So here are the questions and my answers.

• What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
  I am sure there must be something, but I can’t think of anything?!
• Did anyone close to you give birth?
  ya THINK?! Mona, obviously. a few friends/acquaintances also gave birth this month, but Mona’s the big one.
• Did anyone close to you die?
  my birthfather . . . and three former co-workers from the phone company.
• What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
  The discipline/obedience to tithe, no matter what. (that one’s the same as last year’s! but I *am* making it a New Year’s resolution.) Also, probably the ability to “let go” of things (or Monas!) that I have no control over.
• What was your biggest failure of the year?
  I guess not getting around to finding a new job. Should I count the bankruptcy/foreclosure here? I guess I “should” feel like that’s a “failure”, but I sort of see it as just being “me”.
• Where did most of your money go?
  I don’t know. Have YOU seen  it? But seriously, probably on going out to eat, and paying for others to go out to eat. Plus some cute baby clothes, toys, etc.
  
• Compared to this time last year:
  • are you happier or sadder?
    sadder . . . but not as sad as I was a month or two ago, so I suppose that’s a good thing.
  • thinner or fatter?
    I think fatter, but not by a whole lot.
  • richer or poorer?
    definitely poorer-but in a way, once the bankruptcy happens, I’ll be “less” poor because my net worth won’t be QUITE so far in the negative
• What do you wish you’d done more of?
  Blogging . . . setting better boundaries . . . sleeping–you can never have enough naps!
• What do you wish you’d done less of?
  Trying to control people and things that cannot and will not be controlled.
• What was the best book you read?
  Um, let’s see, did I read an entire book this year? I’m currently going through Tim Wise’s White like Me and an old (1960’s) book called The Education of a WASP–a way-ahead-of-her-time diatribe on white privilege.  
• What was your favorite film of this year?
  Umm . . . not The Secret Life of Bees; that one was disappointing. Ummm . . . 27 Dresses was cute; so was Sex and the City. I can’t believe I haven’t seen Mama Mia yet! But my favorite movie in the theater this year was definitely A Christmas Story when I saw it on the big screen–I know it didn’t come out this year, but seriously?! it was SOOOO cool to see it in the theater!!!
• What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
  Is it awful if I say, “if I’d had my OWN kid instead of watching everyone else have kids”? Barring that, a career change would have been nice.
• Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
  I can’t control what people do. Women will flock towards stupid men like a moth to a flame and there’s not a @#$% thing anyone can do about it.
  I’m sure there are other lessons, but that’s one that I feel like I’m still learning, and it’s on my mind a lot tonight.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!!!