2008 Year In Review!
I've done this since 2003, so here it is again!
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Graduated from a master's program, taught an actual class and got paid for it.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I hardly ever make new years resolutions, and last year was no exception. Well, there may have been a resolution or two, but nothing that I had written down. This year upcoming, however, I have resolved to do three things that are imperative for 2009.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, but a massive amount of people at my church got pregnant. And one of my friends. Thus, it begins.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully. RIP Missy, my Aunt Linda's dog though. :o( She was old and tired and it was her time.
5. What countries did you visit?
Can-a-DUH.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Perhaps a husband that lived in the same country as I? Yeah, that'd be nice. Funny thing, I think that was my goal last year too.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 23: My first day of student teaching
April 25: My last day of student teaching
May 15: The day I graduated from Arcadia
ETA: OCTOBER 25th THE DAY THE PHILS WON THE EFFING WORLD SERIES!!!! HOW THE HELL COULD I FORGET?!
November 4: Election Day - Barack Obama wins!
December 2: The day I was no longer a bank employee and officially a teacher forever.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My teaching, by far. BY FAR. So excited for it and so proud.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Former job that I worked for. Bastards.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just the usual cold/flu things or whatever, although I think that I was much better with those this year. Yay health!
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I spent some money on budgeting software. Hopefully, this will help me in the future control my spending. I'm playing around with it and will start officially budgeting on January 1st!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Andrew, as always. He treats me so good.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Evil credit card companies. Soon, I will be credit-card-debt free though, and will be able to say that I no longer work for or pay towards credit cards!
14. Where did most of your money go?
Credit Card Bills. See a theme here?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Teaching! That's the second theme, I think.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Oddly enough, "What's up?" by 4 Non Blondes. I know it's not a new song, but the lyrics really struck a chord with me this year. Plus, I really kicked ass in karaoke singing it the one day.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Definitely happier. I no longer work for a demoralizing company, I have a loving husband, and I have
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter, alas. I was going so well for so long. But I'm back on the WW wagon and have lost 8 lbs since!
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, of course. But that should change soon! Goooo budget!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Teaching! Aaaaand the theme continues.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Spending monies. The sad thing is, this was the same last year! Blarg. This shall improve for 2009!
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my hubby and his family! First time in six years Andrew and I had actually spent a Christmas together.
21. What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2008?
The whole... being terminated from my job thing. The circumstances behind that are kinda crap. And stupid.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Every day with my loving husband! He is amazing. And my puppy. I fall in love with her every time I see her too. She is equally amazing.
23. How many ...one-night stands?
Okay, frick, I've said, "absolutely not" to this question every year for the past five years. Sooo... we change this question now. I'll keep it slightly debaucherous though. (Andrew's computer says "debaucherous" is not a word, but I so think it is, so it stays.) You can feel free to delete it as well, because I'm pretty sure this question doesn't pertain to most of you.
23. How many nights of drunken debauchery?
Only one really, alas, when I was up visiting Andrew for Canadian Thanksgiving. That was very drunken, and very debaucherous, but definitely amazing and fun. I might have to amend this as I am in Canada until the 1st, and I tend to have drunken debauchery when in Canada (it's just *more fun* here), so I'll alert you if this changes.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
In order of awesome: The Office, Battlestar Galactica (would have beat out The Office if, ya know, it had been on more often), Project Runway, Ugly Betty, Pushing Daisies, and Top Chef.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Evil Credit Card company?
26. What was the best book you read?
The Secret Life of Bees or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Proud to say I actually read books this year!!!
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Um.... Rock Band? :oD No, really, I finally downloaded a Jack Johnson album, and that was amazing. There will be more of him in the future.
ETA: OH! Also, Dr. Horrible, of course. How could I almost forget Dr. Horrible!
28. What did you want and get?
Singing help CDs that I've been pining over through the past few years. Maybe now I can try out for American Idol! :oP Or, ya know, at least get a sensible musical role. I also got the special edition Tales of Beetle the Bard. Jealous? I know you are!
29. What did you want and not get?
A sensible musical role. Like The Cat in the Hat. :o(
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
WALL•E. I'm sorry, it beats out The Dark Night through its cuteness, though Heath was amazing in TDK.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 25. I went out for Indian food with my parents and decided that it would be a glorious year - it was my STAR birthday. I also beat Liz and my mom in Scrabble!!! (They let me play the word "crunk." It could have easily been crank, because the U was a blank, but I wanted it to be crunk, dammit.)
32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
HAVING ANDREW IN THE SAME COUNTRY AS ME. Hopefully, I won't have to EFFING SAY THAT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Uh...teacher-sensible? I own a sweater vest!
34. What kept you sane?
Andrew & Maggie, as usual.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Heath Ledger, albeit posthumously. :o(
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
This DEFINITELY has to be a tie between Barack winning the election and the passage of Prop 8. Like I said before, the passage of Prop 8 was like a hangover after a really good party.
37. Who did you miss?
Andrew, as usual. (This answer will NOT be here next year.) Also, David Lu!!, because apparently, we realized when we saw each other at the OBOC show, we hadn't seen each other for a year. (We subsequently saw each other another time before the year was over.)
38. Who was the best new person you met in 2008?
Well, I didn't meet her in 2008, but Dorie from church is probably the coolest person I've shared time with and gotten to know this past year.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Careful what you say on the interwebs because.... that shit can come back to you.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
25 years and my life is still
Trying to get up that great big hill of hope
For a destination
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Graduated from a master's program, taught an actual class and got paid for it.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I hardly ever make new years resolutions, and last year was no exception. Well, there may have been a resolution or two, but nothing that I had written down. This year upcoming, however, I have resolved to do three things that are imperative for 2009.
