2009 Meme

Stolen from Alana:

What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

I can't think of anything

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

My usual resolutions are to get my prayer life in order and to get fit. I worked on the first and ignored the second.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Two of my little cousins had babies this year

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes, it was a terrible year for death: 1/23/09 my father, Edmour Joseph Babineau died; 7/22/09 my dear bff Ellen died; 11/22/09 my dearest best friend and ex-husband, Gerald George Norman died.

5. What countries did you visit?

Does California count as a different country? No, didn't think so.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

Peace of mind and contentment. Also, money.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

See #4

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Being faithful to meeting with my spiritual father

9. What was your biggest failure?

So many failures, day after day.... fall down, get up, fall down, get up....

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Does grief and depression count?

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A few bus tix so that DD could come home for the weekend

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

DD. She has grown and matured so much this year. I'm so proud of her.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

My own behavior, over and over again.

14. Where did most of your money go?

I always buy too many books, and stock up on too much food.... But most of my money has gone into my house and to take care of Jerry's final affairs.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I don't remember getting really, really, really excited about much of anything in 2009, at least not excited in a good way.

16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2009?

Come, let us give a last kiss to the dead....

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

* Happier or sadder?

Sadder, definitely

* Thinner or fatter?

- Way Fatter.

* richer or poorer?

- I am the poorest I have ever, ever been.

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

Laughing and knitting. I had forgotten how therapeutic knitting is

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Worry, stress and cry. I also wish I had simply done less.... I need to work on saying no to projects that I really don't want to do because meeting everyone else's needs takes time away from music and iconography and knitting

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I spent it at DD's church and apartment

21. How many one-night stands?

None. I'm not a one-night stand kind of person

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Royal Pains, House, and.... my guilty pleasure is 18 Kids and Counting - its so wonderful to see a large homeschooling family that truly works!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No hate.

24. What was the best book you read?

Inside Inside - it was great. Its so rare to find a book that expects you to understand the English language.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Infected Mushroom

26. What did you want and get?

I wanted a better relationship with my daughter and we have that

27. What was your favorite film of this year?

Julie and Julia, definitely.

28. What did you do on your birthday?

Went to work, and then went to dinner

29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

like a comfortable old shoe...

30. What kept you sane?

Prayer, particularly the Jesus Prayer

31. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Can I confess that Antonio Banderas is slowly losing his grip on my.... heart, yes heart.... ?

32. What political issue stirred you the most?

Middle Eastern politics

33. Who did you miss?

Dead people

34. Who was the best new person you met?

Dan and Liana Condratov

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:

Keep praying, no matter what.... its the only life line there is

I'm not tagging, but if you want to, feel free. :)