End of year assessment meme

Via Toast

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Cantored at a Mass. Got paid $50 per hour at my part-time fun job. Went on vacation with in-laws. Started dealing with some problems in my life. Finished a DIY project.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No, I did not keep my NY resolution, which was to write more letters. I don't think I wrote even one letter, except to the editor. I will make one for this coming year, though - I've stuck to them in previous years, I know I can do it again.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
3 of my co-workers had baby boys this year; one of my friends from Harmonious Soul had a baby boy in February; my sister had a baby girl in August.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My friend Al and my friend and co-worker Linda.

5. What places did you visit?
New York, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Worcester, Northampton, North Carolina

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
More energy, more money, my own car.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 4th, 2008. Obama walking out on stage to make his victory speech. The emotions of that moment. First and foremost the overwhelming sense of relief that... we... won. Eight psychologically-punishing years had left me pretty traumatized and it wasn't until that moment that I finally started to unclench my political sphincter. And then the realization that we weren't just finally seeing the end of the Winger Era, we were in fact witnessing an incredible moment in our nation's history. We had a elected a black man president. It was, shall we say, heady. I just copied Toast's answer, and I'll add: November 4, 2008, because it was my birthday.

8. What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year?
Taking over for my boss while she was on maternity leave and by all accounts, doing a smashing job of it.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I continued to not lose weight, and I was very bad about keeping in touch with people. I love you, Leslie, even though I don't call!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just a few colds that were hard to shake.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Nothing that I can think of...maybe the 20 lbs of honeycrisp apples. They were fantastic.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Obama, Maeve, my SIL

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

John McCain, for treating the presidency with such contempt that he was willing to put a clownish simpleton like Sarah Palin a heartbeat away from it.
Harry Reid, for being a toothless, gutless punk.
Joe Lieberman, for being Joe Lieberman.
The douchebag who dressed up as Santa and gunned down eight of his in-laws.
Every one of those fucking asshats who trampled that WalMart employee to death. Get your consumerism under control, you sick fucks.
John Edwards for cheating on his wife.
Someone else who I do not want to mention.

(Mostly copied from Toast's answer)

14. Where did most of your money go?
Housing, followed by Siobhan's college, then utilities, food, etc.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Harmonious Soul rehearsals; going to North Carolina.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Everything on the Dr. Horrible soundtrack.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder?
a little of both
b) thinner or fatter?
fatter
c) richer or poorer?
Richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Swimming; gone to the beach more; purging of stuff.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Watching TV; eating junk food; gotten cranky with the people I live with.

20. How did you spend Christmas this year?
In church : P; driving home from church; trying to make a Christmas tree of light; at my sister's for breakfast; at my SIL's for the rest of the day. I can tell you that I spent very little time sleeping on Christmas, and damn, it takes longer to recover now than it used to!

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
No

22. How was work?
Mostly good

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Pushing Daisies


24. What did you do for your birthday in 2008?
Voted for Obama, celebrated his win. By myself, in my living room.

25. What was the best book you read?
In The Woods by Tana French

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I mostly rediscovered stuff this year: David Bowie, Talking Heads, and ended the year by not being able to stop listening to the Robert Plant/Alison Kraus collaboration.

27. What did you want and get?
A Dutch oven

28. What did you want and not get?
Someone to come and clean my house.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I didn't really see many movies this year. I did enjoy All About Eve for the 6th or so time.

30. Did you make some new friends this year?
Yes

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Same as last year: Impeachment proceedings. Again, copied from Toast.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Stuff that looks good on me.

33. What kept you sane?
My responsibilities

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Nathan Fillion

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Electing a Democrat to the White House

35a. What political issue stirred you the least?
I don't know

36. Who did you miss?
Leslie, my sister who I hardly ever see

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Someone I met in North Carolina - one of those people with whom you have instant rapport, you know?

38. Burn any bridges?
Never

39. Best new restaurant you went to?
I didn't go to any new restaurants.

40. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
That you can only control your own actions. I'm slow, though, I have a feeling I'll have to continue learning this before it really sinks in.