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Friday, December 31, 2004

the year in review

I've been expressly saving this survey to do tonight. So here it is. Never say I can't show self-restraint; you know how much I am addicted to surveys. :)

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
I took a trip in an airplane, and went to Florida. I got furry pets for my children (and, well, me, too, but furry pets + children is the new thing).

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made any last year. I just now decided that my 2005 resolution will be to get back on the housecleaning wagon. Did I just say that? But it's true. I say "get back on" as if it were longer than two months five years ago that I was on it. But for those two months -- wow, I had a system, it worked, my house was always ready for company. I am going to try the system again.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My dear, beloved, sister-friend Susan did. In June. Yay Susan!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sadly, a friend's son, Conor, died of cancer at the age of 4 on I think February 2.

5. What countries did you visit?
ha! you're funny.

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
Financial discipline. And house-cleaning discipline too.

7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The first week of February was really eventful -- we were on our trip to Florida, and my friend's son died. Lots of up-and-down emotions that week.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
hmm. My son learned his multiplication tables and my daughter can read. But those are their accomplishments; I just helped. I started sewing again, I guess, and had a lot of fun and made some nice things doing that.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not gaining any financial or other discipline.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing other than the usual clutzy Rachel-ish stubbed toes and smacked noggins, no.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Ack, I dunno.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I dunno, I think pretty much everyone with whom I've been in contact this year did pretty well. My husband loved me, my kids learned a lot, my friends weathered difficult situations with grace.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
It takes a lot in a public sort of thing to depress me. But when mothers injure their children, which made the news a few times this year, that does it. Also, the mainstream media and its 'fear sells' mentality didn't exactly get my stamp of approval.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent. And gasoline, ack! and groceries. The usual.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Florida. Camping in Morro Bay. Christmas.

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
Probably Vivaldi's "Gloria", since we worked very hard on that in chorus, and performed it twice.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder? Well, looking back at my journal, I was apparently at a really high point this time last year. Now I'm happy, but not all elated like that. So probably a teeny weeny bit sadder, but not sad at all.
thinner or fatter? The same. Sigh.
richer or poorer? Also the same, no sigh this time.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Spiritual stuff. Even after the amazing retreat in the fall -- things are better but not as good as they should be. Also, did I mention housecleaning? And reading. And hugging my children. Can't do too much of that.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Yelling. I'm better about yelling but it still happens sometimes.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Already spent it, the usual way, with family and the whole turkey dinner and all.

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
Again and again, with the same man. :)

23. How many one-night stands?
Um. Zero.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
n/a, the only TV I watched was the election returns and that certainly would never qualify as my favorite anything, even if they did go basically the way I hoped they would.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I am not a very hateful person. I can't think of anyone I know personally whom I hate. I don't LIKE everybody, but I don't think I hate anyone either. So no.

26. What was the best book you read?
Dang, I knew this was coming. This is so hard. I will stick to books that were not re-reads this year, otherwise I would never be able to shut up, and I will just say these:

• Possession, by A.S. Byatt. Very complex and rich.


• A Catch of Consequence by Diana Norman. Historical fiction, very very readable, almost has the feel of classic literature in a way.


• Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (actually the end of December 2003). All I can say about Ann Patchett, especially this amazing book, is WOW.


• Fire Along the Sky by Sara Donati -- fourth in her Into the Wilderness series


• I read Stephanie Plum books for the first time this year. By the time I whizzed through to #10 I was heartily tired of them. HOWEVER. If I had stuck with just reading one or two, she might have made this list. So in the spirit of goodwill, I will list One for the Money. But don't expect Austen.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Yahoo Launchcast radio. Yay. I hope that link works.

28. What did you want and get?
Two or three new Jane Austen movie adaptations on DVD. Lots of books. A new schoolroom, because this is the year we started renting the apartment next door. A trip to Florida. Lots and LOTS of love. It was a good, good year.

29. What did you want and not get?
I am so spoiled. I can't think of anything. Oh, except a house. We had originally thought 2004 was the year we would buy a house, but by the time 2004 began we had discovered that the real estate market was (and is) too insane for us to seriously contemplate ever doing that in California, unless a miracle occurs. Oh well.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
There were several that I watched over and over, which I've loved for more than just this year, like "Pride and Prejudice". Then there were some that I discovered this year, but which were not new this year, like "Moulin Rouge". I don't know if any 2004 movies will be on my favorites list.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 30 on Christmas, and spent the day quietly with my family, which, considering when my birthday is, was a rare and welcome event. We also had a little party a few days beforehand, wherein my extended family went out to eat, I opened presents, and then we walked Christmas Tree Lane in Fresno, as is our annual tradition. This was nice also.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If my house had always been clean. If we had been able to buy a house.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Housewife casual.

34. What kept you sane?
My faith. My family.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I really don't spend a lot of energy fancying celebrities.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The U.S. election, of course. :)

37. Whom did you miss?
Plenty of people at various times. Some because they live far away, some because they are no longer living. As I get older I realize more and more how good it would have been to have known my deceased grandparents as an adult.

38. Who were the best new people you met?
I don't meet a lot of new people in any given year, and 2004 was no exception. There is, however, a family in our church I'd never met before this past May and we're becoming pretty good friends with them. Not FRIENDS friends, but casual friends.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
God really wants to be front and center in my life. Also, always ALWAYS bring plenty of water on an airline flight.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I am not good at finding song lyrics that fit situations. I left that behind in my days of falling in infatuation with a boy and writing intensely-worded notes to my friends (with big circles for dots over the i's) about how much this song fits how I feel about The Boy. I do not mean this as a slight to people who DO find lyrics that are meaningful to them. Maybe it's because most of the music I listen to does not have lyrics.
Oh, and after typing up all of that I DID think of a song with lyrics that are fitting for this year, spiritually speaking. It's called "Remember Surrender" and it's by Sara Groves.
Remember surrender, remember the rest
Remember that weight lifting off of your chest
And realizing that it's not up to you
and it never was

Remember surrender, remember relief
Remember how tears rolled down both of your cheeks
As the warmth of a heavenly father
came closing in

I want to do that again
Why can't I live there and make my home
In sweet surrender
I want to do so much more than remember

Remember surrender, remember the peace
Remember how soundly you fell fast asleep
In the face of your troubles your future still shone
like the morning sun

Remember surrender, remember that sound
Of all of those voices inside dying down
But one who speaks clearly of helping and healing you deep within

I want to do that again
Why can't I live there and make my home
In sweet surrender
I want to do so much more than remember...

Comments

Posted by: Carol at January 2, 2006 12:23 PM

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