place generally, but rather... static, which makes it feel like time slips by rather quickly. Sometimes that bothers me. I do have some specific goals for the next five years, chief among them moving to somewhere nicer and getting a full-time teaching position teaching things I like, but we'll see; these things can't/shouldn't be rushed.

5. Vacation - Do something involving family and getting a much-needed break from work.

6. 2017 - Next Stormlight book.

7. One item - Hmm. Maybe I'll think of something later. Placeholder of "an FFT sequel that had similar tone and similar/expanded gameplay ideas to FFT" is always a good one.

8. Sports - They got to the seventh game of the finals twice, but nope.

9. Movies - Probably about one a year on average. Is the superhero craze over yet?

10. Parks - There's a local park we go to pretty often. It's nice! Less so in winter, stupid winter.

11. Purchases - Well the big thing is looking for a place to live sometime in the next few years. That will probably uh cost a lot.

12. Career - Job's good! Sometimes stressful, certainly (see above). But it's rewarding, pays decently enough, and very secure. I'd be happy to do some variation of it for the rest of my working life, yes, even though I can't ever see myself living to work (in this or any other job).

13. Gifts - Y'know I'm not sure. I wouldn't say I'm surprised very often, but the one that sticks with me the most is getting a photo collage and photo mug of my cat Midnight the year after she died.

14. Embarrassment - I can't think of any. Which isn't to say nothing happened, but I usually try to block such things out so I can't recall anything at the moment.

15. Outfit - Whatever. I try to look decent but I don't actually care.

[Captain K]

1. Election's on Tuesday for us Americans. We all are sick to death of the national election, so: are there any big local issues on your ballot? How are you planning to vote?

Mostly just a lot of street repair bonds.  Our city likes to start repairs and not finish them, so the rich neighborhoods always have new streets but the poor ones are going to hell.

2. What is your theme for 2016?

Encroaching insanity

3. What's your highlight of 2016? Lowlight?

Highlight: The airport scene in Civil War.  Yeah when my highlight is in the realm of fiction that tells you how bad it was.
Lowlight:  My 28 year old grandson died of cancer.  Also my dog died.  And Harambe.  Fuck 2016.

4. Think back to where you where five years ago. Did you expect to end up where you are now? Are you happy where your life has gone? (For those that posted in it five years ago, http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php?topic=5781.msg128288#msg128288 and see if you met those goals)

I never expected to live past the age of thirty so I have no idea what's going to happen day by day.  Happy where my life has gone?  HAHAHAHAHAHANo.

5. End of year is coming up soon! Got any plans for the holidays?

No

6. Anything you are looking forward to in 2017 already?

No

7. You can have one item/possession of your choice within reason (Up to 100 dolars say). What would it be?

Food is pretty much the only thing that brings me happiness these days so I'd say a $100 fast food gift card.

8. Has your favorite sports team won a championship in your lifetime? (NA if you don't care for pro sports)

'91 Redskins.  We do not speak of the Redskins since then.

9. How often do you see movies in the theater?

Frequently, every three weeksish

10. Do you go to parks often? Are they local or ones more out in nature?

No

11. Any big purchases that you are considering? How big is it if so?

I need a new car but that ain't happening anytime soon.

12. How important is your job/career to you? Is it something you'd be happy at long term if you stuck around it for another five years?

I probably won't be able to continue my career much longer due to my mental problems getting worse.  I'm in that limbo between too fucked up to work full time and not fucked up enough to go on disability yet.

13. What's the last time you were really surprised (In a good way) by a Christmas gift?

My wife got me one of those big Marvel encyclopedia coffee table books last year, that was nice.

14. Most embarrassing thing (That you're willing to tell) that happened to you in 2016?

Forgetting to turn on PK mode for a 2 hour PVP event.  Couldn't figure out why I couldn't damage the enemies.

15. Current favorite outfit?

I just wear variations of jeans and a t-shirt.

[Cotigo]

1. Election's on Tuesday for us Americans. We all are sick to death of the national election, so: are there any big local issues on your ballot? How are you planning to vote?

Big one is the Albuquerque Rapid Transit construction project. I won't get too into the details yet mostly because what's up on the ballot is whether to leave the project up for a city-wide vote or not. I voted to have the vote, and need to do more research on the effects of the project before that comes up.

