Quiz!
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I turned 50 years old. I stopped coloring my hair to cover gray hair and cut I had it short. I had hip surgery. I went to Puerto Rico, Aruba, Curacao, Saint Martin and St. Thomas.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I kept them to some extent. I did lose some more weight, I did get a bit more organized and Doc and I have really reigned in our spending. But our net worth took a giant plunge in 2008 - nearly unimaginable financial losses.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No - but I know that 2009 will be a different story.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. My beloved Aunt Gladys died in January after losing a long and torturous struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. We also lost my mother’s cousin Wally.
5. What countries did you visit?
OH! See answer to question #1.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? A grand-child, please and more financial stability.
7. What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June 7, 2008 - Hillary Clinton’s concession speech. I cried my eyes out. I wanted her to be elected president. I felt this entire election so fiercely. In the end, I voted for John McCain - but even so, I am very excited and optimistic about the Obama presidency and our country’s future. Corny, I know …but it is true.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
It has to be with my work - with our small core team and a tiny budget; we did a full DIACAP process execution on 6 months. I know, boring - but still.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I still feel deeply my failures to communicate with some of the management at my work. It just amazes me - that as a professional communicator I cannot overcome these difficulties.
10. Did you suffer any illness or injury?
I got my Birmingham Hip in August 2008. Whoot.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Well, my $31,500 hip was the most expensive thing I bought, but our trips to Vegas and our Cruise were also very nice. I got an X-box 360 for Christmas. Whoot.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My husband. And we had an enormous party on December 20th, 2008. It was EPIC.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The Greek police. Casey Anthony. Blagojevich. The liberal press.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Last seen on Wall street, who knows where it actually went?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our travels, I suppose. The election as well.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
The Rolling Stones’ The Girl with the Faraway Eyes. We saw the documentary Shine a Light and that song was featured. I LOVE that song.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
A) Happier or sadder? About the same, I am usually a pretty happy gal.
B) Thinner or fatter? Thinner, by about 30 pounds
C) Richer or poorer? Poorer .. SO much poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Organization of my home. Good grief.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Eat sweets. Nuff said.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Family.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I have been in love with the same man for ages.
23. How many one-night stands?
Uh … none.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
True Blood on HBO and World’s Toughest Fixes with Sean Reilly.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don’t bother to hate. Disdain is so much better, don’t you think?
26. What was the best book you read?
Okay - I know you are gonna laugh, but I LOVED Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World. Let’s face it, I read a lot of junk romantic fiction.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis: Two Men with the Blues.
28. What did you want and get?
Well, my new hip, of course.
29. What did you want and not get?
That ever elusive winning ticket for the multi-million dollar lottery jackpot.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Dark Knight was SO awesome. I also loved Sex and the City and Shine a Light.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 50 and we were in the Florida Keys visiting the HGTV Dream House. But it was so low key because my aunt had just died.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Again, that ever elusive winning ticket for the multi-million dollar lottery jackpot.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
I really updated my wardrobe this year. I gave an LJ Friend some clothes and as I was boxing them up, I thought .. WOW .. you are a frumpy old thing. So .. I have made it a point to buy some hipper things.
34. What kept you sane?
Doc and the cats.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Daniel Craig … still, again, always. Richard Dawkins is also easy to look at.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Lack of regulation in the financial industry. Well, the regulation was there, it just wasn’t enforced. The long chain of warning signs that were missed by Washington is shameful. And painful.
37. Who did you miss?
My aunt Gladys.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
My husband’s co-workers and their families were all very nice and I like them. A lot, which is unusual for me. I don’t generally like a lot of people.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008: There ain’t no such thing as a sure thing.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: I have TWO faves - one old and one new.
OLD - Steve Winwood’s Roll with it, Baby
When life is too much, roll with it, baby
Dont stop and lose your touch, oh no, baby
Hard times knocking on your door, Ill tell them you aint there no more
Get on through it, roll with it, baby
Luckll come and then slip away, youve gotta move, bring it back to stay
NEW: You Really Make My Day - Common. DID YOU SEE CEE LO perform with them on Ellen?
