This is my second New Year’s Quiz. Here is 2008. Here is 2009. Thank you, again, to Linda from All & Sundry for the inspiration.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
I went on a business trip by myself. I’d been on one distance work trip before, in 2004, but George went with me so it didn’t quite as independent. Because my travel anxiety has still been bitchy this year, it was awesome to pull of the trip, flying and all, without flipping out.
Took my child to the ER for stitches. Then back cause I thought he was seeing things. Then the other child the next week because I thought he ate a Matchbox Car tire. (He didn’t.)
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I wrote more fiction! I didn’t do much with it. But, still. I’m happy with it. I don’t really make resolutions as a rule, but I want to do what I can to stay healthy and happy for me, and so that I can be the best wife and mom that I can be. I want to keep growing and discovering what makes me a happy, saner person.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Idoia had her baby last week. I’m so happy for her. Her birth story is amazing and funny and inspiring. You should read it.
A bunch of my Internet peeps had babies this year too. My life goal is to cover myself with these babies and sniff their wee baby heads and love on them.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
None. Unless you count the countries in Epcot. Cause we visited the hell out of those. Viking Voyage FTW!
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Less anxiety. I think I’m getting there, and I’d like to keep getting there. I’d also love to have a little more focus and energy, since mine has petered out a little in the last bit of this year.
More dates with my husband.
7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Nothing really strikes me as a ground-breaking date this year. I turned 30 on April 15th. I don’t spend much time thinking about it though, and I can’t remember what I did that day.
We’ve had some breakthroughs with Chipmunk’s developmental and doctor-y stuff, but I don’t associate things with dates. My memory and understanding of his journey is very fluid, because we’re still moving, always moving.
The week of Chipmunk’s birthday this year was sort of a mess with his stitches and RSV. That might stick out in the long run.
Oh! Wait. My best friend got married on Halloween. That will stick. Especially because it was a beautiful, magical wedding.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
We sold our old house. I spent about a year working on that sale, dealing with lots of bank shenanigans and realtors and lawyers and finally being done with it all was an indescribable relief.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Ugh. Who likes to think in terms of biggest failures?
I regret biting off more than I could chew with a work project and having to back out of it, but I don’t think it was a failure as much as a learning process. Learning to identify my boundaries and limitations.
I think I’ve failed to be a good friend at times, and I’d like to get better about reaching out and staying in touch and connecting.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious, thankfully. I had a lot of colds and a few migraines, and I’ve since learned that I have a ton of allergies. Overall I’m very thankful for my health and my family’s health this year.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets to NYC and two nights at Eventi. I would like to go to there forever.
I’m also really excited about my French press and my itty-bitty oatmeal-making crock pot.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
This question makes me laugh. I can’t imagine stopping and thinking, “This behavior merits celebration!” I’m proud of my whole family though. We’re shifting and changing and learning how to work together as a team and how to adapt to the boys getting bigger. It isn’t always easy, but I think we make a good team.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Same answer as last year! A handful of folks on the Internet.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, medical bills.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I was really excited to go to New York with George. It was amazing to see some of my friends there. On Friday night, we met up with some of our dearest college friends and a hodge podge of friends and some bloggers I’d never met. I didn’t drink but still got up and did karaoke and sang Scenes from an Italian Restaurant with my husband, and man. What a cool night that was.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Katy Perry, California Gurls
Mumford and Sons, White Blank Page
Lady Gaga, Alejandro
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I’d jogged more. I got some hip and knee pain and got really sick a few times and then got just plain lazy. I hope I jog more next year. I bought nice shoes, damn it. I need to use them.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Gotten sick, panicked and miserable just about every time I tried to travel and countless days in between.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Chipmunk got up early and told me that Santa had arrived, but that he’d stay away from the tree until we were ready to get up. We got Moose out of his crib and let the boys attack their presents. The wooden IKEA train set was the big hit. Chipmunk loved all his Lego sets and stacked them up in the order he wanted to build them.
We went to my mom and dad’s later and had a really lazy day. My dad made Eggs Benedict with Honeybaked Ham and toast. The boys played in the yard. We listened to Cat Stevens and the Beatles and Fleetwood Mac on the record player. I laid in the driveway all stretched out under the sun and thought about the way that direct sunlight feels heavy, like you’re being squished just a little more gravity than usual.
Then we went home and napped.
Then we went to my aunt’s and had a nice dinner and the little kids opened more presents and my inlaws had a whirlwind present festival with us. So many toys.
Then we played Rock Band with one of our best friends. I did two shots of tequila for the first time in exactly 362 days and didn’t get that sick from them. I sang Billy Joel and ate chocolate.
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I fell in love with writing fiction again, and found my imagination. I think now that I’ve weaned and sort of entered Phase Two of motherhood, I’m falling in love with my husband again. I fell in love with music again too. I have headphones on right now!
22. What was your favorite TV program?
Misfits. (British show. It’s awesome. Find it and download it.)
BBC Sherlock.
Community.
30 Rock.
So You Think You Can Dance.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t think I hate anyone. Not “real” people I know.
24. What was the best book you read?
Soulless, by Gail Carriger. It’s just fun. Just silly fun fun fun.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Florence + the Machine.
26. What did you want and get?
A diagnosis for Chipmunk that makes sense.
27. What did you want and not get?
I decided I wanted an Amazon Kindle like a week ago. And I have a gift card to Target and they have been sold out all week. Every Target within 35 miles. (I checked.) I’m pretty sure this great travesty will be righted at some point next week.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Inception.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I think George and I went to dinner. 30.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Immeasurably, really?
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Summer: Old Navy flip flops, jeans, tank tops. Winter: I’m Legolas!
32. What kept you sane?
Squeeing with Meagn, Village Inn breakfasts with Laurin, phone calls and TV marathons with Lauren, IMing Diane, coffee, cereal, catching up with Caroline, Twitter, bloggy peeps (YOU GUYS, SERIOUSLY), fiction, loud music in the car, preschool, occupational therapy, weekend trips to Disney, those times when George surprises me at the computer by touching my shoulders and squeezing for a second.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I can’t pick just one of the actors and/or fictional characters I’ve fancied this year. Let’s just say I have a lot of pretend boyfriends.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I got pretty fired up over some local hullabaloo about public breastfeeding. I was breastfeeding still at the time, which made me feel extra passionate about it. And by passionate I mean I wanted to punch people in the face.
I don’t know if it counts as political, but all the Twitter wank about the Amazon publishing a pedophile book thing really turned me off of Twitter in a way that I haven’t been able to shake off. It was a weird last straw.
35. Who did you miss?
I miss my children being babies.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
I’m so happy I “met” Elizabeth, and I hope that I can really meet her some day. I owe her a thousand hugs.
I am also happy I met Britt. And yeah, I’ve known Britt for longer than just this year, but I didn’t get to know her until this year. And guys, she’s worth knowing.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
It gets better.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
And once in a while you get shown the light
in the strangest of places if you look at it right.
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