35 Things in 2008

A new year cannot really feel like a new year until the previous year has been dissected, right? So in a nutshell, this was my year.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

A guy on the second date.

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

I do not recall making any resolutions last year. This year I’ve decided to make a list of small goals I want to achieve each month.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Nope. But, my sister is pregnant again!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No but people I am close to lost people they were close to.

5. What countries did you visit?

Zero. This makes me sad.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

A social life.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory and why?

January 20st. You can read all about it here.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Quiting my job and cigarettes.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Starting the cigarettes again.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Yes. I refer you to this post and this post.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The Complete West Wing Box Set.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

My nephew’s. Each time he entered a room he was applauded. Each time he made a new sentence-ish six ‘bravo’s’ exploded around him. Just yesterday he used the superlative ‘bigger’ and this merited a scream, a hug and an Eskimo kiss from me.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

All the citizens of Greece that threw rocks at buildings and burned public and private property.

14. Where did most of your money go?

To doctors. For both physical and mental ailments.

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

Most of the things I got really, really, really excited about this year were potentials, hypotheticals if you will. Take for example: Barack Obama and the entire US election. I was far more excited about what could happen if he was elected than the moment it became official. Or like how the ‘relationship’ I had with The Man in my head was ten times better than the actual experience. Or how Real made my heart a-flutter when he wasn’t there.

Perhaps, my expectations are too high?

16. What song will always remind of you 2008?

My Mistakes Were Made For You| The Last Shadow Puppets

17. Compared to this time last year, are:

a)happier or sadder?

b)thinner or fatter?

c) richer or poorer?

Sadder, thinner and poorer.

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

More acting.

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

Less thinking.

20. Did you fall in love in 2008?

No, no I didn’t. [So we're now entering Year Six of Hope's Hopeless Love Life for anyone left counting.]

21. What was your favourite TV program?

New Show: Life on Mars

Old Show: Grey’s Anatomy.

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

Hate is such a strong word. But the writer’s of Grey’s Anatomy really pissed me off this year regarding the whole Return of Denny Fiasco.

23. What was the best book you read?

Don’t Move | Margaret Mazzantini

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?

The Kings of Leon

25. What did you want and get?

I wanted a pet and I got one in the form of crazylovely Diego.

26. What did you want and not get?

*Cough*Boyfriend*Cough*

27. What was your favourite film of this year?

There was no film that really resonated with me this year. The Dark Knight left me wanting, Sex and the City made me want to gorge my ears out with all the adolescent shrieks and Burn After Reading was just OK. (Although, I desperately loved George Clooney in it.)

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I drank some beer, laughed, blew out candles and wore shoes that hurt. I turned 27.

29. How you would describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

The older I get the closer I get to dressing the way I wanted to in high school. In fashion terms that would probably mean I’m only 20 kilos and 40 absurd outfits away from resembling Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen.

30. What kept you sane?

My mother, my sister, my brother-in-law and my brother.

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

Jon Stewart.

32. Who did you miss?

The Best Friend, my Sister From Another Mother and The Man.

33. Who was the best new person you met?

Hit myself over the head, spit on my neck, step in a piece of poo because the truth is? Real. Fuckity fuck fuck.

34. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Make sure to remove all racy undergarments from car before having it washed.

35. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

To the Universe:”You ask me to enter, but then you make me crawl.” U2 | One