- Create and stick to a budget (MOST IMPORTANT).
- Create and stick to a weight-loss plan (so far, so good, already lost 8 lbs on WW!)
- Become more organized, time- and possession-wise
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, but a massive amount of people at my church got pregnant. And one of my friends. Thus, it begins.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully. RIP Missy, my Aunt Linda's dog though. :o( She was old and tired and it was her time.
5. What countries did you visit?
Can-a-DUH.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Perhaps a husband that lived in the same country as I? Yeah, that'd be nice. Funny thing, I think that was my goal last year too.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 23: My first day of student teaching
April 25: My last day of student teaching
May 15: The day I graduated from Arcadia
ETA: OCTOBER 25th THE DAY THE PHILS WON THE EFFING WORLD SERIES!!!! HOW THE HELL COULD I FORGET?!
November 4: Election Day - Barack Obama wins!
December 2: The day I was no longer a bank employee and officially a teacher forever.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My teaching, by far. BY FAR. So excited for it and so proud.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Former job that I worked for. Bastards.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just the usual cold/flu things or whatever, although I think that I was much better with those this year. Yay health!
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I spent some money on budgeting software. Hopefully, this will help me in the future control my spending. I'm playing around with it and will start officially budgeting on January 1st!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Andrew, as always. He treats me so good.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Evil credit card companies. Soon, I will be credit-card-debt free though, and will be able to say that I no longer work for or pay towards credit cards!
14. Where did most of your money go?
Credit Card Bills. See a theme here?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Teaching! That's the second theme, I think.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Oddly enough, "What's up?" by 4 Non Blondes. I know it's not a new song, but the lyrics really struck a chord with me this year. Plus, I really kicked ass in karaoke singing it the one day.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Definitely happier. I no longer work for a demoralizing company, I have a loving husband, and I have
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter, alas. I was going so well for so long. But I'm back on the WW wagon and have lost 8 lbs since!
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, of course. But that should change soon! Goooo budget!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Teaching! Aaaaand the theme continues.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Spending monies. The sad thing is, this was the same last year! Blarg. This shall improve for 2009!
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my hubby and his family! First time in six years Andrew and I had actually spent a Christmas together.
21. What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2008?
The whole... being terminated from my job thing. The circumstances behind that are kinda crap. And stupid.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Every day with my loving husband! He is amazing. And my puppy. I fall in love with her every time I see her too. She is equally amazing.
23. How many ...one-night stands?
Okay, frick, I've said, "absolutely not" to this question every year for the past five years. Sooo... we change this question now. I'll keep it slightly debaucherous though. (Andrew's computer says "debaucherous" is not a word, but I so think it is, so it stays.) You can feel free to delete it as well, because I'm pretty sure this question doesn't pertain to most of you.
23. How many nights of drunken debauchery?
Only one really, alas, when I was up visiting Andrew for Canadian Thanksgiving. That was very drunken, and very debaucherous, but definitely amazing and fun. I might have to amend this as I am in Canada until the 1st, and I tend to have drunken debauchery when in Canada (it's just *more fun* here), so I'll alert you if this changes.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
In order of awesome: The Office, Battlestar Galactica (would have beat out The Office if, ya know, it had been on more often), Project Runway, Ugly Betty, Pushing Daisies, and Top Chef.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Evil Credit Card company?
26. What was the best book you read?
The Secret Life of Bees or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Proud to say I actually read books this year!!!
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Um.... Rock Band? :oD No, really, I finally downloaded a Jack Johnson album, and that was amazing. There will be more of him in the future.
ETA: OH! Also, Dr. Horrible, of course. How could I almost forget Dr. Horrible!
28. What did you want and get?
Singing help CDs that I've been pining over through the past few years. Maybe now I can try out for American Idol! :oP Or, ya know, at least get a sensible musical role. I also got the special edition Tales of Beetle the Bard. Jealous? I know you are!
29. What did you want and not get?
A sensible musical role. Like The Cat in the Hat. :o(
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
WALL•E. I'm sorry, it beats out The Dark Night through its cuteness, though Heath was amazing in TDK.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 25. I went out for Indian food with my parents and decided that it would be a glorious year - it was my STAR birthday. I also beat Liz and my mom in Scrabble!!! (They let me play the word "crunk." It could have easily been crank, because the U was a blank, but I wanted it to be crunk, dammit.)
32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
HAVING ANDREW IN THE SAME COUNTRY AS ME. Hopefully, I won't have to EFFING SAY THAT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Uh...teacher-sensible? I own a sweater vest!
34. What kept you sane?
Andrew & Maggie, as usual.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Heath Ledger, albeit posthumously. :o(
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
This DEFINITELY has to be a tie between Barack winning the election and the passage of Prop 8. Like I said before, the passage of Prop 8 was like a hangover after a really good party.
37. Who did you miss?
Andrew, as usual. (This answer will NOT be here next year.) Also, David Lu!!, because apparently, we realized when we saw each other at the OBOC show, we hadn't seen each other for a year. (We subsequently saw each other another time before the year was over.)
38. Who was the best new person you met in 2008?
Well, I didn't meet her in 2008, but Dorie from church is probably the coolest person I've shared time with and gotten to know this past year.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Careful what you say on the interwebs because.... that shit can come back to you.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
25 years and my life is still
Trying to get up that great big hill of hope
For a destination