Just a Survey to Close Out the Year

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
I didn’t change my hair color. Not by choice, but by necessity. Now I am bored and itching for a change.

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I am not really sure that I made any hardcore ones last year. Lose weight – did that for a bit… I am making some for this year. They are outlined in my previous blog post thank you very much.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, my best friend Michele.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not this year, thank you.

5. What countries did you visit?
I visited Mexico on a cruise. One of my resolutions this year is to travel more. I hope to have something more to say to this question, this time next year.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Direction.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
No one in particular sticks out in my mind. Must not have been a very memorable year for me.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Probably improving as a wife and friend. Something I’d like to continue to do for the rest of my life.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not having more confidence in myself.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really. I am thankful for that as well.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My car. Woot Woot. Gangsta!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Us. We managed to fill our emergency fund, start a Roth IRA, buy a car and remain debt free during this heinous financial year with no raises.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Tiger Woods. Not because I really care that much about his from day to day, but his behavior was despicable. And I think that it just came as such a shock that tarnished that wholesome image of his.

14. Where did most of your money go?
This is a question we ask ourselves a lot. I guess most of our money went to the mortgage (read: the interest on our mortgage). But there was a lot of other spending sprinkled in there too.

15. What events did you get really, really, really excited about?
My cruise! Both families together – such a good trip!

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Obsessed – Mariah Carey, this is thanks to my awesome new friend .

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- Happier or Sadder? Happier
- Thinner or Fatter? The exact same. I mean literally. WTF.
- Richer or Poorer? Emergency fund full – check. No debt – check. Being richer financially can lead to be richer with life in general.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Traveling.
Spending more time with the people that enrich my life.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Eating… Why can’t I catch anorexia for a little bit at least. Just long enough to get skinny.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas with both my family and Zach’s family at his parents house. It was so nice to be with my parents over the holidays. Round 2 with extended family happens this weekend. Can’t wait!

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
No one. Those of you that know me, I don’t talk on the phone. I don’t know what the problem is, I just don’t like it much. This is something I am working on.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yes, I fall in love every year. Just don’t tell my husband. ;)

23. How many one-night stands?
None. Being married takes care of that for you. Unless of course you are Tiger Woods. See #13.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Glee. Ummmmm. I might be obsessed now. I am listening to the soundtrack as I type. I also really love Criminal Minds, but that is an obsession all on its own - one of the brown sugar persuasion. On another note, SYTYCD was horse shit this year.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t HATE anyone.

26. What was the best book you read?
Cookbooks. I am in love with cooking.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery or rediscovery?
See #24.

28. What did you want and get?
I wanted an iPhone – got one
I wanted a Wii fit – got one
I wanted a happy healthy year – I got one.

29. What did you want and not get?
??

30. What were your favorite films of this year?
Slum Dog Millionaire. I am not sure if it came out in 2009, but I saw it for the first time this year and loved it.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28. I spent it with great friends at a bar. I repeated myself a lot. I tend to do that a lot when alcohol is involved.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
It is hard to look back now and speculate what would have made you more satisfied. The journey is what gets you to where you want to be, not the looking back.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Trying to stay on trend as long as a cardigan is involved. Kind of my staple.

34. What kept you sane?
My friends.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most/least?
I don’t really fancy any celebrity, but Twitter has made my stalking legal.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Oh Lord. What issue didn’t?

37. Whom did you miss?
I am blessed to still have all those that are close to me still with me.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
@TheAustinReed – he has added a new dimension to life. We have a very tight group of friends and he just slipped right in. Tear.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Patience is a virtue.

40. Quote a song that sums up your year:
I am not sure if sums up the year or is an outlook for next year… Probably more of the latter.
“Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes: and leap!”