Year End

year end

Here's another little meme my friend at The Fairy Blogmother likes to close the year out with....

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Drove a Hummer in downtown Chicago, gone without a fully functional (yet NEW) washing machine for 5 months, worked at a school, cooked a full Christmas dinner on my own and for just my immediate family, had my hair dyed pink, purple and blue (at once), put 9,000 miles on a new car in 4 months, saw the Chicago River dyed green.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Don't remember all I said but probably not. I have some ideas I'd like to implement this coming year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Who didn't?? Ashley, Katie, Lara, Laurie, Liliana, Lynne, Mary Anne, Misty, Normie, Neighbor Rosa and probably some I forgot. And if they didn't give birth this year, they are preggo and about to pop!! Why do you think I stopped drinking water and only mainline Red Bull?? They are ALLLLLLL boys, too, except for Laurie and Normie.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My uncle. But we were no longer close.

5. What countries did you visit?
Only the USA. Little matter about an expired passport.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A smokin' hot bod.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
President Obama's inauguration for obvious reasons. Impromptu tour of Oprah's Harpo Studio. Michael Jackson's death. My SIL & BIL coming to visit in August b/c it was their first time in ChiTown. Spending a solid week at Grandma Grandma's bedside b/c we all thought she was going to die but she pulled through!!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I felt like a failure for most of the year. Maybe giving gifts to people that they genuinely liked - I suck at gift-giving so this was a major score for me.

9. What was your biggest failure?
My entire year. I failed at juggling work and home and family and friends. Truly, I feel like a complete failure.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Praise God, no! Other than cutting my foot and requiring stitches, it was uneventful health wise for the fam.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our city car.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mini Me for not being a crying mess at school. Of course, that means she is a mess on the drive home and in the evening, but she holds it together in school and at the end of the day, I think that is what matters.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Everyone who treated Michael Jackson like an ass for so long, only to sing his praises when he died. Why couldn't we have shown him some love before he died?

Ohh!! And Adam Lambert. Why did he have to blow his whole wad (literally) in one performance? I wish he had eased us into his madness and not been so prideful. I wanted to enjoy his music. Now I am sorry I paid money to vote for him and even this mention of him on my blog is pissing me off.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent. Tuition. Food.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Making Christmas dinner for my family.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
I Got a Feeling by The Blackeyed Peas. They performed it on the Chicago River with a flash mob dancing on the season opener for Oprah's Show.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?
a). sadder b/c I wish I was home full-time b). fatter c). richer

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

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Working outside the home.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Cooking and baking for my family and spending the day in PJs.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yes. With a cow named MooMoo.

22. How many one-night stands?
None this year. I'll make a goal of that next year.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Brothers and Sisters.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word.

25. What was the best book you read?
Obstacles Welcome by Ralph de la Vega. Must read book.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Lady Gaga

27. What did you want and get?
iPhone 3Gs. New car. Tickets to see Yoni Ki Baat (South Asian version of the Vagina Monologues)

28. What did you want and not get?
A smokin' hot bod.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Hangover!

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Spent the day with my family and ate at Cafe Trinidad. Had my favorite cake from Whole Foods for dessert. I turned 40. J wanted to throw me a big party but I really just wanted to quietly and gracefully usher in this wonderful and miraculous age.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not working outside the home.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Fat girl cover up.

33. What kept you sane?
My faith in God. Knowing that God has been there for me/us and will continue to be there.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hugh Jackman. Robert Downey Jr.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
US health care. I know how scary it is to not have health care and I have seen the massive debt a major illness can incur.

36. Who did you miss?
My Canada and Tulsa family and friends.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
My office mate, PixieGirl. I should blog about her and tell you how wonderful she is. PixieGirl makes leaving my home and family to go in to the office worth it. She is a little gift from God every day I walk in to the office.

And online, Outnumbered. He keeps me laughing.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
Not to talk to people or send emails the week immediately before and the few days during my period.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I gotta feeling...