Showing posts with label new year's resolutions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new year's resolutions. Show all posts

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Year End Dip into the Deep End of Self-Absorption

Here is the obligatory year-end questionnaire that you've all been waiting for. Some of my links have pretty photos and some of them just direct you to re-read my greatest literary triumphs.

Ahem, this is an exercise in egomania after all. 

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
    I had a brain fracturing double ear infection and I photographed a wedding.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
   I don't make resolutions, but I did manage to FAIL at Project 365 and still take more photos than
   I ever have before. I just didn't do it everyday. 
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
   Yes, two friends birthed babies this year. Here's one.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
    Our dear friend's baby boy Liam died.
5. What countries did you visit?
    Does watching Love Actually a dozen times count as a tip to London?
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
     Sweet Baby Jesus I would like to have my own car again!
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
    Standing in the bitter February cold to say goodbye to Liam. Seeing my best friend get married and
    getting tears in my camera's view finder.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
    Becoming a better photographer. See!
9. What was your biggest failure?
   Wii Fit. 
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
   Oh boy! 2009 was second only to 2005 for pain and suffering.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
    Hmmm, that's a toss-up between the sewing machine and the camera.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
    We were all very well behaved considering the turbulence.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
    The vast right-wing/ evangelical hate machine, Obama haters, etc.
14. Where did most of your money go?
    Food and gas.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
   My new camera and Christmas.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
    The song from Vi's dance recital and her own mash-up of the Annie soundtrack.
Tomorrow, the Chorus Only Edition from Kelly on Vimeo.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? same
b) thinner or fatter? thinner, maybe I'm just delusional
c) richer or poorer? just as poor as ever
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
    Playing with Violet, walking outside.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
    Idle internet wandering.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
    At home with my two favorite people, sleep deprived and over-stimulated.
21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
    I fell in love with my life this year. Watching the financial world crumble and people's lives tumble
    as a result, I became truly aware of just how lucky I am. I am living my dream.  It is imperfect and
    messy and cash poor, but it is all I have ever want or need.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
    The Daily Show and The Soup are always there, but I can't get enough 30 Rock and Modern Family.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
    Who has the energy to hate? 
24. What was the best book you read?
    Read?  I sort of stopped reading in 2009.  Oh, wait. The Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed was pretty
    awesome.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    The Mother Goose Rocks collection.  The Mulberry Bush song by Gwen Stufunny is sweeeeet!
26. What did you want and get?
    Almost everything I asked for.  Some say I am spoiled, but I never ask for more than is possible.
27. What did you want and not get?
    I really need either a boob job or a personal brassiere seamstress.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
    500 Days of Summer
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
    33. I ate some cupcakes and celebrated 9 years of marriage. 
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
    My own FREAKIN' car.  Really, it's my only complaint.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
    I would say that I was dressed more often in 2009 than I was in 2008 and by dressed I mean wearing
    a bra and non-elastic waist pants.
32. What kept you sane?
   Making things.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
   I guess I could have taken a bite out of Hugh Jackman or Daniel Radcliff (he's legal now!).
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
    Health care. Grrrr, hissssssss. I don't wanna talk about it.
35. Who did you miss?
    My sister and her kids. My Dad.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
   We met a whole new fabulous family, who then introduced us to more fabulous new people. It was
    a banner year for making friends.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
    NEVER take vicodin  or bactrim, unless you enjoy vomiting.  NEVER give a 4 year old unfettered
    access to glitter.  Potato peels WILL sprout anywhere.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
    I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger...
    Sure, it's cheesy and cliche, but it's true.  I don't believe in regret, but I do wish I had been more
    present sometimes.  I need to remember to live in the moment.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

I'm Still NOT Making Resolutions

So, the Winter Solstice is supposed to be the celebration of the returning light and yet come New Year's Day I feel blah. I feel as if the light will NEVER return. There is nothing to look forward, but cold. I sit huddled in front of my computer trying to absorb some warmth from the bandwidth. A year ago, I dealt with my restlessness by potty training the child and starting a blog. I know, I've already told the whole of the interwebs that I do not make resolutions, but I may need to take on a project while I hibernate.