2. What is your theme for 2016?
can this fucking dumpster fire of a year end already

3. What's your highlight of 2016? Lowlight?
Coming home is a highlight, but the two months of moving leading up to it are definitely the low point.

EDIT: OH, and my dad's cancer came back and he's doing another round of chemo, but that's kinda been a constant low broil of bullshit since 2015, so.

4. Think back to where you where five years ago. Did you expect to end up where you are now? Are you happy where your life has gone? (For those that posted in it five years ago, http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php?topic=5781.msg128288#msg128288 and see if you met those goals)

Well, I didn't expect that I would be back in the US, but otherwise yeah the last five years were fruitful.

5. End of year is coming up soon! Got any plans for the holidays?
Hopefully be working by then. -_-

6. Anything you are looking forward to in 2017 already?
hahaha looking forward to things

7. You can have one item/possession of your choice within reason (Up to 100 dolars say). What would it be?
Eh, a dog of my own (current dog in the house is my sister's) I suppose, but that's more a matter of when I get a job and have income again than anything else.

8. Has your favorite sports team won a championship in your lifetime? (NA if you don't care for pro sports)
spetznaz

9. How often do you see movies in the theater?
not

10. Do you go to parks often? Are they local or ones more out in nature?
There's a park about a block from my sister's house. I take the dog there. I am an exciting man.

11. Any big purchases that you are considering? How big is it if so?
Waiting on a substantial amount of money from the Japanese government, then I really need to buy a car that isn't going to fall apart on me if I go over 55 mph.

12. How important is your job/career to you? Is it something you'd be happy at long term if you stuck around it for another five years?
Definitely switching out of teaching. Unclear of what I want to be doing but it definitely isn't that.

13. What's the last time you were really surprised (In a good way) by a Christmas gift?
Eh, we kinda stopped doing gifts and stuff around when I was in college. So probably back then.

14. Most embarrassing thing (That you're willing to tell) that happened to you in 2016?
I went solo sea kayaking in Thailand and the tide moored me on the rocks. I struggled for about a half hour before one of the locals came and got me out. For the rest of my trip I had painful open wounds on the bottoms of my feet and in hindsight it's kind of a wonder I didn't get a nasty infection or something from it.

15. Current favorite outfit?
my halloween costume came out pretty good. I should get pictures of it soon

[AAA]

2016 polling!

1. No issues on the ballot this year, at least according to Ballotpedia.

2. One long national nervous breakdown

3. This year mostly seems like a blur, to be honest.

4. I'm pretty ok with how things are going. Decent job with plentiful overtime, good car that I've almost paid off...student loans are the only real thing dragging me down, and i'm still pretty lucky compared to a lot of other people as far as that goes.

5. I will be flying to New Mexico to spend time with my other side of the family for Thanksgiving. Christmas will almost certainly be spent watching my nephews open up presents which is always a good time.

6. My car will be paid off in July. Other than that hopefully P5 and Nier Automata come out.

7. 100 dollars worth of Steam funbux would be sweet.

8. Nope.

9. Rarely. If there's a movie I'm interested I'm usually content to wait until you can rent it.

10. Go....outside? Why would I do that?

11. I want to get a PS4 at some point.

12.  The only issue I have here is that our lab's workload has far outstripped our space and personnel, which means 60 hour weeks, every week, for months on end. The overtime has been nice but I don't know if I can maintain that pace for too long, and nobody in management seems to have a solution. We're out of the busy season and things have calmed down considerably, but we still keep having record-breaking months and sooner or later we simply won't be able to keep up.

13. My mom got me a really nice watch a few years ago.

14. Almost got scammed by somebody pretending to be from the government looking to drop my student loans. They keep calling around noonish when I'm asleep so I tend to be half-awake when I get these calls. Anyway I realized what was going on before I gave them any important information at least.

[Magic Fanatic]

2016 polling!

1. Election's on Tuesday for us Americans. We all are sick to death of the national election, so: are there any big local issues on your ballot? How are you planning to vote?
Constitutional Amendment No.6 - Proof of Identity for voting.  Voting NO there.

2. What is your theme for 2016?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bem32zF_w48

3. What's your highlight of 2016? Lowlight?
I don't really have much of either.  Highlights get forgotten as much as lowlights.  Most memorable one is probably me failing to keep multiple friends from fighting.

4. Think back to where you where five years ago. Did you expect to end up where you are now? Are you happy where your life has gone?
No, and no.

