None at all. My kindergarten teacher, Miss Goddard, would be very disappointed in me as she was always teaching me to strive to control my hyperactive five-year-old self. But at least this meme is from a different source this time around.
Because I'm all about the variety.
If interested, read on after the jump.
1. What did you do in 2004 that you’d never done before? I learned how to switch heads around in photoshop. I ran over a ground squirrel with an automobile. I sat through a five hour plane trip without craving a cigarette and being edgy as hell as a result. I learned about the joy that is wi-fi. I also saw Kevin Bacon shake his thing, live and in person. Mmmm. Still hot.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Nope. I don't believe in New Year's resolutions. While self-impovement is always good, the fact that people arbitrarily decide to start up at the beginning of the year, right after the holidays when life is boring, heightens their importance and hence dooms them to failure.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Surprisingly, for the first time in a long time, the answer is no. But we've got a few new arrivals scheduled for the early months of 2005.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No. Thank Goodness.
5. What countries did you visit? None. Sigh. Heck, I only made it out of Minnesota four times.
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? This is going to sound awful, but I would like to have a wee bit more money to do the things we like to do, rather than living in Entreprenurial Hell all the time. Not much, mind you, but just enough that we could go to dinner and a movie every now and again. That would be nice.
And other stuff, but I'm not going to go into that here.
7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory? As none are coming to mind, well, we'll just make the assumption that nothing really got etched, eh?
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?I have no idea. 2004 seems pretty much like 2003 as far as "achievements" are concerned. We survived and survival was pretty darn good, so I'm not knocking it.
9. What was your biggest failure? The manuscript.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Does almost blowing your knee out count? If so, well, that. Being a hermit is good for your well being as far as commincable diseases are concerned.
11. What was the best thing you bought? That's easy: my rabbit corkscrew! That thing just ROCKS! Best $12 I've ever spent.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? The husband. He ended an emotionally trying jail sentence a year ago come January 26th. He dealt with Phantom Ankle Bracelet Syndrome when it was over with and has tried his best to get his software company up and running. While he hasn't brought in the capital he would like to do it properly, he hasn't quit. Which is surprising, because before he stopped drinking and started working on his issues this idea of his would have been over and done with in May. While it's not a lot of fun to live through Entrepreneurial Hell, he's made me very proud because he's proving he can change and do things differently simply because he wants to.
It may not sound like much. But it's really and truly no small feat.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? God. How much time do we have?
14. Where did most of your money go? Bills, food, and at the beginning of the year, the Hennepin County Work Release Facility.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Hmmm. I dunno. I got pissed off at a lot of people, but I don't think that's what they're talking about.
16. What song/album will always remind you of 2004? Vertigo U2
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
• Happier or sadder? happier
• Thinner or fatter? same. (THANK FRICKIN' GOD!)
• Richer or poorer? same
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Living
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Being scared
20. How will you be spending Christmas? I spent it with the husband here in the good ol' Cake Eater Pad. We had ham for supper. And it was very nice.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with? Mom and Christi tie for first, with Mr. H. in third.
22. Did you fall in love in 2004? Yep. I believe you can fall in love over and over again with the same person. I've been married ten years now. And I keep finding new things that make me love the husband even more than I did when I first married him. This year has been particularly interesting because, quite frankly, he's a whole new man. He's learning about himself and what he never knew he was capable of because he was too busy leaning on a bottle to find out. That it's been amazing is an understatement.
Of course there are things about him that now drive me nuts that didn't way back when, too, so the admiration and love stays within reasonable levels.
23. How many one-night stands in this last year? Crikeys. What do you think?
24. What was your favorite TV program? Hmmmm. Toughie. I watch lots of TV. Of course we have the old favs, CSI, West Wing, Alias. But there are some new shows that I like quite a lot. Lost and House are at the top of that list.
I'm still addicted to BBC America, and while I've given up for the most part on Ground Force and Changing Rooms, I've picked up the Mystery Monday habit. Wire in the Blood is awesome and I can't wait for them to make more. The miniseries State of Play was fantastic as well.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I hadn't yet developed my intense loathing for Kofi Annan at this time last year, so the answer would technically be 'yes.'
26. What was the best book(s) you read? The second two novels of The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson: The Confusion and The System of the World. I'm still enjoying his Cryptonomicon, although it will be done with shortly and I will be depressed as a result.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Jamiroquai. Funky tunes that I enjoy.
28. What did you want and get? New pots and pans. And I got some sweet ones, too. Copper core, stainless steel. Mmmm. Good cookin!
29. What did you want and not get? My Audi A6. Ok, well, that was siezed and was gone by the end of 2003, but I secretly kept holding out hope it would---magically---return well into March.
Didn't happen, obviously. So, yes, technically speaking, you could have called me delusional.
30. What were your favorite films of this year? We didn't go to a lot of movies, but the ones we did go to were worth it. Spiderman 2 was great. I still say whomever cast Rosemary Harris as Aunt May is a freakin' genius! She is wonderful, and while Tobey Maguire was great, she's the one who raised those movies above the comic book genre and into serious drama. Team America made me almost wet my pants. And The Bourne Supremacy was highly enjoyable, even though that car chase at the end almost made the husband puke. Say it with me, kids: stead-i-cam.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I went out to a movie and dinner with the husband. Thirty-four.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I honestly don't know. My hopes, dreams, expectations, etc., over the years, have taken a pounding, so I try not to have any. Makes life much easier. It probably sounds sad, but if you'd been in my shoes you'd probably be the same way.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? Tre Slob!
34. What kept you sane? Smoky Treats.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?Like I'm going to admit it.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? The genocide in Darfur. The UN. The arrogance of the French. And, of course, the election.
37. Who did you miss? My friend, Barb. When I saw her for a few hours during our jaunt to Phoenix, I knew instantly it wasn't going to be enough time and that almost hurt worse than saying goodbye to her when we had to leave. I also miss my friend, Melanie, but she lives in England, so it's kind of wierd, but while I miss her, I can live without her more easily because I'm used to not seeing her. Although, the next time I see her, my heart will break when I have to say goodbye to her, as well.
Of course, I miss my family as well.
38. Who was the best new person you met? I don't get out much, so no one's really coming to mind. Which is really freakin' sad, don't you think?
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004 Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it---and all the challenges that come with it.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. No idea.