Oh meme, oh my

I'm kicking off 2011 with something I consider a throwback: A meme! Does anyone still do these? It figures that I'd figure out how to pronounce them and then they'd go away.

But, regardless, I saw Jennifer's meme and thought it seemed to be just about all the exertion I could handle the day after I was up until 1am. So, here it goes!

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

OK, question number one, and I'm stumped. This does not bode well for me finishing.

Oh, I know: I took a photography class. And hosted a Fresh Air Fund child. All in the same month.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
no, no, no and no---that's not to say that the year was a total wash but I never remember what I've resolved to do and they all blend into the very generic: Be a better mother/wife/employee/teacher. And cure cancer.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Like, next to me? Ugh! Thank goodness NO!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sigh. Why, yes. My cat, Cally, of 19 1/2 years died on December 22nd, the same day my dad died six years ago. December 22nd is hereafter known as the Day No One Else I Know is Allowed To Die.

Oh, and then we also lost my husband's Uncle Don to cancer (damn cancer!). He was a sweet, funny man who should've had many, many more years to sit on his porch in Ocean City, NJ.

5. What countries did you visit?
Countries? Plural? Oy. You guys live way more exciting lives than I do. I visited the U.S. of A. Daily.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Spunk and moxie. And whiter teeth.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Mother's Day because it was the day my beautiful girl got sick in public which kicked off a very, very, VERY tough period in her life known as The Lost Summer.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Not completely losing my shit when we went through our difficult time with our oldest.

9. What was your biggest failure?
That I didn't keep up running consistently. Now I've got to start all over again.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, I just accompanied way too many kids to the ER for various fractures and scares.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A new kitchen!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My kids, mainly my oldest who has come a long way, baby.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Facebook "friends" who used the forum to promote intolerance, rhetoric and general suckatude.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Kitchen Reno 2010

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Kitchen Reno 2010. And running a 5K without my bladder falling out.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

Tick Tock

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) happier

b) fatter ( but, strangely, feel like I look better with a little more padding)

c) poorer (see #14)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Laughed until my stomach hurt

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Arguing with my kids about doing schoolwork

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Home with my family, just the five of us in PJ's all day long, eating Tater Tots.

21. Did you fall in love with 2010?
No. Do people really fall in love with years?

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Mad Men (I gave up on Glee)

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

I try not to hate. It poisons your body.

24. What was the best book you read?
Harry Potter---reading it aloud to my oldest and almost DONE with Book 7 so DON'T TELL ME THE ENDING!!!

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Sleighbells

26. What did you want and get?
A new kitchen

27. What did you want and not get?
Chickens

28. What was your favorite film of 2010?
Does Tangled count? My movie viewing is pathetic.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 43 and do not remember one thing about this year's birthday. See "Lost Summer" reference above.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not having the Lost Summer (see above).

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2010?
What? I don't know! Try not to look like I slept in my clothes? Don't embarrass myself when I go to New York City?

32. What kept you sane?
Not doing stupid, really long memes like this one.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?
Wondering why in the hell Sarah Palin got a tv show.

34. Who did you miss?
My dad.

35. Who was the best new person you met?
Our new therapist

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
You can't fix someone with love alone.

37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere, angel
Come get up my baby
Look at that sky, life's begun
Nights are warm and the days are young

(David Bowie: Golden Years)

Happy New Year to you all!