5. End of year is coming up soon! Got any plans for the holidays?
Probably working...  Like usual.

6. Anything you are looking forward to in 2017 already?
Hopefully actually doing something with my life.

7. You can have one item/possession of your choice within reason (Up to 100 dollars say). What would it be?
A new jacket that's both stylish and warm.

8. Has your favorite sports team won a championship in your lifetime? (NA if you don't care for pro sports)
N/A

9. How often do you see movies in the theater?
Maybe three times a year.

10. Do you go to parks often? Are they local or ones more out in nature?
I don't, but if I do, they're local.

11. Any big purchases that you are considering? How big is it if so?
Just lots of video games.

12. How important is your job/career to you? Is it something you'd be happy at long term if you stuck around it for another five years?
My job is important to me only insofar as I'm getting paid.  I hate working for the company I am no, but I don't really have another choice, so I suppose I shouldn't be complaining.

13. What's the last time you were really surprised (In a good way) by a Christmas gift?
It's been years.  My mom typically asks me what I want for Christmas, so I can't really be surprised anymore anyway.  I think the last time is when I got my PS4.

14. Most embarrassing thing (That you're willing to tell) that happened to you in 2016?
See the note about highlights.

15. Current favorite outfit?
Something loose and comfortable.  Doesn't matter what it is as long as it's comfortable and uses mostly dark warm colors.

[VySaika]

1. Election - Decent amount of stuff on the ballot this year for Cali/Alameda county. Can't really think of any single huge issue that stands out in my head though. Already voted via mail.

2. Theme - I can't really assign a themesong to an entire long period of time. Themesongs are for characters or specific events.

3. Highlight - Well I suppose if I didn't say "actually getting officially married finally" it would be weird? For all that to us it was just signing some papers and an excuse to go out to lunch. A bigger deal for me was the solo game that Jenna runs for me(instead of the other way around, which is 90%+ of our gaming) getting revived. I'd missed getting to play Reveille, the game coming back on line was ^____^. I try not to dwell on lowlights.

4. 5 Year Goals - There's a reason I didn't answer that question seriously. I'm reasonably happy where things have gone though? I mean, we have our own place no longer living with Jenna's folks. that's Kind Of A Big Deal.

5. Holidays - Visiting my mother in Connecticut for the yearly consumption of the sacrificial turkey. No plans for Christmas beyond existing and tolerating Jenna's family for a few days. Trying to coerce the toro into spending Christmas out here, but dunno how much luck I'll have.

6. 2017 - DLCon, of course. Also finishing up the latest chapter in the primary solo game I run for Jenna(which is...8 years old at this point? I think? Yeah), that will be cool.

7. Item - Does the item have to actually exist? Because a proper Suiko6 would be under $100 and would be awesome. Otherwise probably a quality grill pan would be pretty great, I could do some stuff with that.

8. Sports - I watch some e-sports, but none of the team based ones. And just who my favorite FTG player is changes from year to year, so that doesn't really fit either.

9. Movies - Several times a year, but on no set schedule or anything. Usually just the marvel movies, sometimes stuff like the new star treks.

10. Parks - Nope.

11. Purchases - Mostly just plane tickets to visit folks here and there. For material goods, I need to replace my vita but that's about it.

12. Job - My what? Jokes aside, my job is basically keeping Jenna fed and entertained, and keeping the household from imploding because I'm the only person with any kind of ability to reliably do things in the house(Jenna leaves her ability to actually Do Things at work, this includes her memory. I don't know how that works, but it does). It's something I take as seriously as I take anything, and put a lot of effort into. Also something I plan to stick with for the rest of whatever because what "losing" it would entail is not even remotely in the cards.

13. Gifts - Honestly I can't really remember.

14. Embarrassments - Realizing that I'd been doing something wrong in a DnD game for, oh, 7ish years. I'm the rules monkey, so it's always kind of >___< when I drop the ball, and doubly so when I realize I'd been dropping it for literally years.

15. Outfit - My comfy green shirt and the dark blue sweats. I only really wear t-shirt or polo shit + sweatpants, though.

[Ranmilia]

1. Election's on Tuesday for us Americans. We all are sick to death of the national election, so: are there any big local issues on your ballot? How are you planning to vote?

