New Year's Quiz - 2008 in Review

From one of my favorite bloggers, Sundry Mourning, for whom I may just be doing some regular writing in the new year. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, my attempt to sum up 2008 by answering a few random questions:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Got paid for writing something.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I believe they involved drinking more (yes) and doing more cultural things around GR (yes again). I have already made three for 2009; we'll see how that goes.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Too many people to count.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Nope.

5. What countries did you visit? Sadly, none.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? More discipline to write consistently and keep up with annoying house/family maintenance issues instead of procrastinating them.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Election Day.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Staying sane and (mostly) happy amid the chaos of two challenging children. Maintaining the relationships that are most important to me. Getting an audience for my writing on a well-known blog.

9. What was your biggest failure? Still not achieving that ever-elusive balance between family and self.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Ahhh, the great Doublestein family stomach flu plague of January and February 2008. And if insomnia and irritable bowel syndrome count, then that, too. Luckily, nothing major.

11. What was the best thing you bought? A pair of Joe's Jeans, red patent leather peep-toe heels, a really comfortable leather chair and ottoman.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My friend Andrea, whose life inspires me every day.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Occasionally, Annie's.

14. Where did most of your money go? Our TWO mortgages, student loans, car payments, health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, investments, Costco, the Gap, coffee.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The election, a writing class, my annual girls' weekend, Christmas morning, finding a new yoga studio.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Bizarrely, the first one that comes to mind is that little ditty by Colbie Caillat called Bubbly. Must have been on a lot at the pool this summer.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder?b) thinner or fatter?c) richer or poorer? Happier, fatter by a pound or two, about the same.

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

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Worry.

20. How did you spend Christmas? All over the place, as usual. Christmas morning here, Christmas afternoon in Petoskey.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Nope.

22. What was your favorite TV program? I think 30 Rock edged out The Office this year. Also loved The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Nope.

24. What was the best book you read? Ohhhh. That is too hard. Maybe Eat, Pray, Love?

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? I don't really make new musical discoveries, but I was introduced to the New Pornographers by my neighbors.

26. What did you want and get? The new Barefoot Contessa cookbook, a decent finishing time in The Riverbank Run, time to myself, a cute haircut.

27. What did you want and not get? A new dishwasher, kitchen island, fancy digital camera, iPhone, new Mac. (They are on the list for 2009, though!)

28. What was your favorite film of this year? I see so few movies. I think the only one I went to in the theater was Sex and the City.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I hosted a little front-yard party for Annie, then drove up north for Jason's cousin's wedding. I turned 31.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A glorious trip somewhere? Hmmmmmm.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Too Much Time Wearing Yoga Pants.

32. What kept you sane? Running, friends, Jason, alcohol, yoga, sunshine.

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

34. What political issue stirred you the most? Ditto.

35. Who did you miss? All my faraway friends, especially those in Seattle.

36. Who was the best new person you met? Maybe our new next-door neighbors. I am realizing that I don't meet many new people.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. "Wherever you are, be there totally. If you find your here and now intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you have three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it totally" - Eckhart Tolle

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "O bla de o bla da Life Goes On"