2011 - The List

This list has been popping up on a lot of blogs I read, and I do love lists, so I thought I'd do it too. I really like the idea of having a list of the same questions and answering it every year around the same day. It's fun to have a little snapshot to look at and compare from year to year.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Walked my son into an elementary school classroom, flew cross country with 2 kids who could both walk (or run away from me) and survived, stayed with my 12 year old sister & my 2 boys for 2 weeks by myself, worried about a friend who has cancer, saw Les Miserables, said goodbye to a place that meant a lot to me.

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

Last year, I resolved to: Lose 70 pounds and run a 5K, Learn how to take great photos on purpose, Improve my marriage, Write more, Read 50 books, Write letters to everyone I love and Learn to use a budget - seriously, for real.

I achieved exactly ONE of these.  I read 50 books.  2011 was not a great year, and a lot of the time I was trying to just keep going and not thinking about these extras on top of it.  I have made goals for 2012 - some similar, some different.  I'll post those soon.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not that I remember!

4. Did anyone close to you die? 

No.

5. What countries did you visit? 

None.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? 

More time to myself (probably do-able thanks to my awesome Mom), a lot more photos (especially of the kids).

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 

Christmas Eve.  

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? 

I don't feel like I achieved much, honestly.  My biggest achievement was getting through it.

9. What was your biggest failure? 

How do I choose?  I feel like there were a lot of failures this year.  My biggest one...not being able to be there completely for my kids during the times when I was struggling.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? 

No.

11. What was the best thing you bought? 

Well, Justin bought it for me, but my Nook Color.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? 

My little sister.  She turned 13 in September, and during the two weeks I spent with her over the summer, she really impressed me.  She has a good head on her shoulders and was really helpful with the boys while we were there.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? 

Hmm...no comment.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Rent, medical bills, moving, living expenses.

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

Weekend trip to Seattle with Justin to see Les Miserables in August.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011? 

Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

Sadder, fatter, maybe a bit richer, but not much.  I'm working on all 3.

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

Made time for each of us to spend time with Sam without Danny, worked on my novel, learned more about my camera, taken more photos.

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

Fought, eaten, been angry, procrastinated.

20. How did you spend Christmas? 

At home with my sister and her boyfriend in the morning, then just the family in the afternoon/evening.  It was a very low-key year.

21. Did you fall in love with 2011? 

No.

22. What was your favorite TV program? 

Really, just one?  I can't choose.  Supernatural, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Grimm

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

No.

24. What was the best book you read?

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Les Miserables

26. What did you want and get?

A telephoto lens, new shelves for the living room, a new house (rental), a day off each week (thanks Mom!), a new phone, a Nook Color.

27. What did you want and not get?

Peace.

28. What was your favorite film of 2011?

Hanna, Super 8, X-Men: First Class or The Muppets.

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

I turned 31 in 2011.  I spent a weekend in Seattle, Friday night went out to dinner and to see "Breaking Dawn" with 9 friends, then spent time alone reading & wandering around on Saturday then spent the night at my sister's house and helped decorate the tree and helped her and her boyfriend plan their trip to Hawaii.  Sunday I spent some time alone then went to my best friend's daughter's birthday party.


31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2011?

If it fits, wear it.  Wish it fit better.  Add bling.

32. What kept you sane?

Booze.  Just kidding.  My Mom.  Hope.  Faith.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

Occupy Wall Street

34. Who did you miss?

My friends in Seattle, especially Brooke.  Justin.  My sisters and my stepmom.

35. Who was the best new person you met?

The women in my Bunco group & my book club's newest member, Carrie.

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

Anything can happen.  Just because you think you know how to do something right doesn't mean you won't screw it up, and then find yourself wondering how the hell you ended up there.  

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

"I feel just like I’m sinking,
And I claw for solid ground,
I’m pulled down by the undertow,
I never thought I could feel so low,
And oh darkness I feel like letting go.

If all the of the strength and all of the courage,
Come and lift me from this place,
I know I can love you much better than this,
Full of grace, Full of grace, My love."

- Full of Grace by Sarah McLachlan