2010 The Year That Was - A Meme

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***UPDATE: The Linky has gone live....

Head on over to Grace's blog to add your post!!***

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This is a meme I found over at my friend Grace's blog, Sandier Pastures, where she tells of being an ex-pat living in Dubai. She is such a lovely woman with a beautiful 7 year old daughter named Pristine who has a heart of gold. Grace's photographs are amazing and she explains life in Dubai in such an incredible way and always answers any question I have without ever making me feel like an idiot (which many of you know, I can be). Please take some time to check out her blog when you have a minute.  Also feel free to copy these questions and answer them (Grace said skip any you don't fee like answering) and then on the last day of the year, Grace will post her answers and include a linky for us to add our posts. 


So come on, let's see how everyone's year has gone.....






1. What did you do in 2010 that you hadn’t done before?  There were a few firsts for me: I went to my first blogging conference;  I sent a son off to war and THANKFULLY welcomed him home safe and sound;  I hand fed squirrels;  I got my first DSLR camera ( and took TONS of photos);  I began co-hosting a meme with my dear friend Dolly from XmasDolly (shameless plug: please check it out on "Mondays's at Monday's Music Moves Me" - end of shameless plug).  I also rode on an airboat and sat on an alligator's back - both things I plan on doing again! The last thing I did in 2010 that I have never done before is turn 45 years old... TeeHee!!

 





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2. Did anyone close to you give birth?  No... and certainly NOT me!!



3. Did anyone close to you die?  Thankfully no. But I had several friends that lost loved ones and I was very sad for them.



4. Did you travel? Where did you go?  Unfortunately no... and I am SO in need of a vacation.

5. Best thing you bought?  We put a down payment on a new home that is being built... hopefully we will be able to sell the one we are in and get into the new one that is only one story instead of two - these stairs are killing me!



6. Where did most of your money go?  The above mentioned house and our doggies.

7. What do you wish you had done more of?  Travel

8. What do you wish you had done less of?  Been in pain!

9. What kept you sane?  My spectacular husband, my adorable puppies, my fabulous children and my WONDERFUL bloggy friends.


10. What drove you mad?  My laptop - three crashes in one year! UGH!!

11. What made you celebrate?  Getting to meet some of my bloggy friends at two blogging conventions:

12. What made you sad?  Having my son in Afghanistan and worrying about him every time I listened to the news. I wasn't able to talk to him very often and had to wait until he had access to the Internet so he could post on Facebook.

13. How was your birthday this year?  Nice but quiet, Bill took me out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in town, Celebration Town Tavern.  I even had dessert and an after dinner coffee that had about eleventy-billion calories, but, hey... you only turn 25 about twenty times.


14. What political issue stirred you the most this year?  Health care reform... Bill and I are both on a Medicare HMO and it costs us SO much, especially for my medications. However, we are LUCKY we have health care, there are so many people who don't. Something reasonable has to be done.

15. Were you in love in 2010?  Madly, deeply with this adorable man.....

16. What would you like to have in 2011 that you didn’t have this year?  My new house!!

17. What date from 2010 will be etched in your memory and why?  November 17th - the day my son Nikolaus came home from Afghanistan. YIPPEE!!

18. What song will remind you of 2010?  I really can't think of a current song as I don't really listen to popular music, I'm more of a classic rock and roll girl. But the first song that popped into my head when I read this question was:





19. Compared to this time last year are you happier?  About the same.

20. Biggest achievement this year?  Surviving! Neither Bill or I were in the hospital this year - YEAH!! That is a huge accomplishment over 2009 when we were both in multiple times.

21. Biggest disappointment this year?  Not being able to sell this house and get into our new house before the end of the year. Fingers crossed for early next year.


22. What is the one thing that would have made you more satisfied?  I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, but I would really have wanted to get into our new house.


23. Best new person you met this year?  Lisa Johnston... hands down!!

24. A valuable life lesson you learned this year?  Unfortunately, it's that you cannot trust people.

25. How was your health in 2010?  Somewhat better than 2009, but still not very good. I have spinal stenosis and arthritis and have had two surgeries, it is a chronic condition so I am in pain and have headaches every day. Some days are better than others, but I am VERY lucky that Bill is so helpful and wonderful to me, and the doggies are sweet when I don't feel well.

26. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?  I don't usually make any except to lose weight every year. I did manage to lose 25 pounds in 2010 and I need to lose about 20 more.

27. What countries did you visit?  Didn't get to travel at all this year except locally.


28. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?  Bet you all know by now... TeeHee - my new house.



29. Did you suffer hardship in 2010?  Besides my chronic pain and some financial hardships, just missing my children.

30. Whose behavior merited celebration?  My son Nikolaus along with all those serving our country both here and abroad. God bless our troops!

31. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? All those horrible celebrities and sports stars that wasted their millions and did awful things to themselves and others.

 



32. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My son coming home from war, my blog taking off and getting to go to TWO blogging conventions.


