Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2006

2006 Retro Survey


There's a retrospective survey/meme that's been making its rounds for a few years now, where a journal/blog/diary writer looks back at the year that is about to end and plays the verbal highlight reel, so to speak. I did the survey for a couple of years, and I've been pondering doing one this year, but the kind of year I've had wouldn't exactly be a pleasant or entertaining read. I don't want to push my four loyal readers to swallow a bottle of pills and take a short drive off a high cliff.

But since Sundry asked so nicely, I figured I'd challenge myself and focus on the upsides of things where I could. Though, I totally reserve the right to delete or ignore a question if I don't want to answer it.

***

1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?

I had never watched a single episode of "Spongebob Squarepants" before. And now? I have seen them ALL. Some of them eleventeen times apiece.

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

I don't really do formal resolutions, but I'm always trying to write more, and I've done that this year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

A2 had her baby girl in January. CB and his wife had their second child, a girl, in May. My cousin and his wife just had twin girls about a week ago.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Two of my best girlfriends lost parents this year, and my husband lost his only remaining grandparent (grandma).

5. What countries did you visit?

Do the ones I make up in my novels count?

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?

Peace of mind. Some degree of trust in humanity again.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

March 31st was my first day at my current job. October 20th was Kidlet's second birthday. And those are the only dates I'm commenting on.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

50k+ words for National Novel Writers' Month

9. What was your biggest failure?

Gods, 'failure' is such a harsh word. I... failed to be very good at corresponding with my friends. Though, many of them keep telling me otherwise.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Other than a couple of colds/sinus infections? It's been all good.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Uh. Hm. Let's go with the big ticket item and say Pearl, my car.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Anyone who took a few moments to be kind to another person, without being asked. Maybe you brought someone a cup of coffee when they were too busy to get one for themselves, or sent a "thinking of you" card, or gave up your bus seat to an old lady. If you did any of these things, or similar things, then you deserve your choice of cookie and a foot rub.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

This list is so very long. So very long.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Paying bills and buying baby supplies.

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

My new job.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?

That ridiculous "Had a Bad Day" song that they played on "American Idol" every time someone got Das Boot. Which is kind of fitting since 2006 sucked and so does that song.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Um. Hey! Over there! Look at the size of that cat!
b) thinner or fatter? Neither. I've gained and lost the same five pounds all year.
c) richer or poorer? In all serious, I must say... wankle rotary engine. Exactly.

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

Laughing.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Thinking.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Christmas was at my folks' house.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?

Cheeseball alert -- I fall in love with Kidlet every day, all over again. Sickening, isn't it? Would you like some vinegar to help dull that?

(It's still true. I love my baby.)

22. How many one-night stands?

Ha. Zero.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

NFL Football. Though, if you're counting the show I watched the most as my favorite, then I'd have to say Spongebob.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I'm not a hater. Though, there's a lot of people I'd like to see reprogrammed.

25. What was the best book you read?

I'm in the middle of it now, and it's Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss. I am an unapologetic grammar bitch, and it's comforting to know there are others out there like me. Just today, as a matter of fact, I took a bottle of White-Out to a flow chart posted at work because it had the phrase "Hazardous Chemical's" on it. Every time my eyes settled on it, I'd feel like I was losing my mind.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

It was more of a rediscovery. Since we listen to the Classic Rock station a lot at work, I've rediscovered my love for bands like Heart and Fleetwood Mac, and I've found that Van Halen isn't as vile as I once thought. They're still not on my favorites list, but perhaps they've moved up from a -2 to a +1, on a 1-10 scale.

27. What did you want and get?

A happy, healthy toddler.

28. What did you want and not get?

A book contract.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

Uh. I think I only saw one movie in the theater this year, and it was "Curious George". (Actually, I saw "Goblet of Fire" too, but technically it came out in 2005.)

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 35. I had dinner with friends and family.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

See aforementioned book contract.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?

This one always makes me laugh, because fuck if I've EVER had a fashion concept. Geek chic, maybe. Or mommy-scientist casual. You know. Lots of tops and pants in colors and fabrics that can handle 1) slobber, 2) brightly-colored samples, 3) smeared, half-chewed graham cracker and 4) concentrated sulfuric acid.

As you might imagine I end up wearing a graham-cracker-brown hazmat suit all the time.


33. What kept you sane?

Kidlet. Writing. Music. My friends and family. Mostly Kidlet, though, with a side of writing.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Fancy? That gives an odd touch to the question. No one really stands out in my mind, honestly, though I can instantly think of a million public figures who irritated the googly-moogly right out of me.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?

Oy. This is always another tough one. Basically, any of them that were caused by either greed or stupidity. Which is, I'm afraid, all of them. And by "stirred", I mean, "made me see red and had me wanting to move to an island in the Pacific somewhere".

36. Who did you miss?

All of my loved ones who I don't get to see on a weekly basis, at least.

37. Who was the best new person you met?

I have some fantastic coworkers, two or three in particular.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.

That, while other people might think that an evening of Spongebob and gummy fruit snacks and cuddling on a Sesame-Street themed futon on the floor sounds ridiculous and boring, there aren't really many other things I'd rather do.

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

I've used this quote before, but I love it.

"Things ain't what they used to be, and they probably never was." Larry Jon Wilson

***

There. There were a few questions where there was an obvious answer that I avoided because it was too snarky or too painful, so I had to think about some of them for a while to get a different answer. But, it's done, and I'm not crying my head off or throwing my laptop at the wall, so it can't have been too bad, right? Well, sure.

I think I could use an episode of Spongebob right about now... and maybe a bottle of wine, some chocolate and some sleep, not necessarily in that order. Night, all!

saturncat at 9:38 p.m.

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