Happy New Year

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Started a job at a theatre totally unaffiliated with CNU and my lovely professors.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I made a bunch and kept a few. I always make a bunch of resolutions.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My sister's friend Jenn...and if theres' someone else I forgot, then I apologize for being the worst friend ever

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My sweet Beauregard :(

5. What countries did you visit?
Just this one, alas.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
More peace. I mean personal peace. World peace would be nice too. But I realize that's reaching pretty far.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Christmas, for as many bad reasons as good. My birthday in the most beautiful city in the world with the most beautiful girl in the world. Freaking ELECTION DAY. August 26, the day I finally took the plunge and moved into FST. June 18, the opening of TRR. January 1st, one of the absolute best New Years' I've ever had - also in the most beautiful city in the world.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Keeping up my running (for the most part - things got a little dicey during TRR). Running my first race and my first 10K with my big sister. And getting this job. And surviving TRR.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I guess one of them would be regressing back into old habits when I moved to this new environment here. Stupid choices made out of loneliness or vulnerability or stupidity.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just the usual. And freaking SHINSPLINTS.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A plane ticket to NYC and a ticket to Lisa's first off-Broadway show. Also my 10 class pass or whatever it was to Zenya Yoga. How I miss that place!

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My big sister. She's balls-out this year.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Well, that's not the kind of thing I"m going to answer on a public blog.

14. Where did most of your money go?
God knows. Probably groceries, because I can't control myself when I'm in Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. Or even Publix.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
TRR, the election, and New York.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Oh god, there are so many. Let's say Bob Dylan's "Simple Twist of Fate"

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Sadder.
b) thinner or fatter? Good question - I'm actually not sure. I feel about the same, I guess. Maybe a little thinner.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, but strangely enough with less credit card debt.

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

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I'm not sure. Daydreaming, probably.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Putting our poor sweet beautiful dog to sleep. Then helping my sister make a beautiful dinner and spending time with her, my mom, and my grandma.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Next please!

22. What was your favorite TV program?
The Office. Though I fell madly in love with Jon & Kate Plus 8 this year, even though I don't get TLC in Sarasota.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
That's a strong word. I'm not sure.

24. What was the best book you read?
Eat, Pray, Love. Hands down. I'm reading it now for the third time (and hoping some of it sinks in this time)

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Blood on the Tracks, Avenue Q, Want One

26. What did you want and get?
An external hard drive! Good running shoes and a good running bra (which is possibly even more important than the shoes). I got to go to NYC twice this year.

27. What did you want and not get?
Oh so much.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
This is a cruel question. I'll say a tie between The Dark Knight and Milk

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 24. I went to brunch with little Lisa and my *amazing* cousin Blair, we went to Yoga for the People on St. Marks (where they freaking played two Jeff Buckley songs, one of which was a version of "I Shall Be Released" I hadn't heard him do before), got delicious Thai takeout for dinner, had Christmas cookies and egg nog, saw her amazing show, met some wonderful actors and general awesome NYC theatre people, saw my wonderful gay boyfriend Mike Raymond and the beautiful and amazing Lara Maerz. It was a pretty awesome day.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A couple things.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Improved!

32. What kept you sane?
Running, yoga, Gold's Gym (how I miss it!), family, and old friends (how I miss them)

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Barack Obama :)

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Gay marriage. What is WRONG with our country???

35. Who did you miss?
My family. My old CNU friends.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Patty Pizza.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Devastating personal setbacks are an unfortunate but necessary inevitability.

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

It's not a song lyric, it's a quote from Proof - but I can't think of anything more appropriate:

"Life changes fast in your early twenties and it shakes you up."