I pity the foo's who didn't take advantage of early voting here, because the lines on Tuesday are going to be LONG.  Only local issue on my ballot is a rather confusing scheme for improving various Austin roads.  It's blatantly underfunded and projections of how much it'll actually help are sketchy, but I voted for it anyway - traffic here is so dire that just about any attempt at improvement is better than nothing. 

2. What is your theme for 2016?

What does this even mean?  Like a song?  Sure, fine.  Common World Domination.

3. What's your highlight of 2016? Lowlight?

Highlight was DLcon (and extended aftertrip) for sure.  Just fantastic.
Lowlight was encroaching health issues after the con, and family drama surrounding them.  Also if Trump wins that'll be a lowlight.

4. Think back to where you where five years ago. Did you expect to end up where you are now? Are you happy where your life has gone? (For those that posted in it five years ago, http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php?topic=5781.msg128288#msg128288 and see if you met those goals)

Had a vague idea.  Things could be better, but they could also be a lot worse. 

5. End of year is coming up soon! Got any plans for the holidays?

Getting the house to myself while the rest of the family goes camping, focusing on streaming and getting personal projects done.  Any time alone is good time.

6. Anything you are looking forward to in 2017 already?

So much.  General life improvements, Persona 5, Bloodstained, La Mulana 2, Nier Automata, some stuff I can't talk about, but the next year promises to be better than this one.

7. You can have one item/possession of your choice within reason (Up to 100 dolars say). What would it be?

Anything material I can think of is over $100 so... I guess I'll just take the cash, or that amount of food/games?

8. Has your favorite sports team won a championship in your lifetime? (NA if you don't care for pro sports)

Sure have.  UT Longhorns, 2005-2006 BCS champs.  (Plenty of esports stuff too, but that tends to count less due to fewer teams and more frequent competition)

9. How often do you see movies in the theater?

Virtually never.  One every few years.

10. Do you go to parks often? Are they local or ones more out in nature?

Local ones somewhat frequently for swimming/exercise.  Used to be dragged into camping a lot, have thankfully broken out of that.

11. Any big purchases that you are considering? How big is it if so?

New computer and possibly desk and office setup, somewhere in the $2-3k range potentially.  Also non-insured surgery if that counts...

12. How important is your job/career to you? Is it something you'd be happy at long term if you stuck around it for another five years?

Figured out I couldn't function well if I was doing things I wasn't passionate about.  So, now, very much yes.

13. What's the last time you were really surprised (In a good way) by a Christmas gift?

MMmmmmmm never that I can recall.

14. Most embarrassing thing (That you're willing to tell) that happened to you in 2016?

Dealing with my family is a constant series of embarrassments that I've become inured to, so... hm.  Perhaps... "That shirt" at DLcon.

15. Current favorite outfit?

Shirt and pants.  Nothing special. 

[Cmdr_King]

2016 polling!

1. Election's on Tuesday for us Americans. We all are sick to death of the national election, so: are there any big local issues on your ballot? How are you planning to vote?

Just a pile of (R) running unopposed, judicial races, and no ballots at all.  Local governance is a joke.

2. What is your theme for 2016?

Abject despair.

3. What's your highlight of 2016? Lowlight?

Highlight-  Leaving the goddamned country.

Lowlight- Having to come back.
I mean the two nasty debilitating injuries, one of which happened at home and cost me $5000 out of pocket should technically count more but that ruins the rhythm of it.

4. Think back to where you where five years ago. Did you expect to end up where you are now? Are you happy where your life has gone?

Paaaaaaaasssssssss.

5. End of year is coming up soon! Got any plans for the holidays?

Nope.  Even if I wasn't broke, travelling during Winter is no.

6. Anything you are looking forward to in 2017 already?

It not being 2016.

7. You can have one item/possession of your choice within reason (Up to 100 dolars say). What would it be?

Um.  Nothing jumps out at me off the cuff.

8. Has your favorite sports team won a championship in your lifetime? (NA if you don't care for pro sports)

Uh... the Tigers probably count here?  And... very technically yes (they won the World Series in '84).  They had two pretty crushing defeats in the world series after I started following baseball too.

9. How often do you see movies in the theater?

About once a month on average, but that's usually like three movies in may but those are also the first movies I've seen in the year, that sort of thing.

10. Do you go to parks often? Are they local or ones more out in nature?

Not really.  For starters there's very park-like conditions like right outside the window >.>

11. Any big purchases that you are considering? How big is it if so?

Too poor for that.  I've been wanting to get another car for about a year, but I don't want to do that without buying it outright.

