end of 2008 questionnaire

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Went to Disney World.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
As I mentioned previously, I don't really make them. I am more of a "make up my mind and do it for me on my own schedule" kind of person, and don't really rely on the calendar to tell me when that is going to happen.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I actually can't think of anyone. This blows my mind because there was a bit of a streak going there in the previous years.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
I am happy to report no to this, as we were having a streak with this too prior to 2008.

5. What countries did you visit?
Canada, England, Mexico, China, France, Germany, Japan, .... Oh, you mean NOT at EPCOT? Then just the good ol' US of A.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A fun new car.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 27 - February 6: Disney Trip #1
May 3: Freshies win Platinum
November 4: Presidential Election
September 19 - September 27: Disney Trip #2

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Figuring myself out.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Losing touch with everyone.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Strep throat. Back injury. Nothing I couldn't live through.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A big bag. BB Bold.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
FIL. He made huge, difficult changes.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Sometimes people don't consider me. It doesn't make me appalled, but certainly depressed.

14. Where did most of your money go?
The house, bills, and the trips. There are worse things, for sure.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My new job. Love it!

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Mercy

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Considering I was in the throes of intense PPD then, I'd say I am definitely happier now.
b) thinner or fatter? Unfortunately fatter. Best side effect of PPD? Not eating.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer. Blah.

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

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

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Happily at home with my family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Every day.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Big Bang Theory

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

24. What was the best book you read?
The Deathly Hallows. Can you believe it took me until 2008 to get to it???

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
my old skool playlist

26. What did you want and get?
A good haircut and color.

27. What did you want and not get?
New glasses.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I can't even think of one. Guess I haven't seen anything that really stuck with me.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Worked, had dinner out with my family. Low key, but cool. I am 32.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being better understood.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Accessories, accessories, accessories.

32. What kept you sane?
Quality time.

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

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Not really any specific issue. Extremists stirred me up a bit though.

35. Who did you miss?
Steven. I don't get my daily fix anymore.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Kelli. She is such a go-with-the-flow girl. I like that quality in a person.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Bring myself to the happiness - nobody will bring it to me.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
All by myself. Don't wanna be. All by myself. Anymore!


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

holiday hangover

Does anyone else have a Christmas hangover???

We had a really great week. Lots of fun. Saw everybody. Laughed. ATE.

And let me tell you, it turns out that the cookies for breakfast diet is not the best eating plan I've ever come up with, if you know what I mean.

So, now I am in the detox period. And it is awful. Just dreadful. Everyone is gone, cookies are gone, and I am just left with sleepiness and sad. Boo hoo for me, right? :(

I sure hope I can shake this Christmas hangover in time to rally for the new year!

manic monday 148

What is the biggest mistake you made in 2008 and will not make again in 2009?
Not taking better care of myself. I am working on that.

Do you make New Year's resolutions? Why or why not?
I don't really believe in them. I don't think people stick to them at all. I don't need a date on the calendar to tell me when to be motivated. I am generally motivated when I want to be, and not when I don't.

Who do you nominate as “Man or Woman of the Year” for 2008?
No question. Barack Obama.

What was your greatest accomplishment in 2008?
Finding a job I enjoy, and spending more time with my family doing things together.

Happy New Year to you all!

friday fill-in 104

And...here we go!



1. I must gain financial security before I die.

2. You can't stop 96% of the things you worry about.

3. I wish I never had to buy tampons again. (Haha!)

4. Being a surrogate mother has helped me change my life.

5. I know the song Jesus Loves Me by heart.

6. If I weren't so afraid, I would call people more. Share more feelings. Finish things more.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hanging out with my brothers, tomorrow my plans include a big family holiday party and Sunday, I want to play with my Christmas toys!

friday fill-in 103

Holiday Fun Friday Fill-in!

Fill in the lyrics...with the correct ones or ones of your own :-) Have fun with this, don't worry if you don't know 'em...just make up something silly or do a silly one and a serious one! The most important part is to have fun with it.

Here we go!

1. Said the night wind to the little lamb, "Brrr. Baaaaa. Baby, It's Cold Outside!"
2. The first Noel, the angel did say, "Hey! I said, Hey! Unto you a child is born!"
3. Eighteen inches of yucky New England ice and snow, Over the hills and everywhere.
4. It came upon the midnight clear, sleepless night after sleepless night.
5. It's a snow day! Let your heart be light.
6. And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas...."
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to being snowed in with my family, tomorrow my plans include cookies, crafts, and laughs and Sunday, I want to hug my family when they arrive safely!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

manic monday 146

Manic Monday Questions of the Week:


Have you ever returned an item to a store for a refund after having used it?
Most definitely I have. For several reasons I'm sure - used it and didn't like it, used it and it didn't work, used it and changed my mind.....

