2008
All and Sundry posted this list of questions to consider at year’s end, so I thought I’d give it a whirl. I’d love to see yours if you feel like it.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Drink gin. Which I note because it is another small but telling example of impermanence, and yes, I am finding a Buddhist lesson in booze. The fact that nothing is permanent is one of those things I seem to have to relearn alarmingly often, on scales both large and small. My olives-and-blue-cheese post-partum discovery is well-documented, but I was of the opinion for many years that gin! It tastes like drain cleaner! However, I have decided it tastes like REALLY GOOD drain cleaner!
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I wanted to cut down on the swearing, run more, and submit a story to a magazine that I’d never submitted to before. The swearing comes and goes, as does the running, although I am proud of having run personal bests at both the 5K and 10K this year by a significant margin. And I did submit something for publication. It got summarily rejected, but then, I didn’t say I would actually get something PUBLISHED, did I?
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My friend NB had a gorgeous baby boy. Awesome former babysitter K had an equally cute one, and this is doubly awesome in that she broke the baby curse. It seemed for a while like anytime someone told me they were trying, it would take them an inordinately long time to actually get pregnant. K wrote in the comments of last year’s year-end post that she hoped to become a mom this year, and she is one of those women who Gets $%^& Done. Several other friends are pregnant as I write and I am looking forward to welcoming these new boys and girls into my life in 2009.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
(Knocks furiously on wood) NO!
5. What countries did you visit?
None. But our first trip to New York City with Eliza was pretty darn memorable.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A waist. Blahblah body issues healthy at every size blah blah but spare tire: DO NOT WANT
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I have a bad one and a good one: Sept. 16, when I learned Grandpa Texas had been diagnosed with cancer, and Nov. 4, Obama. I hope I don’t have to tell you which is which.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
SAN DAN! My third-degree black belt rank, finally.
9. What was your biggest failure?
The time I screamed VERY LOUDLY at my whiny and recalcitrant child. Yes, she was being a pill, but that was manifestly NOT the way to positively affect her behavior.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
This was a year without stitches, severe contusions or broken bones for Casa Elizasmom, which was a nice change over 2006 and 2007, and I didn’t get ill, although I was plenty freaked out by Eliza’s bout with pneumonia early in the year. Let’s not do THAT again, shall we?
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My Killers T, for what it represents — finally seeing one of my favorite bands in concert.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My kid. Aside from that brief but violent descent into the Terrible Threes this fall, she is a sweet, funny, generous, loving little girl.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The Idiot Boy King and his Cadre of Deadly Sycophants. Don’t let the door hit you in the @$$ on the way out, boys!
14. Where did most of your money go?
Our mortgage. Bleh.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Potty training! No more diapers!
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
It’s a toss-up between Human, Sex on Fire, and Single Ladies
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
Meh. Some of both
b) thinner or fatter?
A bit larger.
c) richer or poorer?
I think we’re the same, but that Sword of Economic Damocles isn’t making me sleep very easy at night.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spent time with my husband. This is a tricky thing to accomplish when you work opposite schedules, though.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Whipping myself into a lather about stuff that doesn’t matter.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
At home with my honey and my kiddo
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Not with anyone new.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
Mad Men is a close second, but I have to give the edge to The Wire for cutting a little deeper, being a little more human, and getting at the heart of a lot of what I think about this country and my city. Also, Stringer Bell was hot.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Yes.
24. What was the best book you read?
In the Woods by Tana French. Un-put-down-able.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Lykke Li
26. What did you want and get?
Nike Plus thinger for my iPod
27. What did you want and not get?
A week in New York to go see The Killers, Kings of Leon and Lykke Li, who are all playing there end-January/beginning February, but I think that falls into the category of pipe dream, so I think I shall not spend too much time sighing wistfully.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Of the 5 new releases I saw, you mean? The Dark Knight, hands down. Sheer brilliance, that, on a political, meta-fictional, and sweeping-epic level.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 36, I got gifties from my family, and the next day, I took my first black belt class in more than 2 years, which I totally count as part of my celebration.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A $1 million book deal. Not that I actually have a book idea, but a girl can dream.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Does it smell funny yet? No? Then it’s still good to wear!
32. What kept you sane?
Karate, I think. (Bzzt! Twitch!)
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I can’t say; it’s too embarrassing. Let’s just say I spend a little too much time on Obama Pics Daily and leave it at that.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
While there were plenty of times when the discussions on race, gender, religion, and sexual orientation spun off in negative directions during this election cycle, I choose to take the Polyanna view and hope that somewhere in there some people listened to each other and some gaps between folks got a little narrower.
35. Who did you miss?
My dad.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
Oh nonono. I am not playing favorites!
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Not a new one but one that I keep relearning in matters large and small: The only way out is through.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Are we human, or are we dancer?