12. How important is your job/career to you? Is it something you'd be happy at long term if you stuck around it for another five years?

Well I'm technically unemployed now because I wanted to switch into a different branch of my field but the cards haven't quite lined up for that.  For the most part right now I can't imagine getting a job within the near future I'd want to stay at for five years, but that's because I'm at a weird place in the career arc and all.

13. What's the last time you were really surprised (In a good way) by a Christmas gift?

Aside from my sister my family gave up on non-monetary gifts about ten years back.  She's never quiiiite been able to hit that sweet spot where I don't expect it but turn out to really want it after the fact though.  I think I'm just better at gift guessing than average though so maybe my expectations are high.

14. Most embarrassing thing (That you're willing to tell) that happened to you in 2016?

I managed to dislocate my own shoulder because a text startled me.  Yes that actually happened.  Fuck 2016.

15. Current favorite outfit?

Clothing isn't really my thing.

[Fenrir]

1. Election's on Tuesday for us Americans. We all are sick to death of the national election, so: are there any big local issues on your ballot? How are you planning to vote?
Probably Green in the next presidential election then the modt left wing candidate. Our green candidates aren't slightly crazy like in the US

2. What is your theme for 2016?
Love

3. What's your highlight of 2016? Lowlight?
Getting a love letter and duplicate keys to her house
Turning 30. Fuck this

4. Think back to where you where five years ago. Did you expect to end up where you are now? Are you happy where your life has gone? (For those that posted in it five years ago, http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php?topic=5781.msg128288#msg128288 and see if you met those goals)
Absolutely not
Absolutely yes

5. End of year is coming up soon! Got any plans for the holidays?
Watching the Black Mirror christmas special episode + Gremlins 1/2 again

6. Anything you are looking forward to in 2017 already?
No. I want the status quo re: my life

7. You can have one item/possession of your choice within reason (Up to 100 dolars say). What would it be?
Really if I want something cheap I just buy it

8. Has your favorite sports team won a championship in your lifetime? (NA if you don't care for pro sports)
N/A

9. How often do you see movies in the theater?
About two times a week. Movies rule ass

10. Do you go to parks often? Are they local or ones more out in nature?
Pretty often in summer, never in winter. Local ones because there's a really cool island in the middle of the city in 30min walking distance, and it's wild enough for me

11. Any big purchases that you are considering? How big is it if so?
Maybe a house
Not too big though

12. How important is your job/career to you? Is it something you'd be happy at long term if you stuck around it for another five years?
Not important, I just want it to exist and to not be terrible
Yes I could keep that job for life

13. What's the last time you were really surprised (In a good way) by a Christmas gift?
I can't remember

14. Most embarrassing thing (That you're willing to tell) that happened to you in 2016?
Missing one plane to NY, buying another ticket, missing that other plane too, giving up and going to Barcelona by car instead, having the shittiest holidays there and leaving two days earlier

15. Current favorite outfit?
Jeans, blue/brown plimsolls, striped blue/white jersey just like the French cliché.
Grefter, rate me
[/quote]

[The Duck]

1. Election's on Tuesday for us Americans. We all are sick to death of the national election, so: are there any big local issues on your ballot? How are you planning to vote?
A ballot to let Google Fiber in to break the Comcast monopoly.

2. What is your theme for 2016?
Sometimes shame is good. I am talking primarily about the election.

3. What's your highlight of 2016? Lowlight?
Other than Trump and the degradation of American norms and institutions, a lot of friends that I made in school graduated and left to do other things. I made some really great friends here so I was at a low point when everyone started moving away, one by one. My friendships are now more dispersed than they were, and it made me realize how difficult it was to make friends or meet interesting people as an adult. I'm also 30 now so people in my age group are settling into family units so it's harder to hang out with some other people I know. On the other hand, I've made the effort to maintain those previous friendships so those aren't going away.

As for highlights, I took a trip to Seattle at the end of the summer with some friends and spent some time in Olympic and Rainier, some of the most beautiful places I've ever been. I've also started taking roadtrips to other parks and cities. 

4. Think back to where you where five years ago. Did you expect to end up where you are now? Are you happy where your life has gone? (For those that posted in it five years ago, http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php?topic=5781.msg128288#msg128288 and see if you met those goals)
Five years ago I started a PhD program and I'm probably going to finish next summer. So in some ways, yes. But someone I loved dearly left and I thought my relationship with her was going to define the rest of my life. So, yes and no?

