I'm a dirty rotten thief.

Because I stole this from, well, just about everyone I know who has a blog. Sorry to my multiple victims. I'll expect victim impact statements once you wake up tomorrow.

2006- A year in review

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?
I graduated from college.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I call them goals, and yes, some of them I did keep. Others I failed miserably at. I've made more for this year.
Basically, I do daily and weekly goals so I don't always "get" the whole new year's thing. But I do like that Special K bars are on sale really cheap this time of year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
I pretty much stayed close to home. I did go to Nashville, which was fun. Oh, and Eastern NC which is like a different planet. I don't know if that counts though.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
A baby. But yeah, that's not going to happen.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
December 16th was the day I graduated from college. The rest of the year is a huge blur.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I know I sound like a broken record here, but graduating from college. Seeing an end result to my hard work. It was amazing.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't even know if I can define that. I fail in some way every day of my life. I suppose my biggest failure is the failure to love myself.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing new or different. Same old hormone, girl part, PCOS crap.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I paid $100 to the animal shelter to adopt my puppy Ginger. That was the best money I've ever spent in my life.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My husband's. He tackled his new job with such enthusiasm that he was promoted to management in a shockingly brief period of time. Financially we are in a better place than we ever have been because of this.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Oh my goodness, darn near everyone, myself included. I really expect people to act right and when they don't, I am always shocked and depressed by it. It's a character flaw, I think.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Gosh, I guess our house. I don't know.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My husband's new job. My Girl Scout troop.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
That Justin Timberlake song, "My Love". Because I found out my husband likes it TOO and I was so beyond thrilled. I thought Justin Timberlake liking would be grounds for divorce. But no!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder?
I am immeasurably sadder. This has been one of the hardest years of my life emotionally. I've come to realize so many things that I absolutely cannot change and it's been a very, very painful journey for me.

b) thinner or fatter?
Honestly, I have no clue, but I'd say about the same. I haven't stepped on a scale since October.

c) richer or poorer?
Thankfully, richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Sleep.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Working. For the love of God.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent it with my husband and children (and puppy).

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?
I try to fall in love with him a little more every day. Or some crap. In reality, some days I could have smothered him in his sleep. But mostly the love thing.

22. How many one-night stands?
Who WROTE this? Maury Povich? None. Sheesh!

23. What was your favorite TV program?
The Office. Or the Biggest Loser. I can't decide so I declare that I get two favorites.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. My hate for people is usually long-standing.

25. What was the best book you read?
I didn't read any books I considered fabulous. Most of the books I read were for school. I did enjoy "The Devil Wears Prada".

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Not a band or anything...my iPod. Sweet Lord. Give a cookie to whoever invented THAT.

27. What did you want and get?
I wanted to have a three year anniversary with my husband and I did on July 12th. My first marriage only lasted about 1 year so with every passing year I have a bit more confidence this one will stick.

28. What did you want and not get?
I really, really longed for a baby. I did not get said baby. Nor will I ever. Maybe for 2007 I will long for acceptance.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I know this will sound like I am SUCH A MOM but honest to God, I didn't see anything but cartoons in the theater this year. I adored "Over the Hedge".

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I drove to North Carolina to visit my dad who is sick with bladder cancer. It was a really miserable day (eight hours in the car). I was thirty-one.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I don't know. I've sat here for five minutes trying to think of one thing that could have made it all better and there just isn't anything. Not one thing.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Fat girl chic.

33. What kept you sane?
I wouldn't want to mislead anyone into believing I'm sane here.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Did this just say "fancy"? Good Lord. But, yeah. Harold Ford, Jr. To bad he didn't win.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I don't know. I don't get very stirred unless children were involved. I figure the adults can just beat the crap out of each other if they feel like. Leave the innocent people out of it.
Also, is adoption a political issue? Because that's what's got me most stirred these days in general.

36. Who did you miss?
I miss my sister Susie very, very much.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
I have three: Ivy, Sierra, and Kasey. They are the girls in my Girl Scout troop.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
You can't control how other people behave. You can only control how you respond to them.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
And you begin to wonder why you came
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

"How to Save a Life"- The Fray