Year-End Survey for 2008
So here it is, the Year-End Survey for 2008. This is the fifth year I've done the survey, and previous years can be found here: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Let me preface this survey with one quick disclaimer. I spent the early hours of January 1, 2008 vomiting alone in a dingy motel in a podunk mountain town on the New Mexico/Colorado border after catching food poisoning from a turkey sub I purchased from a truck stop.
That, my friends, was the high point of my year.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I sold a car. That was actually a pretty harrowing experience, to be quite honest. Oh and I voted for a black man for President.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Just like I said last year, I never, ever keep them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not really that close to me, but my stepbrother's girlfriend had a baby. Parker. :)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Just this one.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Money, stability, a job, insurance, and a winter jacket.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 4th, Election Day.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I took a bunch of classes and even passed some of them.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Gaining weight. Again.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really, and that's good considering I have no health insurance right now. (Oops!)
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I wish I were kidding, but a Swiffer mop thingie for the kitchen and a rake. I wasn't spendy this year at all.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My roommate Amy got her biochemistry degree, so yay for her! And my friend Sarah graduated from Law school, so yay for her too.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Not to be overly self-loathing, but I'm kind of looking at this past year and disappointed I didn't make more career headway. I think it's just a side-effect of being in school full-time after working full full time.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Education expenses. I really learned how to not be spendy this year because I wasn't working. My Avid course books alone were over $250.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
A visit from a friend in the middle of summer.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
My mom flew into town for Memorial Day weekend and we road tripped to LA. She was in love with David Cook, so we listened to his American Idol recordings. Any of those songs will remind me of that road trip.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder, but only by a little.
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter.
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer, definitely poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercising.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastinating, eating junk food instead of real food.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I don't know. I think my roommate and I might go to a movie or something, but as of yet I have nothing planned. It's not really a holiday when there's as much homework due that day as every other day.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I just maintained. It's easier.
23. How many one-night stands?
None, I'm a good girl.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
I still have much love for The Daily Show, House, Friday Night Lights and 30 Rock.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not hate, just mild disdain.
26. What was the best book you read?
I think the only book I read for pleasure this year was The Washingtonienne by Jessica Cutler. I read a lot of textbooks. A LOT.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I was introduced to Ron Sexmith, who I am really enjoying right now (especially Strawberry Blonde).
28. What did you want and get?
I temporarily inherited a car when mine went to crap, so I'm thankful for that.
29. What did you want and not get?
Face time.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
WALL-E.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
This year I turned 26, and it was possibly the worst birthday I've ever had. I had just accepted a new position at a terrible company where everybody immediately hated me. It was an awful birthday and I think I'm just turned off at the whole idea of birthdays now.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I don't know. I think the only thing that can help me at this point would be finishing school, and dammit, I'm TRYING.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Is it black? If no, can I put a black hoodie over it?
34. What kept you sane?
I distracted myself a lot with hulu.com.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None, really. I started watching Diggnation but I wouldn't say I fancy either of those guys.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election this year was amazing... I don't know anybody who wasn't affected by it.
37. Who did you miss?
You know who you are.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
My English teacher. She was a very calming influence in my life... same with my roommate Amy. It's good to have productive people around.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
It's going to get worse before it gets better, but you have to hope that it WILL get better.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I can't give up
On all these poor helpless dreams
For what have they got if they don't have me
Poor helpless dreams
Got to face up
To my responsibilities
No, they don't have much
They're counting on me
Poor helpless dreams
I can't end it like that though, so here's another, more optimistic:
It's been a long December
and there's reason to believe
maybe this year will be
better than the last
Let me preface this survey with one quick disclaimer. I spent the early hours of January 1, 2008 vomiting alone in a dingy motel in a podunk mountain town on the New Mexico/Colorado border after catching food poisoning from a turkey sub I purchased from a truck stop.
That, my friends, was the high point of my year.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I sold a car. That was actually a pretty harrowing experience, to be quite honest. Oh and I voted for a black man for President.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Just like I said last year, I never, ever keep them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not really that close to me, but my stepbrother's girlfriend had a baby. Parker. :)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Just this one.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Money, stability, a job, insurance, and a winter jacket.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 4th, Election Day.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I took a bunch of classes and even passed some of them.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Gaining weight. Again.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really, and that's good considering I have no health insurance right now. (Oops!)
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I wish I were kidding, but a Swiffer mop thingie for the kitchen and a rake. I wasn't spendy this year at all.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My roommate Amy got her biochemistry degree, so yay for her! And my friend Sarah graduated from Law school, so yay for her too.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Not to be overly self-loathing, but I'm kind of looking at this past year and disappointed I didn't make more career headway. I think it's just a side-effect of being in school full-time after working full full time.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Education expenses. I really learned how to not be spendy this year because I wasn't working. My Avid course books alone were over $250.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
A visit from a friend in the middle of summer.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
My mom flew into town for Memorial Day weekend and we road tripped to LA. She was in love with David Cook, so we listened to his American Idol recordings. Any of those songs will remind me of that road trip.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder, but only by a little.
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter.
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer, definitely poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercising.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastinating, eating junk food instead of real food.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I don't know. I think my roommate and I might go to a movie or something, but as of yet I have nothing planned. It's not really a holiday when there's as much homework due that day as every other day.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I just maintained. It's easier.
23. How many one-night stands?
None, I'm a good girl.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
I still have much love for The Daily Show, House, Friday Night Lights and 30 Rock.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not hate, just mild disdain.
26. What was the best book you read?
I think the only book I read for pleasure this year was The Washingtonienne by Jessica Cutler. I read a lot of textbooks. A LOT.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I was introduced to Ron Sexmith, who I am really enjoying right now (especially Strawberry Blonde).
28. What did you want and get?
I temporarily inherited a car when mine went to crap, so I'm thankful for that.
29. What did you want and not get?
Face time.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
WALL-E.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
This year I turned 26, and it was possibly the worst birthday I've ever had. I had just accepted a new position at a terrible company where everybody immediately hated me. It was an awful birthday and I think I'm just turned off at the whole idea of birthdays now.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I don't know. I think the only thing that can help me at this point would be finishing school, and dammit, I'm TRYING.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Is it black? If no, can I put a black hoodie over it?
34. What kept you sane?
I distracted myself a lot with hulu.com.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None, really. I started watching Diggnation but I wouldn't say I fancy either of those guys.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election this year was amazing... I don't know anybody who wasn't affected by it.
37. Who did you miss?
You know who you are.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
My English teacher. She was a very calming influence in my life... same with my roommate Amy. It's good to have productive people around.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
It's going to get worse before it gets better, but you have to hope that it WILL get better.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I can't give up
On all these poor helpless dreams
For what have they got if they don't have me
Poor helpless dreams
Got to face up
To my responsibilities
No, they don't have much
They're counting on me
Poor helpless dreams
I can't end it like that though, so here's another, more optimistic:
It's been a long December
and there's reason to believe
maybe this year will be
better than the last