5. End of year is coming up soon! Got any plans for the holidays?
Hanging around Chicago with my brother and niece (soon to be two nieces). Generally the holidays aren't a great time for me though.

6. Anything you are looking forward to in 2017 already?
Kind of, I hit the job market soon and I'm not sure what that's going to be like. I'm ready for a change but that could look bad depending on how things go.

7. You can have one item/possession of your choice within reason (Up to 100 dolars say). What would it be?
*shrug*

8. Has your favorite sports team won a championship in your lifetime? (NA if you don't care for pro sports)
Detroit Pistons three times, although I was little for the first two.

9. How often do you see movies in the theater?
All the fucking time. I've shifted from video games to other things and movies are one of them. November is going to be a month where I am likely going to be in theaters several times a week since there's so much coming out and our local indie theater is doing a bunch of cool shit like the Dekalog and a series of old school samurai films.

10. Do you go to parks often? Are they local or ones more out in nature?
When the weather is right, I again go several times a week. I use it to exercise and clear my mind. Although this fall kind of sucked weatherwise (it was like 90 degrees in early november), I've been to the Smokeys, Asheville, Acadia, and some places around here to hike and see the leaves change.

11. Any big purchases that you are considering? How big is it if so?
Probably moving in a few months so no.

12. How important is your job/career to you? Is it something you'd be happy at long term if you stuck around it for another five years?
Grad student now so hopefully not keeping this for too much longer. The part of this I enjoy the most is actually teaching and things that directly help people (mentoring) moreso than the actual research, so I may look more into teaching focused jobs. I think I'd be happy doing that. If I stick with research, it'd be on studying something different than what I'm doing, possibly on something like implicit bias. Research jobs alone have some flexibility but you're always fighting for grant funding and I don't know if I want to be doing that.

13. What's the last time you were really surprised (In a good way) by a Christmas gift?
I've always been a lot better at giving gifts than getting them (I usually buy things I want), so not sure.

14. Most embarrassing thing (That you're willing to tell) that happened to you in 2016?
Nothing particularly egregious happened this year.

15. Current favorite outfit?
Fall weather is finally coming and I feel better about how I look when I can wear jackets and coats. Button ups and jeans otherwise.

[dunie]

1. Election's on Tuesday for us Americans. We all are sick to death of the national election, so: are there any big local issues on your ballot? How are you planning to vote? - Yes. Consciously.

2. What is your theme for 2016? Self care

3. What's your highlight of 2016? Lowlight? PhD Candidacy and returning home. Traveling too much.

4. Think back to where you where five years ago. Did you expect to end up where you are now? Are you happy where your life has gone? Yes. I'm satisfied. Life is complicated.

10. Do you go to parks often? Are they local or ones more out in nature? Yes, at least once a week to a nature preserve, dog park, or hiking trail.

15. Current favorite outfit? This monochrome 100% cotton dress from a designer in Austin, reminds me of Sol Lewitt

[Lady Door]

1. Election's on Tuesday for us Americans. We all are sick to death of the national election, so: are there any big local issues on your ballot? How are you planning to vote?
There are 18 state propositions on California's ballot this year. It's ridiculous. We're voting on everything from marijuana to plastic bags (twice!) to whether we should force "adult entertainment" actors to use condoms. There are also 2 local bond measures up for vote, plus a city councilor and a judge. I'm going to go home tonight and fill out my ballot. I'm permanent absentee because I often work the polls and it's easier for me to do that if I'm not restricted to working at my specific precinct (which is how I'd have to do it in order to make sure I can vote in my small city's own races).

2. What is your theme for 2016?
"Oh shit, I'm 30. I guess I should do adult things?" *Gets married.* *Gets pregnant.*

3. What's your highlight of 2016? Lowlight?
Spontaneous leap day wedding (got "engaged" 10 days before).

Lowlight was really the tail end of 2015 that bled into early 2016 which was the shit end of my previous job. Still pissed off about it. In short: as the only female member of my department, I was subject to "personality disapproval" from my boss and my boss's boss based on word of mouth from other teams that were deflecting their own failings by trying to drag everyone else down with them. I got put on a performance improvement plan for things like not attending a single supposedly optional after-hours get-together on a business trip where I spent every other waking hour, social and otherwise, with the team; not showing enough enthusiasm for the project at hand (?!); and how I held my mug of tea during meetings. This was in addition to a more minor "you didn't email all the right people at the right time" fuck up I totally do own, but when combined with the other shit it was pretty clear they were just looking to get rid of me.

