i was looking over my blogs from this past year in order to do a recap and ran across a survey i did at the end of 2007... it was kind of interesting to see how things have changed from that year to this one, so i repeated the survey but also kept the answers from last year as comparison. 2007 was the year that nearly broke me but 2008 was the year that proved once and for all that what doesn't kill me really does make me stronger. at this rate, i can't wait to see what 2009 has in store!!
1-Did you kiss anyone?2007 - and how! :)
2008 - ohhhh yeaaaaaahhhh.... ;-)
2-Did you date anyone?2007 - yes, for pretty much the first time, believe it or not!
2008 - tom and i are still together and i love him to death. :-) on top of having ridiculous amounts of fun, i'm learning a lot in this relationship and value it immensely.
3-Are you going to have someone to kiss when the ball drops?2007 - yes, and i can't wait!!
2008 - a happy ditto on this one. :)
4-Did you lose any friends?2007 - sadly yes. a couple were dramatic losses and a few have just drifted away.
2008 - no, not really. i made a clean cut on some friendships that were essentially over and that was very liberating.
5-Did you gain any friends?2007 - yes, some wonderful ones!
2008 - yes, and i regained a very dear friendship and for that i am endlessly grateful. :)
6-Did you do something new?2007 - almost everything i did this year was new, for better or worse.
2008 - yes, pretty much all in a positive direction... had my first art show and got a big promotion, for example.
7-Did anyone important to you die?2007 - yes, tracker meant more to me than i can possibly describe.
2008 - no! this year i didn't lose anyone close to me. though i'll admit that with a couple more days of '08 left to go its a little superstitiously frightening to write that... everybody better stay safe and sound out there, ok?!? :)
8-Did you change?2007 - yes and no... in some ways i've changed extraordinarily, but in other ways i've returned to my true self. both are definitely positive changes.
2008 - ditto on this one... i feel way more comfortable in my own skin this year and more sure of where i'm going in life.
9-Are you happy with the year over all?2007 - happy isn't the right word... maybe more like pained and awed.
2008 - absolutely yes. last year was all about growing pains and this year was more about reaping the rewards of that growth.
10-Whats the best thing that happened to you?2007 - the beginning of my personal transformation which has been made possible through the support of family and friends, therapy, an invaluable self-improvement program, and a ton of blood, sweat and tears.
2008 - so many great things happened this year, but i think finally gaining some much-needed confidence, sense of self and inner peace was the best, partly because that opened the door to so many other good things happening and the ability to truly enjoy them.
11-Did you fall in or out of love?2007 - tough question... i guess both.
2008 - more in love with everything, especially life in general.
12-Are you happy the year's almost over?2007 - YES.
2008 - yes, but not out of a sense of relief... each new year really does feel like a renewal time and this year i'm feeling really excited and impatient to get on with my plans for this coming year.
13-Are you going to change something about yourself next year?2007 - undoubtedly - i'm a non-stop project.
2008 - ditto, though this year i'll be functioning more from a position of strength rather than having to do all the groundwork.
14-Do you think 2008 will be a better year than 2007?2007 - i have really high hopes, but i won't tempt fate. ;-)
2008 - yes i do, and i no longer believe that fate has much of anything to do with it.
15-How many things did you do well in 2007?2007 - i did the best i could with everything i took on; i don't think anyone can ask any more of themselves.
2008 - i kicked all kinds of ass this year, if i do say so myself... ;-D
16-How many things did you screw up in 2007?2007 - i wouldn't say that i really screwed anything up, but there are definitely things i wish i'd had the strength and ability to handle in better ways.
2008 - little things certainly, but nothing worth regretting or spending time obsessing about.
17-Did you go to any amusement parks this year?2007 - yes, with tom for my birthday. riding roller coasters with a hangover is a BAD idea! but we still had fun. :-)
2008 - yes, i went with the wonderful ms. bean and learned that 1) prilosec is a good thing and 2) that it's not fair to combat the excellent effects of prilosec with cotton candy and icees and still expect it to work. tom and i also went to knott's with sid & rachel for halloween and had a really good time. :-D
18-Did you go to a concert?2007 - a couple and they were incredible!
