end of the year meme

Stole this from Trueself, slightly modified. Terry was sick over New Years, and the boy got a better offer to sleep over at a friends, so I went to the symphony by myself. And you have to love Craigslist, the concert started at 7:30pm, I looked online to see if anyone wanted tickets to the sold out show at 5pm (when Terry decided she couldn't make it) , and sure enough, I was able to sell both of them to a couple who were very happy to get them for 70 bucks. Originally I had only paid $76 for all 3 tickets, so it was a win win for both them and myself.
[and I thought I'd scheduled this to post on the 2nd...oops!]


1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
My first thought was this, but since I can't elaborate on it, I'll go with re-tiling part of a bathroom wall. Oh, and rewiring the garage. And rebuilding part of a roof. And designing and building a railing for our backyard deck. And replacing a door. Are you noticing a theme here?

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I've never made resolutions, and never will.

3. How will you be spending did you spend New Year's Eve?
I went to the Spokane symphony and then spent the rest of the evening watching movies with Terry at home. First show we watched in the new year was Soundstage on PBS, they had Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks in concert. Awesome show. Then we figured out Tom will be 60 and Stevie 62 this year. WTF? *sigh*

4. Did anyone close to you die? No. I did lose another aunt on my mother's side and only found out about it when I talked to my uncle in December. Turns out she died exactly one year later to the day that my mom did. Weird...

5. What countries did you visit?
Las Vegas. What? It's so surreal it could be it's own country, right?

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Framing and matting equipment. I've decided to try my hand at it to save money, and if I'm any good, then doing it for profit. I can get the basic stuff I need to start for around $500, minus materials. We'll see what happens...

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
April 25th, the day Terry moved into her new home, and we decided I should as well.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My relationship with Terry.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I've pondered this for a while now, with no answer coming to mind. Next...

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really, I did have the first kidney stone attack in almost two years, the last one having occurred while living in Melbourne, and like that one I thankfully didn't end up in the hospital.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My Blackberry Storm.

12. Where did most of your money go?
Lowe's Home Improvement. I should own stock.

13. What song will always remind you of 2009?
I've Got A Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas.

14. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Taking pictures.

15. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastinating.

16. What was your favorite TV program?
Hmmm, tough choice. Battlestar Galactica, which ended in the spring. But Survivor was so freakin fun to watch this fall, esp with that Russell mixing it up, then acting so wronged when he didn't win. Someone forgot to tell him it was a game...
And I have to put in a plug for Shatner's Raw Nerve on the Biography Channel. Who would have thought Captain Kirk/Denny Crane could be such an excellent interviewer?

17. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't do hating, but dislike? Yeah, I have a few new ones this year...

18. What was the best book you read?
Books? What are those? Oh yeah, something you do with your free time...
Sad really, because I love to read and have a half dozen books I waiting for me...

19. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I usually gauge my favorite artists by how many songs I like on one or more of their albums. Rarely do I find one where I like every single track (off the top of my head I can think of ABBA, Michelle Branch, and Sara Evans having had albums like that), but this year I found a new one. Lily Allen's The Fear.

20. What was your favorite film of this year?
Angels and Demons. Keeps you on the edge of your seat, at least for me it did.

21. What did you do on your birthday?
Went to The White House, our favorite Greek restaurant for dinner with friends.

22. What kept you sane?
Not what, Who. And I'm sure you know who.

23. Who did you miss?
My dad, every time I was using his tools around the two houses I was fixing up.

24. Who was the best new person you met?
My co-worker Jason.

25. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
That just because you father children, and raise them the best you could, it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to have good relationships with them as adults. I've come to realize that many brothers and sisters, parents and children do not. My sister and mom were estranged to the end, a blogger wrote about having not talked to a brother for 8 years, Terry is only close to a couple of her sisters. Such is life, and I've learned to no longer feel like a failure for not being able to hold my family together.