You are going out for the evening. If your partner objects to what you are wearing, would you change your clothing?
I'm not sure. I guess it would depend on the nature of the objection. Does he think I look frumpy? I'm changing. Does he think I look mismatched, overdressed, underdressed? Sure. Does he think I'm showing too much cleavage? Yeah, right! Like he would ever think there's too much cleavage! :)
I think mostly I'd just be so surprised that he even noticed what I was wearing that I might just be inclined to listen to his opinion.

What item that you don’t currently possess would you most like to have in your home?
Serenity.


Happy Monday, Y'all!!

friday fill-in 102

And...here we go!



1. Friends are precious gifts.

2. Taking care of your health; it's a full-time job.

3. I'm ready for all of the joys of the holiday season.

4. Whatever my husband wears is one of my favorite aftershaves.

5. The oldest ornament I have is a ceramic stocking ornament I made in third grade, and my husband's "Baby's First Christmas" ornament.

6. Take some lights, chocolate, reverence, candles, carols, snow, family, innocence, laughter, and love - mix it all together and you have a Merry Christmas.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a quiet night in, tomorrow my plans include date night and Sunday, I want to trim the tree!

the non-art of the letter

What has happened to mail? Obviously the art of the letter is dead. Can you remember the last time you sent or received an actual handwritten letter from someone? I used to be a huge letter writer in my day. I moved a lot growing up, and always kept in touch with old friends by mail. I would love to find the perfect little something to include in the letter to make it fun. I would decorate the envelope, and put the stamp on upside down. In school we had programs where you could sign up for a penpal. I had two that I corresponded with for quite a while - one in Sweden and one in Japan. I have a Christmas ornament from the one in Japan on my Christmas tree to this day.

These days it is all about speed and technology. Instant communication is clearly the way of the day. Being a techno geek, I can certainly appreciate both the convenience and speed that being able to jot a quick email, text, or IM affords me. However, I wonder what it will be like for the next generation to have never received an actual letter? On my last vacation my kids looked at me like I had three heads when I sat them down one morning to write out postcards. For heaven's sakes - what will they have instead of love letters from their future mates - printouts of a text that reads "143 - <3" ??? Oooh. How romantic! :)

I think one of the reasons I lean towards being non-responsive via email sometimes is simply that I feel bombarded. With the convenience comes responsibility, and the expectation of immediate action! At my old job I was receiving approximately 200 emails per day. On top of personal email, texts, IMs, news, tickers... it is too much media coming at a person all at once. Talk about circuit overload!

So, now it is Christmas card season. I don't know if it is because this and wedding invitations are the last remaining pieces of non-cash soliciting snail mail that anyone receives anymore, but I was having a big laugh at all the rules and regulations I have read recently regarding the tradition. Timeliness, content, originality, intent.... Too much pressure! I certainly can appreciate the lack of etiquette in general these days for any correspondence, but sometimes rules can go too far.

Personally, I make a scrapbook page with pics of the family from the year with journaling of some sort and scan it in to be printed as photos. I hand write the envelopes, mostly because I like to write by hand and find the need less and less in everyday life. I send them out as early in December as humanly possible which ensures that anyone who wants to send a card in return has my current address.

One of my favorite cards that I receive is from friends of ours who do not even celebrate Christmas. (They are Jewish.) Their card just shows up randomly at some point. Never in December, it used to come right after the holidays but now it just arrives whenever - March, June, who knows?! It is always funny, includes pictures and a great update of what the family is up to. I love it!!

I will admit to receiving less and less cards every year. I can certainly appreciate that times are tough, and cutting out sending cards can give someone a few extra pennies for somewhere it can be more wisely spent.

I wouldn't mind though receiving a card this year from someone other than my realtor, my lawyer, and my dentist. I don't really care if it's store bought, printed on a printer, has a personalized note or not, a letter (wordy, not wordy enough), pics of your dog in a sweater, hand made or commemorates a holiday I don't celebrate. I would just love to have a card to hang next to my "Have a sparkling year! Don't forget to floss!" card.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!! Your card will be in the mail shortly!

manic monday 145

What is the most expensive meal you've ever eaten?

I believe it was a kobe ribeye, with sweet potatoes and broccoli au gratin, and a cabernet sauvignon. I drool just thinking back on that meal. Good grief, that was good eats!


What is the fastest speed you've ever traveled in a car?

I am embarrassed to admit that it was well over 100 mph. I think we topped out at around 120 mph, but we were close to burying the needle at that point so.... Man, what stooopid kids we were!!

Here's another story for you - once a friend and I put her van on cruise control going 80 mph and then switched drivers. That was one of the stupidest things I've ever done, and also one of the reasons I am terrified of my own children becoming teenagers. Because if they are anything like their mother...... HELP!!!


What is the highest building you've ever been to the top floor of?

I think it was the Empire State Building? Nothing else is coming to mind.


Happy Monday, Everyone!!