2008: The year in review
Here it is, my annual round-up meme. These questions always make me think a little bit. I don't always answer the questions very deeply, but I certainly think deeply about them. Tonight I look back. Tomorrow, I'll look forward. Here we go:
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
1) Sold two stories to Denise Little for anthologies out of Tekno.
2) Attended the American Numismatic Association Convention.
3) Had some of my photography published (online, at PCWorld.com, where it placed Honorable Mention in their regular competition).
4) Ran an April Fool’s Day stunt that was a huge success.
5) Designed an elongated coin.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn't make any last year. I may set goals for 2009. Tomorrow will be the day for that.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yep: miss_swamp, and what adorable babies they are!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Fortunately, no.
5. What countries did you visit?
Stayed right here in the US this year. Did enough travel in 2007 to keep me for a while.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A finished novel. (Hey, I wanted the same thing last year. I’ll fix this. I will.) A direction. Regular income.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 4, 2008: The day the US elected its first African American president. I was here at home with friends. The atmosphere was electric. The whole night was thrilling.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Selling those two stories to Denise.
Co-managing MSN Tech & Gadgets for two months.
Launching my Etsy store.
My fund-raising campaign for the Clayton Memorial Medical Fund. Raised more than $700 overall.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not finishing my novel.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yep. Sick as a dog a couple of times. Tore my right rotator cuff (insert obligatory baseball jokes here).
11. What was the best thing you bought?
The beautiful red chest of drawers for my living room.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Barack Obama, for mostly staying above the fray in the election.
13. Whose behavior, what situations appalled and depressed you?
I was appalled and depressed by President Bush (as usual), John McCain, by the nomination and behavior of Sarah Palin, and by the Bernard Madoff scandal. I was and continue to be depressed by the state of the economy, the situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, and Darfur.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Debt and mortgage, as usual.
15. What events did you get really, really, really excited about?
1) The presidential election.
2) The sale of those two short stories.
3) The publication of “After This Life.”
4) The short-lived relationship I was in early in the year.
5) The exhibit of Roman art at SAM.
6) Visits from far-away by my cousin E, suricattus and my friends EF and MW.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
None in particular.
17. Compared to this time last year, you are…
Unemployed, a little heavier. Making and selling jewelry. Living with less stuff, a trend I hope to continue.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I'd written more fiction. Exercised. Talked with a number of friends more.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Watched TV. Overeat.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Snowbound.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
No.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
Chuck and Ghost Hunters.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate? At this point, no one.
24. What was the best book you read?
Too many to name.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery or rediscovery?
No one in particular.
26. What did you want and get?
The aforementioned beautiful red chest of drawers. Visits from far-away friends. Etsy sales.
27. What did you want and not get?
A direction. Passion. A sense of certainty.
28. What were your favorite films of this year?
Honestly, I didn’t see enough films to make a choice. Or perhaps more correctly, I saw movies but none made a great enough impression to be called favorites.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 46. I had lunch with the_monkey_king and a wonderful Italian dinner with a group of the usual suspects.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More travel. Less drama.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Comfortable. A little dressier than in the last few years.
32. What kept you sane?
My friends.
33. What political issue stirred you the most?
Can’t choose just one. This year it was all about the presidential election.
34. Whom did you miss?
My brother.
35. Who was the best new person you met?
JH. Also? Bobby and Drew Munger.
36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
It’s not a new lesson, but I received many reminders: No one is poor so long as she has friends.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
1) Sold two stories to Denise Little for anthologies out of Tekno.
2) Attended the American Numismatic Association Convention.
3) Had some of my photography published (online, at PCWorld.com, where it placed Honorable Mention in their regular competition).
4) Ran an April Fool’s Day stunt that was a huge success.
5) Designed an elongated coin.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn't make any last year. I may set goals for 2009. Tomorrow will be the day for that.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yep: miss_swamp, and what adorable babies they are!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Fortunately, no.
5. What countries did you visit?
Stayed right here in the US this year. Did enough travel in 2007 to keep me for a while.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A finished novel. (Hey, I wanted the same thing last year. I’ll fix this. I will.) A direction. Regular income.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 4, 2008: The day the US elected its first African American president. I was here at home with friends. The atmosphere was electric. The whole night was thrilling.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Selling those two stories to Denise.
Co-managing MSN Tech & Gadgets for two months.
Launching my Etsy store.
My fund-raising campaign for the Clayton Memorial Medical Fund. Raised more than $700 overall.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not finishing my novel.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yep. Sick as a dog a couple of times. Tore my right rotator cuff (insert obligatory baseball jokes here).
11. What was the best thing you bought?
The beautiful red chest of drawers for my living room.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Barack Obama, for mostly staying above the fray in the election.
13. Whose behavior, what situations appalled and depressed you?
I was appalled and depressed by President Bush (as usual), John McCain, by the nomination and behavior of Sarah Palin, and by the Bernard Madoff scandal. I was and continue to be depressed by the state of the economy, the situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, and Darfur.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Debt and mortgage, as usual.
15. What events did you get really, really, really excited about?
1) The presidential election.
2) The sale of those two short stories.
3) The publication of “After This Life.”
4) The short-lived relationship I was in early in the year.
5) The exhibit of Roman art at SAM.
6) Visits from far-away by my cousin E, suricattus and my friends EF and MW.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
None in particular.
17. Compared to this time last year, you are…
Unemployed, a little heavier. Making and selling jewelry. Living with less stuff, a trend I hope to continue.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I'd written more fiction. Exercised. Talked with a number of friends more.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Watched TV. Overeat.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Snowbound.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
No.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
Chuck and Ghost Hunters.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate? At this point, no one.
24. What was the best book you read?
Too many to name.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery or rediscovery?
No one in particular.
26. What did you want and get?
The aforementioned beautiful red chest of drawers. Visits from far-away friends. Etsy sales.
27. What did you want and not get?
A direction. Passion. A sense of certainty.
28. What were your favorite films of this year?
Honestly, I didn’t see enough films to make a choice. Or perhaps more correctly, I saw movies but none made a great enough impression to be called favorites.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 46. I had lunch with the_monkey_king and a wonderful Italian dinner with a group of the usual suspects.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More travel. Less drama.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Comfortable. A little dressier than in the last few years.
32. What kept you sane?
My friends.
33. What political issue stirred you the most?
Can’t choose just one. This year it was all about the presidential election.
34. Whom did you miss?
My brother.
35. Who was the best new person you met?
JH. Also? Bobby and Drew Munger.
36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
It’s not a new lesson, but I received many reminders: No one is poor so long as she has friends.