A project is NOT a resolution. There is nothing resolute about a project. Projects can go on forever and wither and revive and never fail.  It's the failure part of resolutions that make them so unappealing to me. It's also why I never set goals. Goals are kryptonite to my rebel soul, but a project makes me stronger.

Give me a project. Yeah, I'm talkin' to you. I won't promise to do it (promises are a bit resolute), but I will take all suggestions under consideration and thank you kindly for them.

Go on. How often does someone ask you to tell them what to do?

Monday, December 29, 2008

New Year's Quiz

I don't do the resolution thing, but I do enjoy a good retrospective when the New Year dawns.
All & Sundry posted this questionnaire and asked us all to play along. C'mon you know you wanna!

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
    Potty trained my child and weaned her too.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
    I don't make resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
    My friend Heather had boy/girl twins in November.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
    Uncles, an aunt, my best friend's mother.
5. What countries did you visit?
    Does Detroit count as a foreign country?
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
    I want for nothing... except maybe a cheeseburger...and some fries
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
    The day our car got it's windows smashed was pretty memorable.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
     Starting a blog.
9. What was your biggest failure?
     Vegan pumpkin pie.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
      Oh, I had the usual sinus infections and Mother related stress fatigue.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
      My new digital camera and a continuous ink supply system and Obama paper dolls.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
      The voters of this weird, wonderful country.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
      My mother's during her summer visit.
14. Where did most of your money go?
      Food and shelter.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
      Violet's birthday and Christmas.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
      Tomorrow, as sung by daughter.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
    Happier
b) thinner or fatter?
    Thinner
c) richer or poorer?
    It's so low-class to talk about money... let's talk about how much space is in my wallet.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
     Playing
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
      Lying in bed with a sinus headache.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
      Blissfully. At home.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
      I fall in love with my husband at least once a week and my daughter makes me swoon daily.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
       30Rock is tied with the Daily Show.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
      I don't waste time with hate.
24. What was the best book you read?
      The Case for Make Believe.(Okay, I can't remember what else I read)
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
       Alison Kraus and Robert Plant. 
26. What did you want and get?
       A Bamboo tablet.
27. What did you want and not get?
       Alabama Stitch
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
       Wall-E and Religulous
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
       I turned 32 and I can't remember anything else about it.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
       Hiring a maid.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
      Thrift store chic.
32. What kept you sane?
       The internet and my blog.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
       Barack Obama
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
      Our educational system pisses me of daily.
35. Who did you miss?
      The annual onslaught of X-Mas Cards makes me miss a bunch of people.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
       Twin newborns Evangeline and Liam.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
       This too shall pass and it will pass too quickly.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
       The sun'll come out tomorrow. So you gotta hang on 'til tomorrow. Come what may.

Friday, December 12, 2008

I Resolve to Do Nothing!

I don't DO New Year's Resolutions.

I could use some improvement, no doubt, but January is just not a good time for me.  Is January a good time for anyone to start afresh, anew, a-whatever?  January might be a good month to start exercising or catching up on home maintenance in Australia, but I live in Ohio. January is most suitably a time for laying on the couch moaning about the cold and snow.  I will be too busy finishing off the Christmas cookies to worry about my waist line come the New Year. 

I believe in hibernation.

Winter is a time to replenish the body's store, to collect energy for the approaching summer. Before the modern conveniences of electricity and central heat, humans hunkered down for the coldest months of the year. It made them all the more thankful for the rebirth of spring. Rather than resist the isolation and gloom of winter, I revel in it. Fighting nature is just too exhausting.

I resolve to stay inside, keep warm and eat comfy winter food. When the flowers start to poke their heads up in the spring, my ambition will bloom along with them. I will emerge from the chrysalis of winter, a refreshed, chubby, butterfly ready to play all summer long.

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How will you get your act together in 2009? The Parent Bloggers Network and BigTent want to give you a little much needed motivation.

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