Saturday, December 31, 2011

2011 End of Year Meme

Remember Memes?  I don't know if people even do those any more.  But hey--this is my 8th year of doing this one.  It's a New Year's Eve tradition.  Can't stop now!

I do want to thank those of you that still bother to come around here any more.  Now that I have facebook for quick updates, I find that I rarely think of my life in terms of blogging any more.  At times I have considered shutting down this blog completely, but alas, why should I?  It's not like cyberspace is being harmed by the "clutter" of my blog.  And, I suppose one never knows when the blogging bug might come back again.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?  
Turned 40.
Hired a business coach.
Joined Classical Conversations for our homeschool.
Started a Juice Feast!
Got to have my mom come live near me!

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 if they had to do with losing weight or eating healthier, I did not keep up on that.  However, I have started a Juice Feast (yesterday was Day 1) and I am looking forward to seeing how that goes and what 2012 brings.


I enjoy making resolutions and goals, so YES of course I will make more.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? 
Several friends from church have had babies this year.

4. Did anyone close to you die? 
Thankfully, no.

5. What countries did you visit? None, as usual.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
The ability to understand better what foods work best for my body.

More time and mental clarity to complete more of the projects I would enjoy doing.

7. What events from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 
My mom and her husband moving from 10 hours away to come live near us is a huge, happy 2011 memory!

I guess turning 40 was memorable, though I preferred to have an extremely low-key day and enjoyed it very much.
Depending on how the Juice Feast goes, that may or may not end up being super memorable.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Joining Classical Conversations and managing to hang on through the learning curve has been an achievement.  I love the program and am so glad we decided to give it a try.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I guess I could say that gaining some more weight was a failure, but really I think all of these experiences are learning opportunities more than failure.  So, not sure other than that.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing that stands out.

11. What was the best thing you bought? 
My new imac!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? 
Well, my oldest son graduated from high school, so that was one.  My daughter and her marching band went to the state level, and that was awesome.  One son played football for the first time this year.  My mom and her husband being willing to pick up and move close to us was definitely cause for celebration.


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and disgusted? 
Not going to get into it, but I do have one that sticks out.

14. Where did most of your money go? 
All of the usual locations:  bills, living, education, taxes

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

Mom coming to live near me
Marching band going to state!

16. What song will always remind you of 2011? 

Don't really have one this year.


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

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? 
Feeling peaceful and unstressed.
Completing things I would like to do.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? 
Feeling hurried and stressed out.

Feeling sick about people that have been difficult/painful for me to deal with.

20. How will you be spending New Year's Eve? 
Today--attending a birthday party for a close friend.
Tonite--Enjoying a glass of fruit/veggie juice, playing games with my kids, and I don't know if we will stay up til midnight or not.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011? 
Just stayed in love with all the usual loves of my life.  :)

22. What was your favorite TV program? 
Dexter and Homeland 

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't do hate.

24. What was the best book you read? 
I barely got to read this year.  Just recently started using the kindle app on my phone which is helping me get more read.  Nothing sticks out in my mind as being particularly great, though.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? 
Adele, of course.  I hope her vocal cords heal up soon!  She is awesome.

26. What did you want and get? 
A better education for my younger boys.

My mom to live near me.
Help with clarifying some business stuff.

27. What did you want and not get? 
I guess more money is always helpful, but really, I'm pretty content.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? 
No favorites stick out to me.  Enjoyed and was inspired by the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.  Also enjoyed the documentary Dive.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 40 this year.  As the time drew near I felt that I really didn't want to have a big bash, as I had been considering.  When it came down to it, what I felt like doing and enjoyed was staying home in my PJs all day long, snuggled up on the couch, watching shows or movies on the laptop, and hanging out with my family.  Several people who wished me a happy birthday seemed to feel sorry for me that I wasn't doing anything "big," but really I was doing exactly what I wanted to do and I enjoyed it very much.  I realize now that any year, "milestone" or not, I can have a huge party if I want to.  I can also take a lazy day and enjoy that too. :)

30.What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying?
More tangible accomplishments.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? 
Getting too fat for everything I have.  Frustrated.  Yoga pants were my friend but now they are getting pretty tight.

32. What kept you sane? 
Knowing why I do what I do, and continuing forward with the love and encouragement of my family.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Glad to see Jenny McCarthy continuing to speak up about vaccine safety issues.

Enjoyed the royal wedding (Will and Kate).

34. What political issue stirred you the most? 
Currently concerned about NDAA, SOPA, food freedom (why on earth is our gov't spending so much effort to stomp on raw milk, gardens, etc?).  I have a lot of concerns about the direction things are heading in.


35. Who did you miss? 
I always miss my Gram.  She is never far from my thoughts.  

36. Who was the best new person you met? 
Met a ton of great women through our Classical Conversations group, and feel so blessed to have them to do school with and learn from.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011. 
Not new, but I continue to be convinced in trusting myself.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 
Don't worry.  Be happy.