33. Compared to this time last year, are you:  (I think I answered these already)


i. happier or sadder?  About the same.


ii. thinner or fatter?  Thinner, thankfully - but I have more to go!


iii. richer or poorer?  Poorer... and thanks to the government, we will not be getting an increase in our Social Security in 2011. They say that there hasn't been enough of an increase in inflation to warrant an increase in our checks... god knows what they've been looking at, everything I've had to pay for has gone up.

34. How did you spend the New Year’s?  We watched the Twilight Zone marathon (as we are going to do again this year - WooHoo Syfy channel) while eating a delicious meal of standing rib roast, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Then watched the ball drop at Times Square had a toast of champagne to each other and another year together. Then we went to bed at 12:15a.m.  We are really big party animals, TeeHee!!  We were supposed to go to some friends' house for a party, but their son had a medical emergency and the party got cancelled.

35. How many one-night stands?  Never in my life, honest.


36. What was your favorite TV program?  Supernatural... LOVE me some Winchester boys!!

37. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?  Not that I can think of... I generally don't hate people unless they hurt children, women,  or animals.

38. What was the best book you read?  WOW, that is really hard, I've read so many books it's hard to pick one that is the best, but I think it would probably be The Inquisitor by Peter Clement.


39. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?  Straight No Chaser.




40. What did you want and get?  I wanted my son to come home from war safe and with all his parts... I was SO lucky to get that because there are so many families that are not as fortunate. Please continue to pray with me that all our troops come home soon, and remember to thank any member of the military or their family for the sacrifice that they make on our behalf.




41. What did you want and not get?  You guessed it.... my new house. (Are you getting sick of hearing about that yet???  I know I am!)







42. What was your favorite film that you watched this year?  Avatar - it was AMAZING!!










43. What one experience do you never want to repeat from this year?  Sending my son off to war... and I hope some day that no mother ever has to do that again!!

44. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?  Comfortable - some day's I never even put shoes on... HaHa!!

45. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?  That one is SO easy you could even ask my hubby and he could tell you:

46. Who did you miss?  My boys, neither one was able to come down for a visit in 2010 because of Nikolaus being in Afghanistan and Alexander having a new job and not getting any vacation time. Hopefully they will both be able to come down early in 2011. I really miss them SO much and would love for them both to come down together.

47. Quote that sums up your year:  “Remember when you see a man at the top of a mountain, he didn’t fall there.”   Author Unknown

48. Was 2010 a good year for you?  For the most part, it was OK.

49. What was your favorite moment of the year?  When I heard that my son, Nikolaus, landed safely on American soil.

50. What was your least favorite moment of the year?  When I said good bye to Nikolaus at the airport for him to leave for Afghanistan.

51. Where were you when 2010 began?  At home.

52. Who were you with?  With my dearest true love, Bill and with Nano - the only dog we owned at the time... boy a lot can happen in one year. HaHa

53. Do you have a new year’s resolution for 2011?  Just to lose 20 more pounds and get in that damn house! HaHa

54. What was your favorite month of 2010?  Wow, that's a tough one, we did some great things each month and had some rough times each month, but I think the summer months are my favorite because I HATE the cold!

55. What was your favorite song in 2010?  I don't have a favorite song from the year, I don't even know any popular songs from the year. (see question # 18)

56. What was your favorite record from 2010? Well, my favorite album of all time is Night at the Opera by Queen, so let's use that one.

57. How many concerts did you see in 2010? None... so sad! :-(

58. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2010?  Nope - doesn't mix well with my meds!

59. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2010?  Only the ones given to me by my doctors. TeeHee - Better living through pharmacology, I always say!

60. How many people did you sleep with in 2010?  Just my hubby; and of course the six doggies! I has gotten worse since it has been cold down here, they DO NOT like this cold weather, they like to cuddle with us.

61. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?  Not that I can think of, but if I did, there is no way in hell that I would admit it on my blog. HaHa!!

62. What was the worst lie someone told you in 2010?  You'll have the money by the end of the month! See answer to # 24.

63. Did you treat somebody badly in 2010?  I don't think so, I try really hard to be good to everyone.

64. Did somebody treat you badly in 2010?  Yes, but I don't want to discus it on a public blog.

65. What was your most embarrassing moment of 2009?  I can't think of anything, I don't go out too much, so there really isn't much of an opportunity for me to embarrass myself. Please let me know if you know anything I've done..... and send photos, I'd love to have them!

66. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2010 and change something, what would it be?  I don't think I would change anything in my own life... whatever happens in your life makes you who you are... I would like to change my son going to Afghanistan, but it is something that he was proud to do. It is his duty and he would never shirk his responsibility. What an amazing young man he is!

67. What are you most looking forward to in 2011?  What do you think??? HaHa



So, I hope you answer these questions and link up with Grace when she posts the linky on the 31st, plus let me know, I want to see how your year went.

Wishing you all a wonderful new year full of happiness, health and love.

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