Another one....

The annual Sundry End-Of-The-Year Questionnaire.


1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Saw someone turn 100 (my grandma).


2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Sort of, for both.



3. Did anyone close to you give birth? A friend from church and my next door neighbor (definitely geographically close, right?)


4. Did anyone close to you die? No.


5. What countries did you visit? None, unless you count Mississippi and Alabama (both of which, by the way, are lovely, and full of wonderful, friendly people).


6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? A bigger savings account.


7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? the day after Memorial Day (the new Starbucks opening), September 11 (the day of my surprise promotion), Election Day, the day after election day (when the dog got sick), Thanksgiving (the day he died...but also the day that my parents ate Thanksgiving dinner at my house and proclaimed it good).



8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? It was a good year for me professionally. The surprise promotion was just confirmation that I'd been doing things well for some time, and that people noticed. So it wasn't necessarily a 2008 achievement (I think I'd been good at my prior position for quite some time), but it finally got noticed and the noticing got acted upon in 2008.


9. What was your biggest failure? Dropping other balls. I got so wrapped up in work that I let a lot of other things slide more than I like to. I've gotten more isolated than I like to be, mainly because I'm tired at the end of a workday, and I've gotten very possessive of my free time. I need to work on this.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing beyond a mystery bruise and a cold. Good year for the body.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Takeout pizza on a night I really needed downtime. And a fantastic, and very cheap, pair of shoes that live at my desk at work.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? This week, my dog's. She's six, and has always seemed like an overgrown puppy. I determined that "better late than never" was the best approach to her behavior and got more serious about being a good pack leader, and it's working. That makes me very happy, but a little ashamed that I didn't try harder oh, say, about five years ago. It would have saved my shoulder, that's for sure.


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Our president.


14. Where did most of your money go? Groceries, bills, mortgage. Not necessarily in that order.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Coffee. I'm better now.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? that one about kissing a girl

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

a) happier or sadder? happier

b) thinner or fatter? thinner

c) richer or poorer? About the same.


18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Volunteering.



19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Watching bad television.

20. How did you spend Christmas? The day itself? In the car, speeding home from Florida.


21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Not with any humans.


22. What was your favorite TV program? True Blood, probably.


23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I honestly avoid hating as much as I can. It's never done me any good, and it consumes a lot of energy. That being said, I've lost some respect for a few people.


24. What was the best book you read? This is driving me crazy. I remember reading it. I remember telling everyone about it. I can't remember it, and searching my bookshelves isn't helping. A strong second place goes to "The South," by the same authors as "Big Muddy" (I'm too lazy to look), which I've been reading very, very slowly. It's remarkably informative and entertaining, and has given me a better way to explain why I live here by choice and will never willingly leave. I'm sure every region is compelling, too, in its way, but I'm a Southerner by birth and choice (not by upbringing and culture), and I love it here.


25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Watching my family play Rock Band on the Playstation. I love how my son looks like a rock star on guitar but sounds like a little boy when he sings.


26. What did you want and get? A decent raise.

27. What did you want and not get? A new car. One day we will. But I think we'll keep driving the old minivan until it's just no longer possible. And the coffee maker of my dreams (only because I haven't found one in my price range that does everything I want).

28. What was your favorite film of this year? This survey is starting to feel very familiar. Once was definitely the best thing I saw this year.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? An ancient 37. We went strawberry picking the weekend before my birthday, and I was in training at work on my real birthday.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? If that whole stock market thing hadn't happened. I could have done nicely without those panic attacks in October. I'm better now, but it was pretty creepy there, obsessively checking my retirement money. (I don't check anymore.)


31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Until October, I'd call it Starbucks dress code. Afterward, vaguely hip professional. My husband might disagree.


32. What kept you sane? My family. And my commute (ten minutes, door to door, on foot). I like walking.


33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Britney Spears. I'm glad she's doing better. I hate to see anyone in as much pain as she was obviously in.


34. What political issue stirred you the most? That war.


35. Who did you miss? My two bestest BFFs who live way too far away.


36. Who was the best new person you met? A parent at the hospital who taught me a lot about grace and graciousness and gratitude and being generally cool, smiley, and well-groomed, even when going though a parent's second-worst nightmare. And looked smokin' hot the entire time. She's my hero. (And her kid is doing just fine...which is why it was the second-worst, not the worst, nightmare for a parent.)

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Sometimes people notice when you're doing a good job and they actually reward it. Or, as Cartman would say, "Follow your dreams, you will succeed. I'm living proof." BEEF-CAAAAAAAKE!


38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

And she was looking at herself

And things were looking like a movie

She had a pleasant elevation

She's moving out in all directions.



The world was moving, she was right there with it (and she was).

The world was moving, she was floating above it (and she was).