New Years Eve

New year meme! Thanks to MyTie!

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?Little things, but they meant a lot to me: Baked a pie. Spent election night in Times Square, put together political slide shows in video form and posted them on You-Tube-just can't think of it all!

2. What are your New Years Eve plans this year?Work- I only have one client today, so that’s cool. Tonight, we’ll join the neighborhood sledding/bonfire/ fireworks party! Currently it’s -11! If things are still looking too chilly tonight, Back-up plan: Sled and partake of libations for about 4 minutes. Rush back inside, partake of cocoa , watch Wall-E , put little one to bed and watch Batman, peer out the windows when the fireworks go off! See if we can make it to midnight. And, inevitably, the phone call: “Hi-this is ‘insert name of someone living a mile or 2 up the road’. Your dog, Niko, is at our house. He was freaking out at our door so we let him in and now he’s sleeping in the living room. Do you want to come get him?” Poor dog. Fireworks scare the shite out of him along with plastic bags crumpling, cell phone beeps, ice sliding of the roof, Lo talking, the stove timer, anyone breathing……

3. On New Year’s Eve, do you:
a) Fall asleep at 9:00 p.m. (like you do any other night.)
b) Barely make it to midnight with your significant other/family.
c) Hit the town like a party animal until at least 1:00 a.m.Yeah, that would be B! But actually, the last couple of years we’ve done the neighborhood sledding thing and it’s gotten us through past midnight!

4. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t set out to make the New year’s Resolution. But this time of year does lend itself to change. After the ruckus of the holiday season, when things calm down and return to normal, why not re-do the routine with some aspirations?

5. What will you make sure doesn’t happen in 09 that happened in 08?
For the past year, in addition to many wonderful things, I’ve had to deal with round and round mix of: a changed schedule/routine, ADD med side effects hampering my energy level, resulting in AM grogginess so that I can’t get up and get the intense exercise I’m used to, resulting in some depression, adding a new med, having the new med zap more energy, ADD meds that really aren’t working-making the usual tasks of daily living hard for me, resulting in feeling overwhelmed, compounded by the depression, and now go back to the beginning and start again!
My goal is to seek out alternative modalities for my ADD, such as Biofeedback, CogMed, mediation, allergy testing, nutrition and supplementation. I’ve already got that ball rolling. I want OFF the meds that barely work. I will have to make a concerted effort and perhaps a change in schedule in order to get up early in the AM and get my workout in. Or employ the help of others with Lo so I can get to the gym during those times when childcare is not offered.
Getting off the meds and intensifying my workouts is so unbelievably KEY to my mental health and wellbeing. I yearn to have my 45 min of cardio/45 min of weight lifting 5 days a week, not just 2. When I have THAT, I have better mental clarity, peace of mind, and intrinsic happiness. Better than any shit Prozac.

6. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Mary and Martin! One of the most beautiful babies you’ve ever seen! An old friendship for Miles and a new one for me-we both look forward to spending more time with them over the years! One of our favorite couples!

7. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank goodness.

8. How many people will you romantically kiss in 2008?
1! My Hunny.

9. What countries did you visit?
Many, many, many in my day dreams, research and web surfings!

10. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
I think what I want most is for things to be less... up-and-down. Balance.

11. If for one year (2009) you could choose to be any age, what age would you be?Late 20’s? To go back and truly appreciate where I was physically and give myself a kick in the ass to get the emotions straight.! I took it for granted back then.

12. Will you be looking for a new relationship?
Marital? Hell, nope! Happily married to my sweetheart. Friendship wise, I wouldn’t mind another close girlfriendship or 2. Other then that we have a small but great circle of family friends.

13. Where did most of your money go?
Bank, existence.

14. What was the best thing you bought?
My awesome camera lens.

15. How many times will you break and/or lose your cell phone in 2008?
Well, I’ve never lost or broken it so far….

15. Whose behavior merited celebration?
BARAK OBAMA!

16. Whose behavior disgusted you?
A tie between George Bush and Sarah Palin. Huz’s ex pathetically invading my blog comes in a distant second to those two.

17. Any trips planned?Besides our summerly road trips around Alaska, Florida to visit the folks and, hopefully, New Jersey.

18. Wedding plans?
Not unless someone invites us!

19. What about yourself will you be changing?
see #5.

20. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Political activism!

21. Will you be nicer to the people you care about?
I always strive to be kind and empathetic.

22. Will you be nice to people you don’t know?
Ditto. I once knew a person who was always so unabashedly rude and holier-than-thou to people. I will never be that person.

23. Will you still be friends with the same people you are friends with now?
Of course!

24. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Meaningful stuff with my kids

25. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Blogging, so I could spend that time doing # 24!

26. What was your favorite TV program?We don’t do TV. We’re Netflix FREAKS but I can’t imagine having the tv on all the time (like I used to when I was single) distracting our minds and stealing precious time from being present for each other. Every night, instead of avoiding life in the tv, Huz and actually sit together on the couch and…TALK! Imagine that! We usually have to force ourselves to bed.

27. Will you be looking for a new job?
No. I love my career, location, income and my clients.

28. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nope. Not into HATE. Just lack of respect, pity, disgust, disappointment, or all of the above.

29. What was the best book you read?
Much to my chagrin I didn’t read a lot for pleasure. Pillars of the Earth. The rest were Anthroposophy, parenting or child development books…

30. Will you better your relationship with your family?
The extended family-we’re on a positive even keel now so we’ll just ride that wave. I’ve re-connected with a lot of family and friends via facebook so I look forward to nurturing those relationships!

31. Will you do charity work?
Definitely. We are in a better position to help financially and I’ve put a lot into hands-on work, so I look forward to perpetuating the good karma and teaching my children about giving of themselves.

32. What did you get that you wanted?Great times and great conversations with friends, a change in the political climate, travel, date nights with Huz, a healthy family, 2 happy SMART kids….just so much to list and be thankful for! On the froo-froo superficial side? Many of the items collaged HERE!

33. What was your favorite film of this year?
Why is this so hard to answer?! Crappy movie year, I guess. Juno? I have a feeling the 2 we haven’t seen yet, Iron Man and Dark Knight will be high on the minimal list!

34 . What happened in 08 that you didn’t think would ever happen?
a. We bought a new Sony 52 inch LCD TV, a new tuner and a Blu-ray!
b. Hell must have froze because I actually found a great deal of new respect for all those TRUE conservatives who publicly acknowledged the ABSURDITY of McCain picking Palin. They are true to Conservative ideology. They didn’t turn a blind eye and weren’t willing to put our country in danger by trying to throw an inept Hail Mary into the White house. They truly care about their principles and aren’t afraid to show it. DID I SAY THAT?!?
c. We actually stopped the legal proceedings to sue the person owing us 25+grand just so we wouldn't have to deal with that person again.

35. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?Kynd BohoNordyrecREIation?

36. What new thing would you mix with chocolate in 2008?Ancho/ceyanne/chocolate Easter bunnies!

37. Major lifestyle changes?
Improving on what I set out with in 2008.

38. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election. Duh.

39. Who did you miss?
Mel, my BFF! And the Kinne kids.

40. Do you expect 09 to be a good year for you?

Life would SUCK muchly if I couldn’t look to the future with hope and optimism!