Just a stargazer

1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
I got married. And before I did that, I had to swear that I had never been married before. I don’t remember ever raising my right hand and swearing anything before.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn’t make any for this year. Next year, I’m gonna make the same resolution as I did 2 years ago.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Amanda had Gabriel, Emily had Annie, and Juliet had Vivian.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No one close to me.

5. What countries did you visit?
Wisconsin, but that’s not a country.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
I got my husband, digital camera, and 20/20 vision in my right eye. It’s 20/25 in the left right now. I think I want a different house in 2007.

7. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Oh, I don’t know, probably October 14 because that was the day I got married (and turned 10,001 days old).

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Planning a fantastic wedding!

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not sure. I probably could have been a better friend, but everything seems to have worked out just fine.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I did have to go to the ER for the second time ever due to illness. I also got this 24 hour flu where I basically could hardly get up from the afternoon of May 31 to the afternoon of June 1. It sucked. I was really sick.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A stuffed purple hippo named Juliet for Jonathan.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Everyone who selflessly gave of their time, talent, or treasure. Or their O negative blood.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Well, I can think of someone who shaves the top half of his mustache and grows the bottom half out… It’s bizarre.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Probably to the wedding

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Engagement. That was very exciting! As excited as I was about it, when I told my friend Rhea, she took her reaction to the extreme. When she saw me, she said, “I like your outfit.” I replied, “You like my outfit? Well, how do you like THIS!” as I flashed my ring. She screamed, and made several very loud exclamations, getting the attention of about 30 nearby people.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
Probably “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Definitely happier
ii. thinner or fatter? Ever the same
iii. richer or poorer? Well, I have more assets and also more debt. I’d say poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Relaxing.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying about things I can’t control.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Again, Christmas has passed. We woke up and traded presents, went to his parents’ house to do the same thing, then to my parents’ house to do the same thing and have dinner. The worst part was when my dad passed out from a rush of blood to the head. Luckily he was ok.

22. Did you fall in love in 2006?
I fell more in love in 2006.

23. How many one-night stands?
Definitely none

24. What was your favorite TV program?
House

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. I can only think of one person, and I just dislike this person even more.

26. What was the best book you read?
Well, there wasn’t much time for book reading once I had to start planning a wedding.

27. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
I don’t care for techno-pop music on CD so much, but we saw an amazing Imogen Heap concert. Worth every bit of 20 bucks, it was.

28. What did you want and get?
A husband

29. What did you want and not get?
A lobster dinner

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
I didn’t see too many films. I really liked The Illusionist and The Nativity Story.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On my 27th birthday, I went to a wedding. Then Kristi and Annie came over and we watched Memoirs of a Geisha and tattooed our feet with henna.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Well, I can think of one thing that would have been slightly more satisfying, but not immeasurably. In all, I would say I had a very satisfying year. The best ever.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
I just do what I can with what I have.

34. What kept you sane?
My little Nala, the sweetest guinea pig ever.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Can’t say I fancied anyone in the public eye. I’m getting sick of Brangelina, Tom and Katie, Paris, and Britney.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The deceiving definition of the word “cloning” in a Missouri constitutional amendment

37. Who did you miss?
My brother. He moved to Phoneix. L

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I met (or got to know better) Jon’s family. They’re very nice people.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:
Even though they cost less, Cocoa Comets are not nearly as good tasting as Coco Puffs.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“I know that I am the luckiest”

Last year, people (mainly my friends) were really into doing these meme things. So since I don’t want to go out in the rain just yet, here’s mine for this year.

1. What did you do in 2005 that you’d never done before?
Went to a rock climbing gym and the Schlitterbahn, played Sudoku, and paid property taxes. I still haven’t eaten an entire lemon.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
According to my blog, this year I wanted to build muscle strength. That went well for most of the year, until it got cold again last month.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Jennifer had Julia Rebekah, Amy from work had Wyatt Charles and now she doesn’t work here anymore. I saw Regina Maria on her first day of life… and met her mother for the first time.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My grandmother died at the end of January.

5. What countries did you visit?
Just the USA

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
Well, last year I said I wanted: “A digital camera, a husband/fiancé/boyfriend, and a partridge in a pear tree.” I still don’t have a digital camera but I do have a boyfriend. In 2006, I would like 20/20 vision.

7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Hmm… The first date that comes to mind is October 2, when my boyfriend first kissed me. I only remember it because we made a conscious effort to remember it when we were talking about how stupid it is to celebrate things like “our 2 month anniversary.”

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I don’t know. I paid off my car.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I’m perfect. I don’t know what failure is. Ok, well, I’m just kidding about being perfect, but I can’t think of anything I really failed at. Sure, there were a few times I failed to pay attention when I should have been listening. And a few times I failed to remember something I should have remembered.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Piriformis syndrome. That was painful.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I don’t know. Tickets to see Anna Nalick, Indigo Girls, Dar Williams and Girlyman? That cute shirt from Express? Roth IRA?

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
This question is weird.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
So is this one.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Invested in the stock market

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Darth Tater

16. What song will always remind you of 2005?
“This is Me” by Girlyman

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Definitely happier
ii. thinner or fatter? Always the same
iii. richer or poorer? For once, I am richer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spent more time with my brother.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying about stupid stuff.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Ah! Christmas has already passed. I woke up. I went to my boyfriend’s parents’ house and opened presents and did a jigsaw puzzle. Then we went to my parents’ house for dinner, and then we watched Home Alone.

22. Did you fall in love in 2005?
I would say yes.

23. How many one-night stands?
It depends on what you call a one-night stand, but I would say zero.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
I dislike wasting time watching TV. My favorite program this year was the news coverage of Hurricane Katrina.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No.