Ahh the sun is shining brighter cause you really make my day
You really make my day
Ohhh oh oh
Yeah I think I like her cause she really makes my day
Yeah she really makes my day
Ohhh oh oh
I turned 50 years old. I stopped coloring my hair to cover gray hair and cut I had it short. I had hip surgery. I went to Puerto Rico, Aruba, Curacao, Saint Martin and St. Thomas.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I kept them to some extent. I did lose some more weight, I did get a bit more organized and Doc and I have really reigned in our spending. But our net worth took a giant plunge in 2008 - nearly unimaginable financial losses.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No - but I know that 2009 will be a different story.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. My beloved Aunt Gladys died in January after losing a long and torturous struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. We also lost my mother’s cousin Wally.
5. What countries did you visit?
OH! See answer to question #1.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? A grand-child, please and more financial stability.
7. What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June 7, 2008 - Hillary Clinton’s concession speech. I cried my eyes out. I wanted her to be elected president. I felt this entire election so fiercely. In the end, I voted for John McCain - but even so, I am very excited and optimistic about the Obama presidency and our country’s future. Corny, I know …but it is true.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
It has to be with my work - with our small core team and a tiny budget; we did a full DIACAP process execution on 6 months. I know, boring - but still.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I still feel deeply my failures to communicate with some of the management at my work. It just amazes me - that as a professional communicator I cannot overcome these difficulties.
10. Did you suffer any illness or injury?
I got my Birmingham Hip in August 2008. Whoot.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Well, my $31,500 hip was the most expensive thing I bought, but our trips to Vegas and our Cruise were also very nice. I got an X-box 360 for Christmas. Whoot.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My husband. And we had an enormous party on December 20th, 2008. It was EPIC.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The Greek police. Casey Anthony. Blagojevich. The liberal press.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Last seen on Wall street, who knows where it actually went?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our travels, I suppose. The election as well.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
The Rolling Stones’ The Girl with the Faraway Eyes. We saw the documentary Shine a Light and that song was featured. I LOVE that song.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
A) Happier or sadder? About the same, I am usually a pretty happy gal.
B) Thinner or fatter? Thinner, by about 30 pounds
C) Richer or poorer? Poorer .. SO much poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Organization of my home. Good grief.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Eat sweets. Nuff said.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Family.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I have been in love with the same man for ages.
23. How many one-night stands?
Uh … none.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
True Blood on HBO and World’s Toughest Fixes with Sean Reilly.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don’t bother to hate. Disdain is so much better, don’t you think?
26. What was the best book you read?
Okay - I know you are gonna laugh, but I LOVED Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World. Let’s face it, I read a lot of junk romantic fiction.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis: Two Men with the Blues.
28. What did you want and get?
Well, my new hip, of course.
29. What did you want and not get?
That ever elusive winning ticket for the multi-million dollar lottery jackpot.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Dark Knight was SO awesome. I also loved Sex and the City and Shine a Light.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 50 and we were in the Florida Keys visiting the HGTV Dream House. But it was so low key because my aunt had just died.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Again, that ever elusive winning ticket for the multi-million dollar lottery jackpot.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
I really updated my wardrobe this year. I gave an LJ Friend some clothes and as I was boxing them up, I thought .. WOW .. you are a frumpy old thing. So .. I have made it a point to buy some hipper things.
34. What kept you sane?
Doc and the cats.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Daniel Craig … still, again, always. Richard Dawkins is also easy to look at.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Lack of regulation in the financial industry. Well, the regulation was there, it just wasn’t enforced. The long chain of warning signs that were missed by Washington is shameful. And painful.
37. Who did you miss?
My aunt Gladys.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
My husband’s co-workers and their families were all very nice and I like them. A lot, which is unusual for me. I don’t generally like a lot of people.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008: There ain’t no such thing as a sure thing.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: I have TWO faves - one old and one new.
OLD - Steve Winwood’s Roll with it, Baby
When life is too much, roll with it, baby
Dont stop and lose your touch, oh no, baby
Hard times knocking on your door, Ill tell them you aint there no more
Get on through it, roll with it, baby
Luckll come and then slip away, youve gotta move, bring it back to stay
NEW: You Really Make My Day - Common. DID YOU SEE CEE LO perform with them on Ellen?
Ahh the sun is shining brighter cause you really make my day
You really make my day
Ohhh oh oh
Yeah I think I like her cause she really makes my day
Yeah she really makes my day
Ohhh oh oh