2008 retrospective...

End of Year Questionnaire...
My friend Amanda has posted an End of Year Questionnaire. I thought I'd steal it and exercise some narcissism...
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?Lived. More at lived a life less disappointed at the world.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?NO. I resolved to get a handle on my weight, and did not. I will try again this year with more mature resolve and help from family and friends.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?Those in the know "know" how our lives changed this year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?No.
5. What countries did you visit?none
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? All the conservatives I know to gain some comprehension of the larger picture.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?March 5, and each day thereafter!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Becoming a dad again- a second chance!
9. What was your biggest failure? My physical fitness and weight issues.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing major (luckily)just the usual daily stuff.
11. What was the best thing you bought? All the items to improve the house.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Amy. She went from "AntAmy" to "N88SMOM" in 3.6 seconds flat. And one second after that she became "Supermom"!
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Mine, each time I allow others to spin me up.
14. Where did most of your money go? Into thin air...
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Nate's arrival. Nate's rolling over. Nate's first sounds. Etc.,etc.,etc.,...
16. What song will always remind you of 2008? "I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry. It was the song that had every adult male I know singing like teens...funny stuff!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter?c) richer or poorer? a) happier-much! b)fatter-much! c) neither. But living much! closer to my "means".
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Relax (mentally) and spend more time with Alex.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Argue with people who don't want to listen to reason (you know who you are!)
20. How did you spend Christmas? With our new son and family.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?Absolutely, emphatically,unconditionally- with Nathan Quinn!
22. What was your favorite tv show?Since I am such an addict,I will name a couple which hold special place in my life: Big Bang Theory, Countdown, Dexter, the L word...
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No, my feelings are best summed up in this:"I don't believe in hatred anymore/I hate to think of how I felt before/When anger overwhelms your very soul/It's hard to realize you'll never know/ All the love that we do!"
24. What was the best book you read? Of all the ones I managed to get through this year, I have to say it was "Conservatives Without Conscience"by John Dean. Totally enlightened my perception of the last 8 years.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?It was more at a re-discovery of The Fixx. I saw them in concert and remembered why I love them so much. Ask me why...
26. What did you want and get? A new member of the family. And closer to my wife.
27. What did you want and not get? To get back my youth.
28. What was your favorite film of this year? Of all the ones I managed to see this year, it had to be "I am Legend", though "Religulous" was right up there.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I hate to say I am now 42, and we (the birthday club) went to our favorite sushi place and ate my weight and drank my age...
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?Winning the lottery. Every other wish could then be purchased!
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? ...this wasn't this snug last year...dammit!!!!
32. What kept you sane? Amy, Amy, Amy, and Amanda/Matt.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Cy Curnin (singer of The Fixx) for our shared desires of this world and life.
34. What political issue stirred you the most? The increasing lack of Separation of Church and State- by BOTH parties! What small-mindedness does to us all!!
35. Who did you miss? My blood family. All of them. Something's happening to me as I grow older...
36. Who was the best new person you met? For my general well-being it had to be Nate.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. I can never be the "catcher in the rye" for this life. Particularly when "they" don't really give a shit.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "Do what you can/When you see wrong/Try to mend it/Heal it with your love/Show them what it means to be human/Show them how it feels to care/Do what you can/ To do away with hate"

Holiday wishes

My son's first holiday, and already I wonder how I'll explain it to him. Been milling it over and almost perfected- not too soon! But my only wish for this season is for everyone to make an honest assessment of what is needed from the self in the next year. I can only hope we all may finally find we want the same things for our future and strive to make it come true. Good luck to all, and to all a good night.