2008 - ditto. especially memorable was going to see the kooks with my bro tony... that was a truly great time.
19-Did you go to any parties?
2007 - a couple... it wasn't much of a year for partying.
2008 - yes, a couple of GREAT ones!! my own birthday was lots of fun but i have to give huge kudos to m&m for throwing the best halloween party EVER and to bean and marcello for the most amazing prom!! :-D
20-Did you go on a summer vacation?2007 - i went to burningman... not sure if that can be considered a summer vacation.
2008 - yes, kind of... skipped burningman this year for a wonderful goddess campout in the woods of oregon. :)
21-Did you lie to your mom?2007 - it would be tough to do since i don't speak to her at all.
2008 - nope, and i did actually email with her briefly this year. i might as well lie to her since telling the truth hasn't ever done any good.
22-Did you get into a fight?2007 - not physically, but definitely the most heartbreaking i've ever been in. :(
2008 - no physical fights, and i'm happy to say that the rate/intensity of any other kind of fights went down dramatically.
23-Did you leave the country?2007 - no.
2008 - nope
24-Did you have a good birthday?2007 - it was bitter sweet, and high octane.
2008 - i had a fantastic month of birthday celebrations with wonderful family and friends. :-)
25-Did anyone in your family get married?2007 - nope.
2008 - no, but someone in my family got engaged! congratulations shawn and lina!!
26-Do you think you grew?2007 - like, in inches? no. but in every other way, without a doubt.
2008 - i know i did! this year i grew a spine.
27-Did you dye your hair?2007 - regularly.
2008 - typically either too much or not enough.
28-Who do you think you were on the phone with the most?2007 - not sure... it's a tossup between a few different people.
2008 - dunno... i'm not much of a phone person.
29-Did anyone sing to you?2007 - yes, it was hilarious and heartwarming. :)
2008 - yes, tom came up to sing with/to me at karaoke. it was awesome. :)
30-Did you sing to anyone?2007 - YES! and strangely enough, it was greatly appreciated. :-D
2008 - yeah, i think i finally got over my fear of karaoke, for better or worse... ;-p
31-Did anyone tell you they loved you?2007 - yes, several people, and i value every time.
2008 - yes; i'm a really lucky girl. :)
32-Did you ever go to the hospital?2007 - not for myself; with tom and stephanie when they got a little broken.
2008 - yes, brought my brother tony in.
33-What did you drink and eat the most?2007 - grape juice and cereal. i really shouldn't be left alone for long. ;-p
2008 - LOL! same thing this year! which is why one of my new years resolutions involves actual cooking of actual food. ;-p
34-Did you change your top friends at least 8 times?2007 - yeah. stupid myspace. stupid 'top friends' section.
2008 - only a couple changes this year but they were happy ones. but i still think it's dumb and i'm not sure why i bother....
35-Did you change your profile over 10 times?2007 - probably... it was a really weird and unsettled year.
2008 - maybe, but just out of boredom and an attempt to be creative.
36-Did you change your default at least 20 times?2007 - maybe... probably.
2008 - dunno. don't care.
37-Did you get a tattoo?2007 - yes! my brother gave me my first one. it turned a really sad occasion into something powerful and empowering.
2008 - yes! got my second one in october and it signifies the growth, joy and hope in my life since getting the first one.
38-Did you vote?2007 - sorry, no. :( in my defense, i moved twice this year.
2008 - hell YES!! this was an incredibly exciting and hope-inducing year to vote.
39-Are you going to make a new years resolution?2007 - i'm never terribly formal with my resolutions. maybe i should be though... there are a LOT of things i want to accomplish this year.
2008 - yes, i'm going to do it this year.
40-Did you stick to your new years resolution from last year?2007 - since i'm not formal about it, it's hard to know for sure but i reached the vague one i think i had about changing my life.
2008 - i didn't formally write any down, but i did accomplish the big things on my mental list!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! i hope you all have a wonderful year ahead.
