Long Story Short

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2008 in Review

1. What did you do in 2008 that you�d never done before?
Became a godmother to my niece, Madeleine.

2. Did you keep your new year�s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don�t remember making resolutions last year and if I did, they were probably something along the lines of �have fun!� I accomplished that and then some, and it was an overwhelmingly happy year for me.

Resolutions for 2009: Stay committed to health & fitness, read more often than I watch TV, pay more attention to my finances, make a constant effort to spend time with my niece and nephew, be honest in my relationship, laugh a lot.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, my sister-in-law gave birth to my nephew, Patrick, on July 29th and I can�t imagine how my family was complete before he came along with his easy smile and dark blue eyes.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My grandfather passed away in September and, although it was somewhat expected, it was an emotional loss for my family.

5. What countries did you visit?
I visited Canada in September when Dan and I went to Montreal. It was my honest-to-god first visit to Canada and I had a blast, and we hope to go back again sooner rather than later.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
More professional respect, and more money.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 8th � Our first official date, and one of the most spontaneous, fun, and ultimately memorable evenings of my life.
July 29th � Patrick�s birthday.
September 16th � the day my grandfather passed away.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Sticking to my fitness routine and maintaining my weight loss.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Never taking my financial situation seriously; never planning for the day when/if Something Bad happens.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I did have a pretty bad case of the flu in February, conveniently ruining Superbowl Sunday for me even before the Pats lost the game. I also suffered a horribly inconvenient and itchy case of poison ivy in August and September.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I guess I�d have to go with the trip to Memphis in June.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Kristin and Jim, who welcomed a second baby very close to the birth of their first and have demonstrated that they are capable and loving parents, despite the hard work and frustrations that they face everyday.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Occasionally my mother, who I want so desperately to help but don�t know how.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Nowhere exciting: rent, food, fun.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My new relationship. Travel: Montreal in September, Hawaii in two weeks. My nephew.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
�Summertime� by New Kids on the Block.

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

18. What do you wish you�d done more of?
I wish I had gone swimming more this summer.

19. What do you wish you�d done less of?
Stressing out about moving.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
At my boyfriend�s house, eating too much and cuddling. It was perfect.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Oh yes, very much so.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Murder, She Wrote.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn�t hate this time last year?
Of course not.

24. What was the best book you read?
I loved Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I rarely discover music, I am usually told about it by someone far more in the know than me. Most recently I am enjoying the Vampire Weekend album that my father burned for me. But Lady Gaga added a lovely punch to my fall.

26. What did you want and get?
Dan. (Seriously, that's not even a cheesy answer: I actually had a huge crush, then a plan, then I netted him. Score!)

27. What did you want and not get?
Disposable income.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Forgetting Sarah Marshall made me laugh ridiculously hard and I�m always a sucker for that.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I had a pub crawl in Boston with a group of friends, including my parents, and it was a really fun day. I turned 28.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not having stressed so much about moving � it ended up being very anticlimactic and it was a positive change for my life.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
As always, lazy. But now with more effort to buy cute coats to cover up the lazy clothes!

32. What kept you sane?
Not to pat myself on the back too much but ME, with a little help from Bailey, my family, my friends, my coworkers, and my Stairmaster.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Britney Spears.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Hillary versus Barack. I was a Clinton supporter until the end, although I happily voted for Obama when I knew the battle had been lost.

35. Who did you miss?,
My niece and nephew, who grow up too fast and too far away. My grandfather.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Patrick, with his chubby legs, easy smile, dark blue eyes, and hysterical (and messy) propensity to throw up on people. He�s a great baby, and a wonderful complement to his sister.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
I don�t have anything profound to say here but I guess I learned (or reconfirmed) that if you live your life on your own terms, treat people well, laugh a lot, and love your family and friends without reservation, you will be happy. There will still be sucky days when you cry, and you will still meet assholes that make you feel bad, but that�s okay because the good stuff makes up for the bad.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
�I'm what you want, I'm what you need.
He got you trapped, I'll set you free,
Sexually, mentally, physically, emotionally,
I'll be like your medicine, you'll take every dose of me.
It's going down on aisle three, I'll bag you like some groceries.
And every time you think about it, you gon� want some more of me.
About to hit the club make a movie yeah rated R
Pull up like a Trap Star. That's if you had yo regular car
Have you ever made love to a thug in the club with his sice on, 87 jeans and a fresh pair of Nike's on.
On the couch, on the table, on the bar, on the floor.
You can meet me in the bathroom, you know I'm tryin� to go.�

2:27 p.m. - 2009-01-02

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