survey of the year, 2008--Stolen From Daisycake

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?

Had a male friend stay with me for five days and helped him to overcome some issues that had been plaguing him since childhood.

Been considered a threat to a marriage--that's a first for me.  (I wasn't a threat, but I was considered one.)

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
i don't make resolutions, but I do always set goals in each of the "content areas" of my life.  I will probably post the updated ones here when I make them.  I evaluate the direction my life is taking each year on New Year's Eve. 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Erin (formerly frome my homeroom) gave birth to a little girl--a beautiful little girl.  Several other kids from my school also had babies.  My dear friends, Jim and DeAnn adopted an adorable little boy from Guatamala.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
It was a bad year for deaths in my family--my great aunt Lillian, my great aunt Katherine, my mom's cousin Eileen, and my aunt Kate.  Also, two of my former students committed suicide--Matt B and Tony Y.  I was very sad to hear those deaths, especially.

5. What countries did you visit?
Did not travel to any foreign lands.  I did go to Detroit a couple of times to see Michael, though.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
a completely clean and orderly house, half the debt I have now, knee replacement surgery....

7. What dates events from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Papillion's visit--and our beautiful relationship.  Even though we are separated now--perhaps forever--I will never stop loving him and believing in him.  We packed more life and love and friendship and joy into those five days than any other time in my life. 

Getting my first ever injections of cortizone in my knees will probably remain in my mind as well. 

As will the intense betrayal and hurt inflicted on me by someone I thought I could trust.  Live and learn.


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Helping Papillion re-evaluate his relationship with his dad and his perfectionism and helping him become the "happy hippo" that he is now.  I feel like we put him into a chain reaction that will affect every area of his life--and make him and his life and all his relationships better and better and better.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Falling off my "healthy lifestyle" bandwagon. 

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just my effing knees going completely to pot. 

11. What was the best thing you bought?
hmmm....hard one.  Perhaps the Rhett Butler doll to be the father to my strange little doll family. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Frank's, DeAnn and Jim's, Matthew's

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Oliver, Karen, Brett Joyce.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills, airplane tickets to Detroit, Tonner scale dolls, GAS.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Frank's visit, the opportunity to see the Bolshoi perform the Nutcracker, going to Detroit

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I'll have to think about this one.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? fatter
iii. richer or poorer? about the same

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Cleaning the house, eating healthy

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Getting sucked into drama, putting up with bullshit, eating unhealthily

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
At my mom's with family

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
No, but I met someone who has set the bar for what I would look for in a man to be in love with.

23. What scared you the most?
Michael's horrible headaches and his refusal to do what the doctor told him to. 

24. What was your favorite TV program?
House

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, but I have ended a friendship which was very important to me at one time, and I don't regret it.

26. What was the best book you read?
The Silver Metal Lover by Tanith Lee

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Frank's opera singing and whistling.  LOL

28. What did you want and get?
To help someone get mentally healthier, to go to Detroit

29. What did you want and NOT get?
Understanding from someone so that I could continue a relationship I loved.  Completely clean and organized house.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I Am Legend.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I brought Otto's bakery donuts for all the kids in my classes.  I also brought breakfast for my homeroom.  I was 54.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being able to stay in contact with Frank.  Getting involved with a good local writers' group.  Finding true love and winning the lottery.  Having my old therapist, Heather, move back to Rochester.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
LOL....I have no fashion concept.  I wish human beings had fur like cats so we didn't have to wear clothes.  I would like to be a calico furred person, myself.

34. What kept you sane?
Michael, Frank, DeAnn, Jay, my kids, chocolate.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Johnny Depp (sorry, Mel)

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Obama victory

37. Who did you miss?
Frank, Michael, my Aunt Darla who died two years ago...and, dorky as it sounds, my cat, Mitzi.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
For 2008, it is Frank.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
If you love something, set it free.  Love it enough to let it be happy without you.  Always expect something good to come out of anything you give your heart to.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright.
Singing': "Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright!"

Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Saying', ("This is my message to you-ou-ou:")

Singing': "Don't worry 'bout a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright."
Singing': "Don't worry (don't worry) 'bout a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright!"

Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin', "This is my message to you-o-o-o:"

Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, worry about a thing, oh!
Every little thing gonna be alright. Don't worry!"
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing" - I won't worry!
"'Cause every little thing gonna be alright."

Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright" - I won't worry!
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright."
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, oh no!
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright!

(Bob Marley)

Sunday

It was a busy and fairly productive day.

I finished my laundry--finished it all the way.  It is all washed, brought up from the basement, folded, and put away.  Yay me!  Usually the last load stays in the drier till the next time I wash.

I cleaned out two drawers today and got rid of some things I never wear and probably would never wear again.  I cleared all the crap off my bed--you wouldn't believe how much shit I have been sharing my bed with--now it is just me, the cat, the laptop, and a box of kleenexes.

I filled my pill caddy for next week.

I stuffed the stockings for my homeroom kids, and stuffed a stocking for my friend Rick.  I have it boxed, but have to wrap the box in brown paper and put the address on it before I can mail it.

I washed all the dishes up.

I made a large batch of oatmeal and put it in individual serving containers so that I eat healthy stuff for breakfast rather than being poisoned by Burger King again.  Those bastards.

I wrapped all my gifts to my secret santa recipient at school.  I just have to stop at the theater to buy movie gift certificates and at the grocery store to buy a thing of hot chocolate mix. 

I put all the money that I am giving to my nieces and nephews for christmas in envelopes and stuck little To/From stickers on them for their names.  Now all I have to do is go to the store and buy some candy to put with the gifts.  I will probably get a large bag of peanut butter m&ms for each kid....

I sacked up a lot of garbage.

I took the legs off the mini tramp so it doesn't take up as much room.  I will eventually put it in the closet.

I put away my LeeAnn doll stuff, and I hauled all kinds of stuff for sewing and crafting into the sewing/craft room.  I did not put any of it away as I was working on other things.  I am hoping I can work on that after school.  I find organizing my crafty crap sort of relaxing.

I finished sewing the three "fairy" print dresses I have been working on for the Marley girls.  They turned out incredibly cute.

I packed all the gifts for my secret santa and my homeroom stockings into my medium sized suitcase and my book bag so I can take everything to school tomorrow.

I did NOT correct the rest of my compositions, and I did NOT sweep and scrub the kitchen or vacuum or dust the living room and dining room.  I did wash and refill the cat's water dish though.

I did a lot of other small scale tidying as well--and squashed some pop cans.

I would dearly love a snow day tomorrow as I am on a cleaning and organizing roll and I could get so much done tomorrow, if I only had it off....the chances of that happening are about as great as my chances of having a spontaneous sex change in my sleep, but oh well...I can dream.

Good night to all.