2004
First, an amusing flashback, which lends itself to a poll (except the poll isn't working. : smacks LJ. Will add it when it is...)
ETA: Ok - poll is here.
1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Became pregnant with a girl! Of course, I didn't do it on my own...
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make New Year's Resolutions - with my birthday 2 weeks into the new year, I make birthday resolutions. Last year, I resolved to lose 50 pounds. I lost 30, drifted off course, gained back three, and then got pregnant, so I had to stop with that. It's now on hold for June.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Various friends did, wheee!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No immediate family, thankfully. I did lose a friend, though.
5. What countries did you visit?
None, unfortunately. We didn't even make it out to California this year. I did go to Arkansas, though.
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
A daughter. Peace on earth and safety for all my loved ones and friends, and all their loved ones and friends. That covers a lot of the world.
7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Labour Day Weekend in Aug/Sept, because of the pregnancy. Also, June 3-5, because of the fun of POAIMAXNYC weekend.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Um. Not sure. Realising that I need to embrace zen, even if I haven't accomplished it at all yet. Well, it's a goal.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Allowing hormonal reactions to take over on two frustrating occasions. But I think they're better now. Also, not keeping the books in the house organized. Meep.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious, thankfully.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A new desktop computer - my old one was vintage 1998 with a 600 Mhz processor and 128 megs of RAM - and the only reason it's *that* good is because my law firm bought us all new computers in January 1998 so we could work from home in the winter, etc. It cost about $1700 then - do they even sell things that are this slow anymore?
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My kids'. Occasionally. And everyone who's helped the devestated in Southeast Asia this past week, and who will help going forward. In fact, everyone who helps those in and beyond their own neighborhood (virtual or real). We live and love in a tiny world, and everyone on the planet needs to realise it.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The guy who wrote to the news paper today who said that the US should've used the $15 million dollars to pay for healthcare here in the US. Well, yeah, it could've covered 150 kidney transplants in the US, or AIDS medication for a thousand people - or it could be used to provide drinking water and basic food to hundreds of thousands of people halfway around the world. Yes, the medication is very important. Yes, the transplants are very important. But the scale here - saving hundreds of thousands, or saving one hundred and fifty people - how do you reasonably measure the value of each life?
14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage, technically. But that's ok.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
PINK!
16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
Won't Give In, from the Finn Bros:
Once in a while
I return to the fold
With people I call
my own....
You can hear a legal snippet of it here - let me know if you want it via YouSendIt.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier, I think.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner. I know, I know. But I lost enough weight at the start of last year that I'm currently about 20 pounds lighter than I was a year ago. It means I'm not in maternity clothing yet, either, whee.
iii. richer or poorer? Unsure.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Travel. It's hard, and I always hate the airplane portion, but I am just desperate to go to London now, and it looks like it'll be 2007 before I can.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Relaxed. There's no time! (kidding)
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Since I don't celebrate it, I spent it hanging with my family and then at a big party at my parents, as per usual.
21. How will you be spending New Years?
Family time, maybe with some friends over. It's not like I can drink anyway...
22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
Only with the same three boys I was already in love with.
23. How many one-night stands?
Another 366 with the spouse ;)
24. What was your favorite TV program?
I hardly watch any tv. I have no idea what's up on anything.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Shrub. A year ago, I thought he was a ninny. The fact that he couldn't take a break from his "vacation" has made me hate him.
26. What was the best book you read?
Something Rotten from Jasper Fforde, mostly because I haven't had time to read Jonathan Strange yet.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
XM via the desktop, whee!
28. What did you want and get?
Peace, love and understanding. Also, Live Aid on DVD.
29. What did you want and not get?
A Marauders backstory in PoA.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I saw so few - I'd have to say the EE of ROTK, though.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
It was a mellow day for me, but I found out the next morning that my friend Sandra had died just a few minutes before my birthday ended, so we cancelled our weekend plans and just hung out with friends, and cried. God, I hope this year's is better and safer.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
No death, anywhere, for anyone, but that's a little unrealistic. A Kerry victory would've helped, though.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Pink. Also, avoiding maternity wear as long as possible.
34. What kept you sane?
iPod. Friends. Kids. Family. Also, sidekick II!
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
: skips
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Gah, the whole election thing. I just don't understand how a country full of people who dislike George Bush (see his current ratings) could have actually voted for the idiot.
37. Whom did you miss?
My friend Sandra. Also, my sister, who's experiencing the joys of pregnancy across the country from me, and we can't easily get to each other because of, well, pregnancy. Sigh.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Everyone who came to POAIMAXNYC and POAIMAXFTL!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
Keep a water bottle at your side at all times.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
See #16.
For last year's meme, click here.
Now, on nesting. From what the articles say, most women, while pregnant, nest by doing thngs like scrubbing floors and painting rooms and getting the nursery ready and such. Well, I've done my share of random scrubbing, but my idea of nesting is to get all my electronic equipment in gear, organized and working. So this week, I've tuned up computers, played with wires and cords, cleaned keyboards and monitors, and organized online photo collections.
Is this the high tech form of nesting? Is it going to become common for moms-to-be to make sure that their phone-photo-posting is working well before the trip to the hospital? What about the programming in of the Post by Phone feature for updates from labour & delivery? Or will dads try to avoid things like lamaze class by saying, "Sorry, hon! I need to go to BestBuy to pick up a new SD card for the camera!" and not realise that the wives know that they now sell the SD card at Wallgreens for three bucks more, and it's worth it to not have to drive 30 minutes to get it?
