Year in Review

I always say, I don’t have good ideas, I recognize others and steal them. Well, this entry is no exception. As I did previously with the 100 Things About Me entry, which I got from Girasoli, who originally got it from Bleeding Espresso, I now return to Bleeding Espresso for this concept – a series of questions that you use to reflect on your past year.

What’s funny though is that Bleeding Espresso got the idea from Sundry Mourning who got it from Gwen’s Petty, Judgmental, Evil Thoughts. So I guess I’m not the only one who recognizes good ideas and steals them.

Yes, I’m a little late to the game, but heck, it’s still January, so why not? Who makes the rules anyway. As others have said, if you want to play along – go for it!

Here are the questions.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
4. Did anyone close to you die?
5. What countries did you visit?
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
9. What was your biggest failure?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
11. What was the best thing you bought?
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
14. Where did most of your money go?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
20. How did you spend Christmas?
21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
22. What was your favorite TV program?
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
24. What was the best book you read?
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
26. What did you want and get?
27. What did you want and not get?
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
32. What kept you sane?
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
35. Who did you miss?
36. Who was the best new person you met?
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Year in Review Answers

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
I road my bike 100 miles in one day, aka the Century Ride.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions last year. But I did make some for this coming year – basically, to get to my goal weight and read more.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, three friends had baby boys last year. We’re in the midst of a second baby boom.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, luckily. But Grandma’s boyfriend passed away. He was almost 99. Bill was a cool guy.
5. What countries did you visit?
France, Vermont – well they haven’t seceded yet – and Washington DC but unfortunately, we don’t seem to be able to get rid of them. Ha only kidding (slightly) – one thing you have to say about a visit to DC it’s definitely “awesome” in the true meaning of the word.
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
I did pretty good – but some direction, career-wise wouldn’t suck.
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 4th.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Wow, my entire year is going to come down to that one day isn’t it? Yes, riding The Century definitely was huge for me.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I fell off the wagon again in August – the food wagon that is. And rather than hitting goal, I put on about 12 pounds (it’s coming off now). I don’t want to think of it as a failure though – just a setback.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Poo, poo, poo – knock on wood – no not really. Just that eye thing but other than that and maybe a cold, pretty darn healthy.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmm…love my laptop and my new cell phone with a camera that allows me to take random pictures but again, comes back to this:

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Wow – well, let’s see – there’s Chris, who qualified for the Boston Marathon by running the NJ marathon in 3:20:08. Then there’s Becky, who tried out for the swim team, and while not the best swimmer, has stuck with it through some brutal practices (5600 meters or more). Sammi’s first report card in middle school didn’t stink (all A’s and one B-). I’d take any of them.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Appalled and depressed – well there are too many to name – but man, can we just stop killing people? Blowing things up? Can we do what’s best for the country and not the few who have money invested in certain corporations?
14. Where did most of your money go?
Hmm…this year a chunk went to home renovations (new landscaping, renovating the bathroom, new floor in the laundry room) but the single largest chunk went to the Federal Government.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I got really excited about the house we rented in Vermont, Goldilocks and can’t wait to return.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Nickelback’s Rockstar. It used to pound through my head while I was riding my bike.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) the same
b) thinner
c) the same – maybe poorer – spending has been a bit crazy this past year.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I wrote more, read more, traveled more.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I wish I played less Suduko and spider solitaire.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
As always, family and friends here for Christmas Eve. At my father in-law’s for Christmas Day.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Only with Chris, you know, in the waves that sometimes happen in long relationships. We’re riding the top of a wave now.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
Hmm…toss-up between Lost and Grey’s Anatomy which we’re catching up on now. Plus my old stand-by Medium. Forget the premise, I just love the family dynamics on this show.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Uh, no.
24. What was the best book you read?
Hmm..gosh what did I read this year? Wait, I know there’s something. Oh yes, let’s go with The Historian. It had me blowing things off to sit on the couch to read.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
My iPod Nano Video that Chris got me for my Christmas.
26. What did you want and get?
A trip to Paris with Two Friends.
27. What did you want and not get?
Trips to a zillion other places.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Shoot – okay someone remind me next year to mention Juno. But in 2007 – tough call because honestly, don’t feel like I saw a lot of movies.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 42 and those of you who know me will find this strange but I did very little for my birthday. Usually I celebrate the entire month but since I did get that Paris trip, I didn’t want to be a schnurer so it was a pretty quiet birthday.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Gosh, winning mega millions might have helped but really, it was a good year.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Two styles, winter – jeans and whatever. Summer, shorts and whatever.
32. What kept you sane?
Biking. Traveling. Writing.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
The guy that plays Sawyer on Lost certainly doesn’t hurt to look at…
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I get real riled on local politics – tell me how do we elect people to the school board who are in the teacher’s union? How is that not a conflict of interest? Or how about, people who have their spouses, children or parents working for the school district? How is that not nepotism?
On a larger scale, why can’t we get real leaders filled with ideas and action and not rhetoric?
35. Who did you miss?
My grandma Ann.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
Gosh, who did I meet this year? Well, I’ll tell you, my friend’s dog, Bandit – he’s pretty darn cool. Does that count? She rescued him from a kill shelter somewhere down south.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
Life is too short to spend time doing things that aren’t fun.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
A picture postcard, a folded stub
A program of the play
File away the photographs of your holiday
And your mementos will turn to dust
But that’s the price you pay
For ev’ry year is a souvenir
That slowly fades away
Billy Joel.