Meme-y New Year

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey

From Allie's blog -- a little last year's recap:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? Lived farther than 200 miles away from my mom. Published a novel. Met an online friend.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Some of them, I kept.. but not many. For the first time in a long time, I'm not making resolutions -- mostly because I haven't had the time.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No, but my SIL miscarried.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No, unless you count my cat's sister, who died from kidney disease this fall (pets count, right?).

5. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? More time!!! And more face-to-face time with my mom.

6. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? February 12th -- the day my first novel was released.

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year? It's a toss up between having "One Love for Liv" published and the amazing success of the LASR website. Who could have guessed it would take off the way it did?

8. What was your biggest failure? Not writing enough. Not spending enough quality time with my daughter. Not being able to leash train my new dog. -- That's three. Oh well... apparently my biggest failure is my inability to count!

9. What was the best thing you bought? Would you believe I can't think of a thing? Um... um... OH. I like my new coffee maker... yeah. That.

10. Whose behaviour merited celebration? My DD for her tender heart -- she saves everything from spiders to toads, if they need it. She's a good girl.

11. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? There are far too many to count. There are times I think this world is beyond saving. Then I remember there are more folks with good hearts... guess it's a balance.

12. Where did most of your money go? Down the tubes when the stock market crashed. We also had lots of big, unexpected expenses this year -- from the door rotting and needed to be replaced, to getting gutters (to keep the door from rotting again) to new tires for ALL the vehicles, to a new snowblower... it's been endless. Thankfully, we managed to get by and still eat (though I could probably do with a bit less of that!).

13. What did you get really, really excited about? Not much... I seldom have the energy to get excited, lol. It was good to see some of my online friends in person, like Allie and Michele. It was great to hold my first book in my hands. I both loved and hated how busy the website has become.

14. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Probably sadder. I miss my mom and I miss my dog, Bailey. I wish I had good friends who lived closer. And I desperately want to move and can't see a light at the end of that tunnel. Still -- I know how to count my blessings.
ii. thinner or fatter? About 10 pounds heavier. Ugh.
iii. richer or poorer? Probably about the same, if I don't look at our mutual funds (and I don't... w-a-a-a-a-a-a-y too depressing).

15. What do you wish you'd done more of? Played with my daughter.

16. What do you wish you'd done less of? Struggled with her to have her do her chores and schoolwork -- it was a tough year.

17. Did you fall in love in 2008? No.

18. Did your heart break in 2008? Yes, but not due to unrequited love.

19. What was your favourite TV program? I love, Love, LOVE "Eureka". What a great show!!

20. What kept you sane? My daughter. Judy (I would have gone off the deep end without her... she's a good voice of reason and has the patience of Job to put up with my neuroses!).

21. What political issue stirred you the most? The US Presidential campaign and election.

22. Who was the best new person you met? Um... I don't know that I met anyone new this year! At least not IRL (I've met TONS of new "virtual" friends). How sad.

23. Favorite book you read? I've read too many books this year. Um... I was introduced to Lynsay Sands this year, and she is a fabulous author. I read a couple really good Harlequins. Nora's new books were really good. Sadly, no new releases from Jennifer Crusie.

24. Favorite movie? I don't watch movies. I can't remember the last time I was in a theater -- wait... yes I can. November 27, 2007 ... the day I put Bailey to sleep. We didn't want to go home, so we went to see "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium".

25. What are your plans for 2009? To get through one day at a time.

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It was -15 degrees (with the wind chill) yesterday. So cold it literally took my breath away. The roads never thawed and were snow-packed. We stayed home. That's two days in a row for me, and I'm very stir-crazy. I'm also out of bird seed, and nearly out of dog food, so I have to go out tomorrow. I have a lot of birds. Check out the video I took today:


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I did a little on my JaNoWriMo stories. Yep. Two of them. So did most of the other folks. Feel free to stop by and say howdy. We'd love to see you!

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You Remember 80% of 2008

You were paying attention during 2008. And you remember what happened really well. You'll be able to talk about 2008 for years to come... Even when most people have forgotten what went down.

How Much Do You Remember 2008?

So sue me... I didn't watch the Batman movie...