Stole this from Operation Pink Herring. Thanks, OPH!

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Bought a house!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I only had two: get in shape and blog regularly. We did start going to the gym for a few weeks but fell off around holiday time, so I'll give myself a C- on #1. And I was quite spotty in the bloggings, but did manage to do the daily food blogging in July, so B- for #2. Mine for 2009 involve weight loss, debt management and kicking ass at my job.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, Leia did, we welcomed Godson Nummber 2, Ezra, this summer. Cort, too, although I still haven't even met Paige, which is unforgivable.

4. Did anyone close to you die? My maternal grandmother, Mary Frances Jansen.

5. What countries did you visit? None. No visiting.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? Discipline.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? March 17: started at Emma. September 23, closed on our house. October 18, moving day.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? (I feel like I'm kind of beating this one into the ground) Buying our home.

9. What was your biggest failure? I can only think of snarky answers to this. This was kind of a winner-type year for me...

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Not at all, blessedly.

11. What was the best thing you bought? House? Again?

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? The majority of the USA, for making the right choice on election day.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? The rest of the USA, for making us worry too much before election day.

14. Where did most of your money go? Ah, that's an easy one: HOUSE. and food.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? House and new job.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008? It's terribly sad that I don't have an answer here. Maybe that Beyonce song about Single Ladies, because it's always stuck in my head.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
(a) Happier or Sadder? Happier
(b) Thinner or Fatter? Fatter
(c) Richer or Poorer? Poorer with debt, richer with equity.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Exercise.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Waste time at work.

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2008? Very low key evening at Dad's.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008? With 2607 Sandy Drive.

22. What was your favorite TV program? 30 Rock

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Sarah Palin. I just didn't know she existed this time last year.

24. What was the best book you read? The best book, or the one I enjoyed the most? Best: Atonement. Enjoyed: Eclipse.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? This was not my year for music. My greatest musical feat was my 20 hour Best Damn Songs playlist.

26. What did you want and get? Wall-E and an earring holder. And a house.

27. What did you want and not get? The house on Wayne, thank God. And a home equity line of credit, dammit.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? Wall-E!

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 31 and we had a big ice cream-themed party. With cupcakes in ice cream cones and vast amounts of sweets.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I got nothing here. I feel quite satisfied.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? The lack thereof.

32. What kept you sane? The boo.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Clive Owen, sweetie.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? More just a single man: Obama. He stirred me.

35. Who did you miss? Both my grandmothers, very much, especially at Christmas.

36. Who was the best new person you met? Not gonna pick on this one. The entire staff of Emma, for starters.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008: I'm learning to work hard for what I want to deserve.

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Happy new year, everyone! Hope everybody had a safe and fun holiday. We went party-hopping, with a stop at the How I Became the Bomb show at the Basement. Yesterday I heard a few Guilty Pleasures songs and got a little twinge of not wanting to miss them (again), so when the Bomb opened with 'Freedom 90' I couldn't have been happier. Awesomely hilarious. And I got to feed Teresa her birthday cupcake, so the night was a success.

Now today we were supposed to go to a brunch party but it's been canceled and I'm so glad. If I can just hang in there long enough for Castrillos to open, we're gonna have a good day. Tonight we've got a little dinner party planned (third in a week, wow) and I'm excited to see and catch up with Mike Mc, the oldest and dearest of friends. Tomorrow morning Austin leaves for a weekend in Kansas, and I'm going to spend the next four days working frenetically (first of the month at work is a rough time) and trying really hard not to shop. I can feel a shopaholic binge coming on and I'm just going to avoid it by staying home all the time. I swear. I bought Beedle the Bard yesterday, maybe I'll somehow get so sucked into it that I can resist the wild call of TJ Maxx. Although I will most likely venture NEAR a mall to see some movies. Who wants to go with me to see Bolt? Looks so damn cute.

Happy new year, y'all. This one's gonna be a great one, I can feel it.