I got to tell my boss I was quitting in the meeting where he was telling me I had successfully escaped my PIP. Suck it. :|

4. Think back to where you where five years ago. Did you expect to end up where you are now? Are you happy where your life has gone? (For those that posted in it five years ago, http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php?topic=5781.msg128288#msg128288 and see if you met those goals)
My priorities changed from when I posted in that thread. Consumer debt is plenty manageable, though still present, and I gave up on academic-related goals for the time being (which includes sports, hah). I've spent almost 3 weeks in Europe for work and pleasure, so yay for that one, and I hope to do it again soon (yes, even with a small child). The start-my-own-business thing has always felt untenable given that my income is even now still 60% of what we need to live but since Andrew's got his own career-level job now from which we get insurance, and I'm facing the absurdity of childcare costs, it's looking more plausible or even required.

So overall I wish I had done more (as always), but I'm not dissatisfied with where I am. My goal for the next 5 years is really just to make it to the other side mostly intact: small child entering kindergarten(ish), marriage in hand, expenses/income in balance, and making sure to take some time for myself and my hobbies.

5. End of year is coming up soon! Got any plans for the holidays?
Blessedly nothing. This is the last year Andrew and I will be alone together so we're making the most of it by not going anywhere and not having anyone visit us.

6. Anything you are looking forward to in 2017 already?
Well, the baby thing. That'll certainly change my priorities if nothing else.

7. You can have one item/possession of your choice within reason (Up to 100 dolars say). What would it be?
At the <$100 range, I generally just buy what I want when I feel like it. I guess the thing I haven't bit the bullet on yet that I would like to just have is a laptop table - some sort of portable table I can swing over the couch so I can use my laptop while I'm sitting there. The current arrangement is not ergonomically satisfying.

8. Has your favorite sports team won a championship in your lifetime? (NA if you don't care for pro sports)
49ers were so good when I was younger. If only they'd come again.

9. How often do you see movies in the theater?
Often enough that I bought a membership, not often enough that I could make use of those new "monthly subscription" movie passes. I go based on seeing what I want to see, not just to go, so it tends to group up in early summer (May) and late fall (November).

10. Do you go to parks often? Are they local or ones more out in nature?
Not lately, but I used to and I hope to again. Definitely more nature-y. I should be taking advantage of the awesome national and state parks I have within very easy driving distance of where I live.

11. Any big purchases that you are considering? How big is it if so?
BABY SHIT IS EXPENSIVE. >:| Looking at $500-750 worth of critical baby accessories (car seat, crib, stroller, etc.). Also probably getting a second car soon (since I can't take baby on motorcycle), but that'll probably be a lease.

12. How important is your job/career to you? Is it something you'd be happy at long term if you stuck around it for another five years?
I need work to feel happy, but I don't need the specific work I'm doing. I like working with data and entertainment and all that but increasingly I wish I was doing something more meaningful. Right now, this job/career is to pay the bills. I am hoping that 5 years from now I'm focused less on that and more on contributing something.

13. What's the last time you were really surprised (In a good way) by a Christmas gift?
I don't recall.

14. Most embarrassing thing (That you're willing to tell) that happened to you in 2016?
No idea. My life is pretty mellow.

15. Current favorite outfit?
A loose-fitting, super stretchy long-sleeved maternity shirt I plan to wear until I lose weight (so, forever) and a pair of maternity jeans that are SO SOFT. Maternity clothes are the shit.

[Sierra]

1. Election's on Tuesday for us Americans. We all are sick to death of the national election, so: are there any big local issues on your ballot? How are you planning to vote?

Same county as Super so same meals tax thing, except probably opposite vote.

2. What is your theme for 2016?

Mood whiplash.

3. What's your highlight of 2016? Lowlight?

A: "Hey, am I actually still working on this one? I am actually still working on this thing. This is pretty nice." B: This entire fucking election.

4. Think back to where you where five years ago. Did you expect to end up where you are now? Are you happy where your life has gone? (For those that posted in it five years ago, http://www.rpgdl.com/forums/index.php?topic=5781.msg128288#msg128288 and see if you met those goals)

My statement five years ago was apparently that I don't make plans. That has been fairly consistently true and has proven about as satisfactory as you should imagine.

