Saturday, January 9, 2010

I Think I'll Try A New Year Meme This Year


I was inspired by Beth's blog Life. Not Terribly Ordinary. to bring you this. A few years ago Hilda who writes Dominican Oboist did this too, and I've been wanting to try it. Be tagged. (What can I say? I'm in vacation mode.)

1. What did you do in 2009 that you've never done before?

Spoke publicly in front of 100-200 people. Briefly. For someone who abhors public speaking, this is a big deal.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I make it a point never to make new year's resolutions. One day at a time is more my speed...

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? My friend R.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My grandmother's 102-year-old sister, who a few months prior to her death had attended my daughter's debut as Annie in her school musical.

5. What countries did you visit? France, England, the Philippines.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Goals.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

January 20: Inauguration
May 7: my daughter's opening night as Annie
August 29: Ted Kennedy's funeral

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Supporting my daughter through some minor middle school dramas (at least, I hope she felt supported).

9. What was your biggest failure?

Inability to inspire enthusiasm and support for the project mentioned in #15 in certain individuals in positions of authority. Still despondent about that.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The Sibelius music notation program.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? For the most part, my children's.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Tiger Woods'.

14. Where did most of your money go? Mortgage company and Amazon.com

15. What did you get really excited about?

Getting a composer's permission to produce one of her works in honor of an anniversary that holds deep personal meaning and interest for me.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009? Tomorrow from Annie.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you...

-happier or sadder? About the same, pretty happy.
-thinner or fatter? About the same - and my electronic medical record concurs.
-richer or poorer? Um, probably about the same too...

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Exercising, sleeping, and writing.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Getting impatient.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Enjoying the company of friends and family over delicious food.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009? Every day.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Glee.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

We're not supposed to hate, right? But if you replaced that strong word with the euphemistic "strongly dislike," or the with the more precise, "find extremely annoying and sometimes downright odious," the answer would be yes.

24. What was the best book you read?

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. In 2nd place would be The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham.

26. What did you want and get? An iPod Touch.

27. What did you want and not get? A Kitchenaid mixer.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Disney's version of A Christmas Carol.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old are you?

Watched my daughter perform, and late-30's.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A summer-long sabbatical.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Nonexistent.

32. What kept you sane? My husband.

33. What celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Capt. Sully Sullenberger

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

"Stirred," as in "exasperated" or as in "inspired?" If the former, then HCR. If the latter, then perhaps the causes for justice and freedom of various kinds in places like China, Iran, Honduras, North Korea, the Congo, etc.

35. Whom did you miss? My friends "lawprof" and "speducatorlvc."

36. Who was the best new person you met? My colleague and now ex-colleague Iz.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

Focus on what really matters. And very, very few things really, really matter.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs
From ten thousand lightning bugs
As they tried to teach my how to dance
A fox trot above my head
A sock hop beneath my bed
A disco ball that's just hanging by a thread
I'd like to make myself believe
That planet earth turns slowly
It's hard to say I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems." From Fireflies by Owl City


3 comments:

Kim said...

I like number 37 and I looked up the song on Youtube...beautiful! Thanks for sharing it. :)

StorytellERdoc said...

Great fantastic post. I was going through your list thinking...that's me, yep that one too, oh cool, me too...very similar thought...

enjoy your family and days. I will be following.

Anonymous said...

awwww...