2010

This is a year-end quiz that Linda over at All & Sundry does every year. It seems like a good tradition to start and a good way to end my 2010 blogging adventures. Also? Finishing up Reverb today.

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
Cooked a Christmas dinner for my family (in January). Turned 32. Ran a half-marathon. Took two yoga classes. Planted my first real garden. Traveled by myself (but not to anywhere new). Ran a faster 5K. Had a wedding anniversary. Became the bread-winner. Bought a bunch of home improvements (two exterior doors, a storm door, a hot water heater, a window).

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

I don’t remember what my resolutions were but yes, I will make more for next year. (Stay tuned, they'll become public tomorrow.)

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Two people I work with gave birth. I know tons of people who’ve had babies or gotten pregnant this year.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No

5. What countries did you visit?
Does Texas count? It's like a whole other country, I've heard.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
I will have better health insurance, something I lacked for ten months of 2010. I would like to have a less cluttered home and to cultivate more peace in my life.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I’m no good with dates. By 2012 I probably won't even remember what year I did these things. See why this is a good exercise for me? Late March’s half-marathon, Labor Day Weekend’s 5K, Mid-September wedding anniversary and celebrated my parents' 40th anniversary, husband's job loss first Friday in November, Christmas’s sledding.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

The half-marathon. It seems like such an unachievable task when you are back at the fitness level of trying to run for 13 minutes. It takes a lot of training to get from that point to running 13 miles.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't know if I'd call it a failure, since it is still a work in progress, but we've had a couple of arguments wherein we are still figuring out how to be better as husband-and-wife.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No. I had a situation wherein everything in my abdomen slightly malfunctioned all at the same time. It was painful and a bit scary playing the "what if" game, but it wasn't serious. As far as the medical community of my community could tell, it was probably the rupturing of a functional cyst on my ovaries, a bladder infection, and constipation all at the same time. (Just in case you wanted those details.)

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Yoga class and race registrations. A new basement door.

12. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage, Taxes, Home Improvement, Grocery Store, Target

13. What did you get really excited about?
The Wilderness Run (always excited about that) and blogging and book club starting next year

14. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Live and Let Die by Guns and Roses because it was first on my running playlist. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga because it was near the end of my running playlist and I knew I would be close to done with long runs. Freedom by Wham! became my new favorite old song but I don’t know that it will specifically remind me of 2010 in any way. I will remember a particular discussion with my husband about Freedom 90 by George Michael and how things reveal different meanings as you age, learn new information and gain more understanding about the world. I would like to make the disclaimer that I’m not particularly a George Michael fan although the preceding sentences may seem to contradict that fact.

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

– happier or sadder? Right now I’m probably happier but I’ve had some black moments.
– thinner or fatter? Same-ish?
– richer or poorer? Well, technically poorer but I don’t feel it.

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

Wandering, wondering, laughing until my abs were sore, running, gardening and yard work, enjoying life

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

Wasting time online or with a computer game.

18. How did you spend Christmas?
At my parents' house. We got up, had breakfast casserole, opened some gifts, bundled up and went sledding, came inside and warmed up, lazed around and visited family. Great day.

19. What was your favorite TV program?
This year, I watched DVDs of Magnum P.I. and The Office. I caught a couple episodes of Parks and Rec. I also got involved with The Biggest Loser, The Sing-Off (Who doesn't love Ben Folds?), Project Runway, and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, all courtesy of the internet.

20. What were your favorite books of the year?
I can only remember a few books I read this year: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides was the first book I read and probably the best novel. Pretty in Plaid, Jen Lancaster, which I enjoyed much more than Bitter is the New Black.  The End of Overeating by David Kessler was interesting. The most memorable book I checked out from the library was Twinkie Deconstructed by Steve Ettlinger and the best audio book I listened to was A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. I really was into nonfiction this year.

21. What was your favorite music from this year?

I was never really in a music vibe this year. Lately it may be Donavan. His greatest hits were in the CD player while I was wrapping presents. Thankfully, I was too lazy to change it. How can you ignore a song that begins with a spoken word lesson about the myth of Atlantis or with the lyrics, "I'm just mad about saffron?" And "Sunshine Superman?" You gotta love it.

22. What were your favorite films of the year?
True Grit, Inception, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, Shutter Island (Again, not particularly a Leo fan, these things just happen.)

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

Awkward and Office Space joined me for a tour of a coffee plant and we enjoyed brunch. 

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
My attitude. In 2010, I really started to take charge of it. It's a work in progress.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Black, grey, and shades of brown. I have my favorite turtleneck from the Gap in black, oatmeal, grey and white. I wear them all the time and I love it. I even wore one during the half-marathon. I've decided I'm bringing purple back.

26. What kept you sane?
I talk to my mom twice a day during my commute. Just a little something to break the monotony.


27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.

Probably the most valuable life lesson is that I can choose how I want to feel.