5. End of year is coming up soon! Got any plans for the holidays?

Christmas w/family, same as usual.

6. Anything you are looking forward to in 2017 already?

Finishing game of Cid so I can start another one (there's a queue here).

7. You can have one item/possession of your choice within reason (Up to 100 dollars say). What would it be?

Valkyrie Profile: Hrist. Make it happen, Squeenix.

8. Has your favorite sports team won a championship in your lifetime? (NA if you don't care for pro sports)

N/A because sports sports sports sports, sports sports sports sports, Bart gets the front seat because he's such a good guy at sports.

9. How often do you see movies in the theater?

Maybe 3-4 times a year, these days. And it seems to be mostly superhero movies.

10. Do you go to parks often? Are they local or ones more out in nature?

No.

11. Any big purchases that you are considering? How big is it if so?

No.

12. How important is your job/career to you? Is it something you'd be happy at long term if you stuck around it for another five years?

It keeps me from being homeless, which is certainly a nice perk, but I look for fulfillment elsewhere.

13. What's the last time you were really surprised (In a good way) by a Christmas gift?

I think the Cat Mom mug I received last year or whatever was definitely among the better picks people have made for me.

14. Most embarrassing thing (That you're willing to tell) that happened to you in 2016?

One morning I poured the orange juice on the cereal instead of the milk.

15. Current favorite outfit?

Man you guys know I only care about fashion in videogames.

[DragonKnight Zero]

Will fill in others later.

1. Election
  Somehow thought Election day was last week so ground out filling my ballot and sending it out.  Works out since I got it done and stopped thinking about it and election drama.

5. Holidays plans
  to fill it with lots of Love.   

7. Item
  A {Redacted} for use for a future cosplay or a {Redacted} to make a current one look better.  Didn't even stop and think about this one.   

8. Sports
  N/A

9. Movies
  Generally, no.  Haven't been to the theater in a while.

10. Parks
  Occasionally.

11. Purchases
  Airfare, crap...

12. Career
  It's not important to fulfilling my life purpose.  I do plan to still be doing some of the stuff I'm doing now 5 years down the road.

14. Embarrassment
  Not the most embarrassing though makes for a more entertaining tale so here it is.  Went somewhere in costume for a Halloween activity; made arrangements with family to call them for a pickup when I was ready to leave (as bulky costumes are tricky to manuver through public transit).  Forgot my phone and didn't find out until over an hour later.    Well, this is awkward.  Also forgot my transit pass for extra comedy of error.  Sucked up my pride and borrowed a friend's phone to call home.  Thought I was leaving a voicemail but it turns out it was received as a garbled text message.  Made it home (with some fortuitous outside help) and discovered i had forgotten to bring my house key.  !!

Comedy of errors, yo.

15. Outfit
  There's this one cosplay I put together.  Discovered I feel sexy in it.

[Lord Ephraim]

1.  I dunno I didn't really look into it.

2. Murphy's Law

3. Hightlight: Basically getting a new car from Walmart when they fucked up my engine with an oil change. (how can you forget to put the cap back on?!)
Lowlight: A series of events in a three months span where:  I got bed bugs, aunt died, mother hurt in a car accident, got my car stolen but recovered after they took all the tires (but before the Walmart incident), and went a whole week without Internet.

4.  Things have gotten more mundane and boring in the past 5 years since all my good friends just up and left for the military.  Aside from that not much has changed (except gaining 30 pounds)

5.  Trying to lay low until 2016 is over.

6.  Basically anything that didn't happen this year.

7.  I really need new shoes.  The ones I'm wearing are 7 years old, but they don't smell or look that bad!

8.  The Cubs!  I used to like the Colts, they suck.

9.  The last time I saw a movie was Lord of the Rings 1.  Yes I do remember how long ago it was.

10.  The last time I went to a park was the Cincinnati Zoo when I was in 7th grade.  That was.....18 years ago?

11.  I really need my wisdom teeth pulled, but I don't have dental and it hasn't caused me any real issues........yet.

12.  All I ask is a stable job that keeps me happy, fed and sheltered.  So far so good.  If I could stay around for 5 years sure, but it might not be the case in 2017.

13.  NINTENDO SIXTY FOURRRR  (it was during a period where my parents stop buying me video games)

14.  I voted Trump

15.  Being naked