2008 Recap

So as to keep my good friend Mae company, I've decided to go ahead and post this cop out of a post and fill in a survey of the going-ons of my life this year. Enjoy, and if you feel so inclined, please copy it and fill it in yourself and drop me a line and let me know about it so I check it out, yo.

On with the show:

What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
February - Got engaged.
March - Moved out of my parents house and shacked up with the Boy. All happened rather quickly and not much time to freak out by over thinking this decision.
April - Started my month leave from work at the end of April; all weddings plans and relationships put aside in reparation for the MA Exam which determines whether or not I graduate. It almost marks the beginning of my hermit-like state.
May - Celebrated six years with the Boy. Am constantly amazed by the numbers as it never feels as long. Also took the MA Exam and then proceed to wait an agonizingly long week to figure out the result: I graduated.
June - Tarah's baby shower. She looked amazing. Start of last summer working with a coworker from hell.
July - Last fireworks on Heather's parents deck. It's like an ending of an era. Best friend Heather and her boyfriend Tom also move to the Bay area. Start a new gym routine in hopes of getting a new/old figure for the wedding. Book wedding venue. New classroom at work (I actually start to like going to work again). Start a wedding blog!
August - Wedding dress shopping: not as traumatic as I thought it would be.
September - Get my ears pierced. Buy my wedding dress. Am traumatized by both.
October - Came up with a great carnival idea for work and spent the rest of the month building and painting it. Have thoughts of maybe being a party organizer or renting out photo boards as a side job.
December - Taste testing with potential caterers. Love getting to eat free food. Somehow wound up guinea pig sitting over the winter break.

Did you keep your New Year's resolution, and will you make more for next year?
1) I didn't make any and 2) I won't

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Tarah had a baby girl, Rowan (Tarah, will you help me name any future kids? Your girls have such cool names)

Did anyone close to you die?
thankfully, no

What countries did you visit?
none, so sad. Hope to rectify it next year

What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Good health. Increased finances. A more satisfying career. A marriage.

What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Feb. 16th - Got engaged

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Passing and graduating with my masters. It was a long time coming and I am a happy girl as a result.

What was your biggest failure?
Another year passes and I'm no closer to a goal all my friends and family have for me

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Repeated injuries to my ankle

What was the best thing you bought?
My wedding dress

Whose behavior merited celebration?
* The Boy for going back to school with enthusiasm and discipline.
*Mae for bearing her hardships with amazing spirit and a kick ass sense of humor.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
People who treat others as if we were second class citizens

Where did most of your money go?
Rent and bills, then books and accessories

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting engaged (short) then passing the exam (curses followed by whopping and hollering and calling everyone on my phone)

What song will always remind you of 2008?
Erm, I really liked Ingrid Michael son's "The Way I Am"

Compared to last year, are you:
- happier or sadder? Generally happier though with much more stress
- thinner or fatter? Fatter? But steadily losing the weight
- richer or poorer? New bills and responsibilities make this girl poorer though I wouldn't trade the experiences I've had as a result

What do you wish you'd done more of?
Traveled more. Made more of an effort in other areas of my life

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Stress but that wasn't really going to happen

How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent it with my new and old families

What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2008?
I'm not particularly embarrassed by any of my actions...probably saying something stupid at work?

Did you fall in love in 2008?
Deeper with the same guy

How many one-night stands?
No thanks

What was your favorite TV program?
Didn't really watch much tv

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't last year?
Mmmm yes but I try not to dwell on it

What was the best book you read?
I was amazingly lucky enough to read a lot of great books this year in preparation for my exam. Loved the annotated version of "Wizard of Oz," learned that "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" was not as miserable as I thought Joyce would be, adored "Age of Innocence" (and the rest of Edith Wharton's works), became a semi-expert on all things "Beowulf," laughed with Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales", and was surprised by Faye Weldon's "Heart of the Country." After all these heavy works, loved giving my brain a guilty treat by reading all of the "Twilight" series

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ingrid Michaelson, Cold War Kids, Edith Piaf, 80s classics (can't remember if they were exactly a new discovery from this year but those got the most play on my ipod)

What did you want and get?
I wanted to be finished with school and I did.

What did you want and not get?
Reconnecting with old friends

What was your favorite film of this year?
"Atonement" easily but I also liked "Dark Knight" and chick flicks like "27 Dresses"

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28 and spent a rather stupid day by myself

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Attaining my long-sought for goal and/or getting a better/wanted job

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Becoming more sure of myself and my sense of style

What kept you sane?
Family and friends and the Boy; books now but for awhile they were the enemy

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy most?
James McAvoy

What political issue stirred you the most?
The election

Who did you miss?
My best friend. Other friends. The Boy's grandfather

Who was the best new person you met?
Christine (though technically she wasn't new but we didn't really get to talking till this year)

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
* It may take some time but if you work hard, you can get what you want.
* Sometimes you get what you didn't know you wanted.

If you could sum up 2008 in three words, what would they be?
Trepidation. Bewilderment. Satisfaction