2009: Glad It's Over

This is going around my feed reader and though I am loathe to return to the Myspacey meme, it's not a bad way to keep track of the year.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? I didn't have a job that paid me a salary. My job was mama and I'm surprised how well it suited me. I thought I'd miss working.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I did not make any resolutions and I have not planned any for this year. I've never been much for making them on January 1st.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? My brother's wife. They had their baby boy in October, and I've yet to meet him. I hope they come to visit soon!

4. Did anyone close to you die? No, we've been fortunate.

5. What countries did you visit? The South.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Sadly, money. CS didn't get paid in December because he works for the worst employer in the world. Only a total shithead would not pay his workers before Christmas.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Jacob turning one. CS proposing on Christmas morning.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Finally trying to get in shape after having Jacob. I realized that I needed to do a lot of work on my body right before he turned one and I'm happy with my size now. I still need to work on it, but I fit into my clothes again!

9. What was your biggest failure? Not investing enough time into finding something for me to do to contribute to our finances. We can't afford for me to not work, but I cannot put Jacob in Daycare.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Only a few minor colds and one bad case of eczema.

11. What was the best thing you bought? A new phone. I was so sick of old, broken hand-me-downs and I am so happy with my new one. I just need it to last two years.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My mom. She's the only reason that I have been able to pay my bills on time the last six months. I feel horrible for needing so much of her help financially and I'm so grateful for how gracious she has been about it.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? CS's bosses. I have never been more disgusted with anyone as I have been at them. I want to take Jacob over to his house and demand that he apologize for not paying CS and ruining Christmas for a child.

14. Where did most of your money go? CS's truck. And moving three times.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Moving to Alabama. I was so looking forward to being there and I am still depressed that we didn't get to stay.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009? "I'm Yours" by Jason Marz. It's a magic song! Jacob loves it and it can always calm him down or put him to sleep.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? The same.
b) thinner or fatter?Thinner
c) richer or poorer? Poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Taking pictures and writing more letters.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Worried about money. It's so consuming of my life. I wake up in the middle of the night and start calculating what we have and what is due and what we can't pay this month. It's stressful and I hate it but unless I get a job, there isn't much I can do to change it.

20. How did you spend Christmas? We stayed at my mom's house and opened presents there before sitting down to eat dinner. I got to make it for the first time ever and I loved it! We went to CS's grandma's afterwards and opened presents at his house before playing games and eating dinner.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009? Every day.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Glee. I just love it!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I hate CS's boss.

24. What was the best book you read? I re-read a lot of books this year that I have packed away over the years. But "The Help" was certainly the best NEW one I read.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? I suspect that Kings of Leon would be if I could have downloaded the CD that Audrey sent me months ago.

26. What did you want and get? A second bowl for my KitchenAid, a Product(RED) water bottle and iTunes cards.

27. What did you want and not get? A juicer for my mixer, a house of my own.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? I have seen so few movies this year, so I am not qualified to answer this. Both Harry Potter and New Moon disappointed me. Although I did watch Harry Potter 3 times in 24 hours, so maybe that helps.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 26 and we had dinner at my mom's house. I made the Car Bomb cupcakes. We had a 2nd dinner at CS's house and I made peach cupcakes that were not as good.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Not having to worry about whether or not CS had a job, or if we were going to get paid on time, or if there was an end in sight of debt and living with parents.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Rediscovering clothes that have been in storage for the past two years.

32. What kept you sane? My son, my mom, CS.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Elmo, he's the bee's knees.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? Healthcare. Back in AL, when we took Jacob to a doctor for his trouble with pooping and we spend $180 on a five minute visit with a doctor, I flipped out. I cannot believe that I can't take my child in for an issue without insurance. That since I cannot afford insurance, I cannot afford for my family to be sick.

35. Who did you miss? CS when he was gone, my mom when I was gone.

36. Who was the best new person you met? Jessica, she's my workout buddy and fellow stay at home mom to a toddler. I'm worried she is going to move away to North Dakota and I will be all alone with Jillian Michaels.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. It can always be worse.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "I'm down to my last drink/time to sell my things/pack my bags and never look back/run a parallel line with the railroad track/make my get away" Love and Theft "Runaway"