New Years' Meme
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What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
I cooked. I've always known how to bake, but never really knew how to cook. This past year I pushed myself to learn how to cook.
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Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year [2008]?
I never was one for new years' resolutions, but John and I made a few this year: Finish the groceries we buy; Make our lives more environmentally friendly; Use the things we own, donate the rest; Fight about stupid things less and manage our stress more skillfully; Follow-through on home improvement projects; Celebrate our successes.
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Did anyone close to you give birth?
My sister-in-law gave birth a year ago this month.
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Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no.
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What countries did you visit?
None, sadly.
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What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
More patience.
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What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 9th, because that's when I became ABD (All But Dissertation), and July 2nd, because that's when tragedy struck my dear friend Sally AND Amos almost died.
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What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I actually had a lot of success professionally. I passed my qualifying exams, became ABD, won a women's history award, got a paper accepted to a conference, and got a small travel grant.
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What was your biggest failure?
Truth be told, I can't think of a huge failure. Maybe I've blocked it.
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Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was really sick last January, leftover from November and December the previous year (sheesh!), but that was it.
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What was the best thing you bought?
Our bamboo floors.
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Whose behavior merited celebration?
John, who navigated the waters of my graduate school anxiety in that calm, steadfast way that only he can pull off.
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Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
George Bush and Brittney Spears. For different reasons.
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Where did most of your money go?
I ask myself that all the time. Our mortgage, I suppose.
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What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Becoming ABD. Hands down.
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What song will always remind you of 2007?
1234, by Feist.
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Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier, thinner, and poorer. Two out of three ain't bad!
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What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I'd blogged more. Participating in NaBloPoMo made me realize how much I love blogging.
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What do you wish you'd done less of?
Oh, I still think I worry too much and let stress get the better of me.
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How did you spend Christmas?
Wow, how didn't we spend Christmas? We flew to Kansas, spent time by ourselves in Lawrence, spent time with John's family, spent time with my family, spent time with friends, then came home and celebrated Christmas just the two of us. I'd love to figure out how to uncomplicate Christmas. That would actually make a great resolution, if it weren't so unattainable.
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Did you fall in love in 2007?
No, but I do recall several meals that I declared to be so good that I could have married them, had I not already married John.
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What was your favorite TV program?
The Planet Earth series on Discovery.
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Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, 'coz arms are for hugging.
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What was the best book you read?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
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What was your greatest musical discovery?
Jose Gonzalez.
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What did you want and get?
A Nikon D-80.
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What did you want and not get?
A realistic solution to global warming.
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What was your favorite film of the year?
Yeah, we don't really go to the movies. I pretty much dislike the whole movie-going experience.
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What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On my actual birthday, I took a ton of calls from family and friends and baked an apple pie. A couple days later when John returned from his business trip, I opened all of my presents. Then, a few days after that, we went out to eat while we were in Lawrence. All in all, a wonderful 30th birthday!
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What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
As much as I dislike focusing on money, I have to say that having John's boss pay him on time would have made 2007 MUCH less stressful and, thus, much more satisfying.
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How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
If it's clean and it fits, wear it. Do not, under pain of death, wear velour or hip huggers.
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What kept you sane?
The knowledge that someday I'd have my PhD and a jobbie-job.
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Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most
Al Gore, though I wouldn't say I fancied him, what with all the high school crush implications therein. I'll just say I admired him.
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What political issue stirred you the most?
Global warming.
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Who did you miss?
Family, friends, and Kansas. My goal for us is to live within driving distance to them, because 1200 miles is just too far away.
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Who was the best new person you met?
Though I didn't meet her formally, historian Laura Edwards gave a talk to a small group of us in the History Department and I instantly liked her. She embodies exactly what I admire in women historians.
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Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
Things that are worthwhile are rarely easy.
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Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter/Little darling, it feels like years since its been here/Here comes the sun, here comes the sun and I say it's all right" Here Comes the Sun, by the Beatles