26. What was the best book you read?
Hmm… 2005 was the year of the good book. And I actually did read a number of books this year… I read The Poisonwood Bible, The Pleasure of My Company, Go Ask Alice, The Devil Wears Prada, Angela’s Ashes, The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank, Welcome Silence, Dating Big Bird, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Five Love Languages, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Plainsong, The DaVinci Code, He’s Just Not That Into You, and I think that’s it (or all I can remember)… The best books I read in 2005 were The Kite Runner and The Time Traveler’s Wife. I highly recommend them both!

27. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
Girlyman. They are awesome! You should check them out.

28. What did you want and get?
A boyfriend.

29. What did you want and not get?
A digital camera. Oh well, the technology will be better next year… or the year after that… or the year after that.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
I’m trying to think of movies I saw earlier this year. Let’s just recount the movies I saw in November. I liked Harry Potter a lot and Rent of course. Saw II made me have nightmares, and I did not like that.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On my 26th birthday, I went to a birthday party for my cousin Carol (whose actual birthday was weeks earlier!), and then my brother and I drove off to Chevy’s for my birthday party with friends. Kristi & Janice and I played with my guinea pig after dinner.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I think I can think of one thing.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
It is improving.

34. What kept you sane?
Mostly a few close friends and maybe sometimes my guitar

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None really.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Not into politics. But rising oil prices really bother me. I think that there is a lot that can be done to conserve the Earth’s supply of oil resources that is not being done.

37. Who did you miss?
My li’l brudder! But he’s back now. I also miss Riley because I don’t get to see him very often.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I haven’t met that many new people. How about Gabrielle, my roommate.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
It is a bad idea to live below sea level. I also learned that there are a lot of things I have that if I had to part with them, I would be ok with that. You don’t get to take everything with you. It isn’t the things that matter, but the people.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“Starry nights
City lights coming down over me
Skyscrapers
Stargazers in my head
Are we we are
Are we we are the waiting…”

I’m copying this year in review thing from some of my friends. Seems like a cool thing to do. Might help me fit in. Hope you enjoy!

1. What did you do in 2004 that you’d never done before?
Worked a full time (real) job, bought a car, and thought about eating an entire lemon (but I haven’t gotten around to trying it yet). In 2003, I rode a mechanical bull. I’ll never do that again.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t think I made any last year. If I did, it was probably something like, “find a husband.” I didn’t keep that one, and I didn’t make a 2005 resolution except to try to build muscle strength.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A woman I work with gave birth to Evan. He’s a cutie. I want one. (oops! Did I just say that?)

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My neighbor. We worked at the Edward Jones Dome together. We used to carpool to get there.

5. What countries did you visit?
USA, Puerto Rico, and I was in a Pakistani wedding here in St. Louis

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
A digital camera, a husband/fiance/boyfriend, and a partridge in a pear tree.

7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Not too many that are memorable…. boring year. Maybe February 23, the day I started my job.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting a full time job that I like. And it comes with health insurance!

9. What was your biggest failure?
What?! I’m perfect. No failures here

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, except I found out I have asthma.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Probably my car

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
All the generous people out there.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
All the Scrooges out there, and many decisions of a certain football coach.

14. Where did most of your money go?
To pay for my car. Ugh!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The Rams chances of winning a Superbowl berth, but those dreams were crushed after 2 playoff games last January. Well, I really wasn’t that excited about the Rams. I wasn’t excited about much this year… I got to see my brother in Phoenix and Jenni in California and my family in Puerto Rico. The traveling was cool.

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
Not sure.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Definitely happier
ii. thinner or fatter? About the same
iii. richer or poorer? I guess you could say richer, but only if you count my car as money/property

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Reading/prayer/exercise

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Being concerned with unimportant things

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Well, I went to my parents’ house and hung out with my family (mom, dad, Mike, and our dog Riley). We took in a movie (Meet the Fockers).

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
Just with Riley the doggie. He’s so cute.

23. How many one-night stands?
That would be, drum roll please……… zero.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
The news. I know. It’s lame. But that’s about all I watch. I’d say Oprah, but I’m always at work when it’s on (and it’s lame too).

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Don’t be ridiculous.

26. What was the best book you read?
Very sadly, I can’t say I really enjoyed any of the books I read this year. Hopefully I’ll have better luck next year.

27. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
Tori Amos’ Scarlet’s Walk

28. What did you want and get?
A job!!!!

29. What did you want and not get?
A husband, a digital camera, and a sleep number bed. But you can’t have everything.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Hmmm… I really liked Garden State. Napoleon Dynamite, In America, and Eternal Sunshine were pretty good as well.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On my 25th birthday, I declared it “Fake Hair Friday,” and wore a hairpiece all day. I went out to dinner at Schlafly’s and went bowling at Pin Up Bowl and had martinis.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I’m sure you can guess it.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
I’ve never been good with the fashion thing. But I think it was ok. I like scarves and my five dollar clearance top from Wal-Mart that I get compliments on every time I wear it.

34. What kept you sane?
Mostly a few close friends and maybe sometimes my guitar

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No one really, but I did like Johnny Depp, Elijah Wood, Leonardo DiCapro, and Trogdor the Burninator

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
*sigh* “Idiots!” -Napoleon Dynamite

37. Who did you miss?
My li’l brudder. He’s been in Colorado and Arizona this year.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
New person… Rhea. She’s a cool friend to have.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
Dogs can be more lovable than I ever imagined.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“There’s never a wish better than this, when you’ve only got a hundred years to live.” -Five for Fighting