ETA: Ok - poll is here.
1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Became pregnant with a girl! Of course, I didn't do it on my own...
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make New Year's Resolutions - with my birthday 2 weeks into the new year, I make birthday resolutions. Last year, I resolved to lose 50 pounds. I lost 30, drifted off course, gained back three, and then got pregnant, so I had to stop with that. It's now on hold for June.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Various friends did, wheee!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No immediate family, thankfully. I did lose a friend, though.
5. What countries did you visit?
None, unfortunately. We didn't even make it out to California this year. I did go to Arkansas, though.
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
A daughter. Peace on earth and safety for all my loved ones and friends, and all their loved ones and friends. That covers a lot of the world.
7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Labour Day Weekend in Aug/Sept, because of the pregnancy. Also, June 3-5, because of the fun of POAIMAXNYC weekend.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Um. Not sure. Realising that I need to embrace zen, even if I haven't accomplished it at all yet. Well, it's a goal.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Allowing hormonal reactions to take over on two frustrating occasions. But I think they're better now. Also, not keeping the books in the house organized. Meep.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious, thankfully.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A new desktop computer - my old one was vintage 1998 with a 600 Mhz processor and 128 megs of RAM - and the only reason it's *that* good is because my law firm bought us all new computers in January 1998 so we could work from home in the winter, etc. It cost about $1700 then - do they even sell things that are this slow anymore?
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My kids'. Occasionally. And everyone who's helped the devestated in Southeast Asia this past week, and who will help going forward. In fact, everyone who helps those in and beyond their own neighborhood (virtual or real). We live and love in a tiny world, and everyone on the planet needs to realise it.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The guy who wrote to the news paper today who said that the US should've used the $15 million dollars to pay for healthcare here in the US. Well, yeah, it could've covered 150 kidney transplants in the US, or AIDS medication for a thousand people - or it could be used to provide drinking water and basic food to hundreds of thousands of people halfway around the world. Yes, the medication is very important. Yes, the transplants are very important. But the scale here - saving hundreds of thousands, or saving one hundred and fifty people - how do you reasonably measure the value of each life?
14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage, technically. But that's ok.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
PINK!
16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
Won't Give In, from the Finn Bros:
Once in a while
I return to the fold
With people I call
my own....
You can hear a legal snippet of it here - let me know if you want it via YouSendIt.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier, I think.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner. I know, I know. But I lost enough weight at the start of last year that I'm currently about 20 pounds lighter than I was a year ago. It means I'm not in maternity clothing yet, either, whee.
iii. richer or poorer? Unsure.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Travel. It's hard, and I always hate the airplane portion, but I am just desperate to go to London now, and it looks like it'll be 2007 before I can.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Relaxed. There's no time! (kidding)
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Since I don't celebrate it, I spent it hanging with my family and then at a big party at my parents, as per usual.
21. How will you be spending New Years?
Family time, maybe with some friends over. It's not like I can drink anyway...
22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
Only with the same three boys I was already in love with.
23. How many one-night stands?
Another 366 with the spouse ;)
24. What was your favorite TV program?
I hardly watch any tv. I have no idea what's up on anything.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Shrub. A year ago, I thought he was a ninny. The fact that he couldn't take a break from his "vacation" has made me hate him.
26. What was the best book you read?
Something Rotten from Jasper Fforde, mostly because I haven't had time to read Jonathan Strange yet.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
XM via the desktop, whee!
28. What did you want and get?
Peace, love and understanding. Also, Live Aid on DVD.
29. What did you want and not get?
A Marauders backstory in PoA.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I saw so few - I'd have to say the EE of ROTK, though.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
It was a mellow day for me, but I found out the next morning that my friend Sandra had died just a few minutes before my birthday ended, so we cancelled our weekend plans and just hung out with friends, and cried. God, I hope this year's is better and safer.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
No death, anywhere, for anyone, but that's a little unrealistic. A Kerry victory would've helped, though.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Pink. Also, avoiding maternity wear as long as possible.
34. What kept you sane?
iPod. Friends. Kids. Family. Also, sidekick II!
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
: skips
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Gah, the whole election thing. I just don't understand how a country full of people who dislike George Bush (see his current ratings) could have actually voted for the idiot.
37. Whom did you miss?
My friend Sandra. Also, my sister, who's experiencing the joys of pregnancy across the country from me, and we can't easily get to each other because of, well, pregnancy. Sigh.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Everyone who came to POAIMAXNYC and POAIMAXFTL!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
Keep a water bottle at your side at all times.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
See #16.
For last year's meme, click here.
Now, on nesting. From what the articles say, most women, while pregnant, nest by doing thngs like scrubbing floors and painting rooms and getting the nursery ready and such. Well, I've done my share of random scrubbing, but my idea of nesting is to get all my electronic equipment in gear, organized and working. So this week, I've tuned up computers, played with wires and cords, cleaned keyboards and monitors, and organized online photo collections.
Is this the high tech form of nesting? Is it going to become common for moms-to-be to make sure that their phone-photo-posting is working well before the trip to the hospital? What about the programming in of the Post by Phone feature for updates from labour & delivery? Or will dads try to avoid things like lamaze class by saying, "Sorry, hon! I need to go to BestBuy to pick up a new SD card for the camera!" and not realise that the wives know that they now sell the SD card at Wallgreens for three bucks more, and it's worth it to not have to drive 30 minutes to get it?