Welcome, 2009!

I did this meme last year and rather enjoyed myself, so I'm going to do it again.

What did you do in 2008 that you've never done before? Got an A in college-level chemistry!  :)  I know I keep bringing it up, but I'm still stunned and amazed.

Did you keep your resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't make any last year because I don't believe in them. Thus, I won't make any for this year either, although I will keep working on my weight and lose what I gained over the holiday season (and hopefully another 5-10 in addition to that).

Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, my brother and his wife - Maria Dawn on March 27. Also, my other brother and his wife had Karina Susan the day after Christmas.

Did anyone close to you die? No.

What countries did you visit? Still haven't left the country. Not even to go to Canada.

What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? A Medical Technologist certificate! That will definitely happen, too.

What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The first weekend in August, when my friends Heather and Le-Ann came to visit. It was such a fun time!

What's your biggest achievement of the year? Losing 20 pounds.

What was your biggest failure? Being a slacker at work. I'm kind of bored a lot of the time. I need to be better at finding things to do.

Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing of consequence.

What's the best thing you bought? I'd have to say everything in & connected to my new bathroom.  It's so sweet.

Whose behavior merited celebration? My kids', for doing so well in school. I'm gut-bustin' proud of them.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Nobody's really, except for some minor annoyances and shame regarding my own actions.

Where did most of your money go? Easy one - the Home Depot.

What did you get really, really excited about? That A in Chemistry!! That and the fact that for the first time in a long, long time, I actually like how I look in the mirror (most days).

What song will always remind you of 2008? Not sure.

Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder? Richer or poorer? Thinner or fatter? I'm not "sad" but I don't have the joy for life that I used to have. I'd really like to get that back. Financially, we're about the same (not counting the retirement portfolios that are a little thinner than they used to be. But at this point in our lives, they weren't that big to begin with). I'm thankful that so far, the recession hasn't really affected us. To answer that last question, yes, I'm definitely thinner than I was a year ago!

What do you wish you'd done more of? Being a good mom. That and studying. But sometimes I feel like the two are mutually exclusive.

What do you wish you'd done less of? Same answer as last year: Being self-centered and catty.

How did you spend Christmas? With family.

Did you fall in love in 2008? With Facebook. :) I've caught up with some old friends & cousins which has been so great, and I've been better able to keep up with family members. And I love Scrabble (even though I lose more games than I win).

What was your favorite TV program? House and Dr. G, Medical Examiner. I think it's kind of funny that pathology has become "cool" over the last few years. Now if only one of these TV shows would focus on the lab techs! (Shocker - the docs don't actually work in the lab....)

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I've never had occasion to hate anyone, and I hope I never do. I actually don't think I have the capacity to hate anyone.

What was the best book you read? I'm trying to think if I even read any real books this year. I don't think I did.

What was your greatest musical discovery? There have been a few of note, but I think my favorite is Jack Johnson.

What did you want and get? A big-screen HDTV, DirecTV, and a new bathroom. And a new body.

What did you want and not get? Nothing, really.

What was your favorite film of the year? Of the few that I saw, I liked Prince Caspian for its great message, and Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull because, well, because it was Indiana Jones. I do love me some Indiana Jones. :)

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 35! I worked, and as is the custom, my friends Sheila & Kris took me out for lunch.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Having my spiritual life where it's supposed to be.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept for 2008? Great shoes can do wonders for a girl. I try to amass as many shoes as possible.

What kept you sane? TV. I know it sounds lame but I needed every mental escape I could get this year, and TV is so completely passive it was often what I needed.

What celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I kind of ignore celebrities. It bugs me that we as a society put certain people on pedestals for reasons like being on TV. If we're going to canonize people, let's look up to people who actually change the world for good instead of causing entire generations of regular people to hate themselves.

What political issue stirred you the most? I don't know if this was an "issue" per se, but I was kind of fascinated by the economic implosion, how one thing affected another, and the ultimate effect it had on the presidential election.

Who did you miss? No one, really. As I said last year, I have pretty ready access (either by phone or in person) to the people I need.

Who was the best new person you met? I've met some fun people at work this year.

Tell us a valuable lesson you learned in 2008. You have to be happy in your life with things the way they are. Contentment in any circumstances. That, and (this is going to sound a bit ironic but it's not) if you have the power to change something, then change it. Don't sit around and cry that your life is so hard and you can't do it. So I guess the crux is this: Fix what you can fix, be content with what you can't fix. Happiness is a decision, not a feeling.

Happy 2009, Vox buddies.