The New Year Quiz (Because I Am Bored...And You Must Be Too!)

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Signed a contract to ride my bike. Weird.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I cannot recall what mine was last year, so I am sure it was a smashing success. Therefore, I will make an infinite amount of them this year, and next year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My seester birthed a cute little cherub called the Claire Bear. And my Keri got preggers. As did several hundred other acquaintances.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Quite a few friends of the family died. Seems like I've reached that point of middle age where someone dies at least once a month that feels like a good punch to the guts.

5. What countries did you visit?
Um, Canada? Only Canada. Man, that's pathetic..I don't even think I made it to Mexico!

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Health.
Honesty from those I trust.
Peace of mind.
Some cash.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The election. The results. And the arduous process of getting from here to there. And then Hope.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
(Effing FINALLY) selling and then buying a new (to me) house.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Losing the friendship of one of my favorite people...ever.

Finding out that the person who I used to set my standard in all things love related for more than 20 years...is deceitful and not who I thought.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Cripes, it feels like I was sick more than I was well.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My lawyer who provided a healthy dose or two of sanity. And a Wii. My gosh those things are FUN. And a spin bike.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My son's; he amazes me every day.
Our country's...people woke up and rallied for all sorts of things this year. It seemed like we were comatose for a really long time.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
J: never before and never again will a single person fall so far in a single day. I will never trust like that again. Ever.

Sarah Palin: Seriously, I still cannot even believe she happened.

14. Where did most of your money go?
To my lawyer.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My kiddo being totally jacked about this place, his buddies, school and sports.
The possibility of no more court.
Riding my bike with fabulous people who make me laugh my ass off.

16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2005?
Hell if I know. That was like, yesterday, right?

17. Compared to this time last year, are you
i. happier or sadder?:
Happier

ii. thinner or fatter?:
Same (I think?)

iii. richer or poorer?:
Poorer in cash, richer in wisdom, friendships, etc.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Kicking ass. Doing versus thinking.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Thinking before doing. Or thinking so much I did not do at all.

20. How did you spend christmas?
Surrounded by friends and family...it was brilliantly uneventful and contained absolutely NO travel whatsoever...for once.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Every day. With my kid. And my dog. And a couple men I used to love...all over again.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Dirty Sexy Money and Private Practice

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is an icky word...but I have very angry feelings towards a couple and it kills me that those feelings exist and there is little I can do about it...despite my attempts in both cases to make things right. But perhaps therein lies the lesson....

25. What was the best book you read?
This is tough....read a ton of mediocre books but none immediately come to mind as "best." I really dug and recently recommended to high acclaim: The Glass Castle.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The National or Poi Dog Pondering or Black Crowes LIVE (how i never saw these guys live perviously is seriously beyond me).

29. What did you want and get?
Some serious time in the saddle with people who make me laugh.

30. What did you want and not get?
Unconditional love/honesty

31. What was your favorite film of this year?
I saw only animated ones. Not voting.

32. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went to see an 80s hairband after dinner with some friends. 34.

33. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Avoiding conflict.

34. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Ha! Is this question for real? Yoga pants and hoodies.

35. What kept you sane?
Kickboxing, biking, running, yoga, and my friends.

36. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hmmm... maybe Angelina Jolie

37. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election

38. Who did you miss?
Scooter

39. Who was the best new person you met?
I have met a handful of amazing, strong women, all who have given me oodles of hope and support.

40. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Those things that you put off saying/doing because you are afraid that by speaking/doing your thing may change something...say and do them NOW. If you don't, the end result will be the worst one imaginable. Fear is a response that should tell you more so than anything that whatever it is you are pondering is so important that you cannot possibly wait.

The older you get, the less space and tolerance you have for fake bullshitters.

Places are beautiful and amazing and breathtaking all at once. But there is something insanely different about having your breath taken away alone versus alongside someone you love. And sometimes you have to compromise the place to find the people.

And lastly....
It is way worse to be lonely IN a relationship than it is to be lonely and NOT in a relationship.

41. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: "A long December and there's reason to believe, maybe this year will be better than the last..."