December 30, 2004
My Boring-Ass Year In Review
You'll notice some numbers are missing. I just didn't have answers for them.
1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before? Started a workout program and kept it up for more than three days.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't do new year's resolutions. Too much pressure.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? If anyone had given birth close to me, I'd be too grossed out to type. Ha ha ha ha! Okay, seriously, no.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Luckily, no.
5. What countries did you visit? Is Omaha, NE, a different country? Cuz that's about as far as I got.
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? Infinite patience with my step-daughter(s).
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? My two-year anniversary. Seriously, you throw a curmudgeony hermit like me into a new family situation with a Type-A personality and two female hormone bombs, and there were times I thought we wouldn't make it.
9. What was your biggest failure? Gaining more weight.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing major. Just some tendonitis in my ankle, which allowed me to wear comfy gym shoes to work for a month, which was awesome!
11. What was the best thing you bought? A Dyson vacuum cleaner. I cannot believe the dog hair and crap it sucked outta my carpet. If my house was burning down, I would run in and save my Dyson.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Older step-daughter, Ophelia. Although she still dresses like a lap-dancer, she really straightened out her act and is well on her way to being a delightful, independent young adult.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? The people who wailed and tore their hair out and ate ashes after the election. We're never going to have a perfect system or a perfect president. Power corrupts everyone. We should live our lives as best we can regardless of who is in the Oval Office.
14. Where did most of your money go? I have no clue. Probably gasoline, going back and forth to Sister's and Door County.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The promise that, some day, I will be published!
16. What song will always remind you of 2004? "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" by Big & Rich. Thanks, Egrau!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Way, waaaaaaaay happier.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter, dammit.
c) richer or poorer? Richer, in so many ways.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Sex. Our damn schedules are so crazy.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Eating.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? Christmas Eve, just my immediate family, with spouses and kids, at my Mom's, who is an awesome cook. Christmas Day, younger Sister's for a very casual get-together, so she's not stuck alone with her in-laws (seriously, I could write a book on those people). After that, it's off to Indiana for a belated, no doubt insanely crowded and hectic Christmas with Husband's family.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with? Probably PJ. We call each other for the stupidest reasons, like snow, the promise of snow, and the betrayal of no snow.
22. Did you fall in love in 2004? Actually, yeah. With Husband. All over again. That guy sure puts up with some shit.
23. How many one-night stands? What am I -- 23 again?
24. What was your favorite TV program? "LOST"
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Hate is an awfully strong word. And yet perfectly fitting for Paris Hilton.
26. What was the best book you read this year? "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant. Thanks again, Egrau!
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Liz Phair.
29. What did you want and not get? Bruce Campbell. On a pony.
30. What was your favorite film of this year? "Kill Bill 2"
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Turned 35. Pizza and angel food cake with chocolate frosting with the family, so they could shower me with presents. Have I mentioned that I really like presents?
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? If Husband's work issues had been taken care of a lot quicker. It made for a grumpy Hubby and not much time together.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? You can never have too many zip-up hoodies.
34. What kept you sane? Discovering that I don't have to be the perfect step-mom, over lunches with fellow-step-mom, K.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Bruce Campbell will always reign supreme, but Dominic Monaghan (i.e. Merry/Charlie) joined the running.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? Anything involving our soldiers overseas. Although the only one I know personally is now home safe and sound, I remember the worry and continue to pray for them all, and their families.
37. Who did you miss? Li'l Natalie, as she is away in New York, following her dream and becoming a big star, whose coattails I totally intend to ride.
38. Who was the best new person you met? Lucy.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004: You have way more control over your own life than you think. Actually, I always knew this; it was just reinforced.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: "Well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool by making his world a little colder."
Until Monday! Adieu!