It’s that time of year again! This is my third year completing the New Year’s quiz (links for 2008 and 2009). Linda at All & Sundry already has hers up, and this year she changed around the questions a little bit. The ones that annoyed her annoyed me as well, so I followed suit:
1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
I went to my first conference and not just any conference…BlogHer! I conquered fears there, going out on my own and making new friends. It was an inspiring trip and I am so glad that I went. I will not be able to attend this year, but it is my hope that someday I will be able to go again.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Honestly, if I made a resolution last year I have no idea what it was. Which brings me to this year’s resolution; organization. We went through a huge transition this past year with my job and our daycare situation, and after recently forgetting to grab the kids lunch bags two days in a row and driving the kids to school on days when it was closed…I have come to the realization that I am falling apart. It is time for change.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes. Welcome to the world Baby Chloe!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
While we were fortunate not to lose anyone in our family this year, I have friends who lost dear ones, and their sadness stays with me.
5. What countries did you visit?
HAHAHAHAAAAA!!!! I have kids.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
While I covered the need for organization above, I’m going to go all gadgetry and lament my current mobile phone situation. I WANT A DROID. I have one of the most ancient phones on the planet. Well, not really, it just feels like it. Every time I see someone check their Facebook via their pretty touch screens, I die a little inside.
7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I feel like I should say something worldly important like the earthquake in Haiti or the oil spill in the gulf, or even on a more local note, the major flooding in my hometown. I don’t recall the specific dates, but I will always remember the effects of these occurrences.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I’m having one of those panic moments, because I know I must have done something great or beneficial at some point this year. But I am feeling very empty. It has been an extremely difficult year, and frankly I am happy to see 2010 go. At the same time I recognize that things will not change if I don’t. It is up to me to make 2011 better.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Every year I say this, and sadly some things just don’t change. There is a hole in my bucket of patience, and no matter how much I try to patch it, it continuously breaks open and the contents quickly run dry. My children deserve a mother who is not so easily frustrated. I am working on it.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing to write home about.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
It was time to trade in our old Protégé, and we got a sweet deal on a gently used Accord, manual transmission. Me like.
12. Where did most of your money go?
Oh Daycare, I know that you are beneficial and worth every dime, but forking over a third of my salary so that you may teach and care for my rug-rats does indeed cause me great pain.
13. What did you get really excited about?
I can’t tell you yet. But next week I will show you the fruits of our labor from our mystery December project!
14. What song will always remind you of 2010?
*sigh* I’m going to have to go with that Teenage Dream song from Glee. Oh God, that feels so wrong, but what can I say? They had me with their smartly dressed all male glee club vocals.
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- Happier or sadder: I don’t want to say sadder, but to say that I am happier right now than in comparison to last year is an outright lie.
- Thinner or fatter: Fatter. I’ve got 5 months to get in shape for Virginia Beach. *groan*
- Richer or Poorer: Not much change in that department.
16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Enjoy my children.
17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Stress over the big and little things.
18. How did you spend Christmas?
This year we spent Christmas Eve with my parents and sister for the first time in since I got married, and while the group dynamic was different it still brought back many fond memories. Christmas Day was spent at my home with my extended family, and it was wonderful. The holiday continues for us into New Year’s Day, which is when we will see my husband’s family. Coordinating separate families can be challenging, but the kids are not complaining that Christmas is lasting an extra week, and neither am I.
19. What was your favorite TV program?
This is a tough one. I love Dexter and Glee, but I have to say that How I Met Your Mother has some of the best writing and comic delivery I have ever seen on television.
20. What were your favorite books of the year?
It’s not new, but the book that I enjoyed the most this year as a first read was The Secret Life of Bees.
21. What was your favorite music from this year?
This is going to sound very strange, but my favorite music this year is the holiday music that we have been listening to for the past two months. My kids really got into the songs this year and it was fun singing along together. My son still trots around the house singing “Simply having a wonderful Christmas time!”
22. What were your favorite films of the year?
I just don’t get out to the movies much, so instead I’m going to share with you my greatest guilty pleasure. Confession: I love YouTube vlogs. There are some awesome vloggers out there, and three of my favorites (Corey Vidal, Shay Carl, & wheezywaiter) recently got together and with the help of Intel and made an awesome holiday video. I watch them individually on a regular basis, but it was fun to see them collaborate. I’ve also got to include Natalie Tran from Community Channel, because that chick if funny as hell. (Warning to friends with kids in earshot…her potty mouth is worse than mine so use headphones.)
23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I seriously don’t remember. How sad is that? I am 37 and I can’t recall what I did four months ago. Maybe if I was more organized…
24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I did not spend 90 percent of it inside my house, that would have been nice. I love my job, but I hate working from home.
25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Two words: Fat pants.
26. What kept you sane?
Sane has many shades of gray, does it not? Regardless, I think I can hold writing this blog, Facebook, Twitter…really the entire social networking experience as mostly responsible. So, thanks!
27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
This is more a MY life lesson: I am a people person, and when I am not around them I get a little strange, and perhaps a little sad. I did not realize how much I needed social interaction until I spent a year in relative isolation. I understand now that something has got to give.
So that’s my list. A little depressing this year; I must work on that! Because truly what I have learned, despite going a little crazy inside my abode and despite that fact that I tend to have a rather short wick, is that I am very fortunate. I mean, who else can say they have an evil picture of themselves with Severus Snape?
I would love to see your list. If you blog and you did a list of your own, please leave a link in the comments below. If you don’t blog, put it on your Facebook! We could like, start a trend and stuff.
Happy New Year, Everyone! Stay safe out there.
