The annual quiz for Posterity’s Sake
January 5, 2010 | Memes
Here’s what I said last year. If you should have a blog, I recommend doing this! It’s so interesting to see what your little time capsule contains a year later.
1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
I became a mama! Yes, he was born in 08, but all the work was done this year.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I make resolutions on my birthday. This is not the time of year for goal setting. I will say that the holidays were extra sloth-like and debaucherous for me, and I’m making an effort to move more and eat less, without getting all resolution-y about it.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Last year, I listed 8 people! This year, just my friend Megan, who had another little boy. I know a ton of people who are pregnant right now, though.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My grandfather did, my Dad’s Dad. He was my last grandparent. He had Alzheimer’s, so he’s been gone for years, but it was still really sad. Sad to see my family grieveing. Looking at him lying there in his hospital bed, I had all these weird thoughts about Clark someday being an old man, dying, with his family gathered around him, and I just sobbed.
5. What countries did you visit?
Ha! Ha ha ha. This was not a year for international travel. We did visit San Fransisco, Las Vegas, and New Orleans, however.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
My groove. I want it back. I want to feel good in my body and I want to let go of some negative thought patterns that have been haunting me for too long.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
October 10th was the day we moved into our new house! That’s all I can think of, really. Lots of momentous stuff happened in 09, but not with many dates attached.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Starting a business! I have SO MUCH further to go, but I should probably stop and recognize that this time last year, I hadn’t even thought about Ginger Jacobs Photography. It’s crazy how much work goes into being a small business owner.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Without going into too great of detail, I messed up a photography job in the fall and I am STILL dealing with it. I hate checking my email right now.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, thank goodness. I never even got a cold this year.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
The iPhone. Resistance is futile.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I am very thankful for police officers. Let me say that I was once quite the hippie with a healthy disdain for law enforcement. Since my sister has become a cop, however, I’ve become aware that cops are social workers for the most part. I’m thankful that when the crazy lady hears something in her attic, when a mom can’t control her teenager, or any of the many other scenarios my sister gets called to occur, that there are police officers to help.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
This one is easy for me, but I can’t really get into it.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Food, I would guess. Eating healthily is freaking expensive.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Photography. Every time I get a good image, my heart does a little dance of joy.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Probably Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus. You’re welcome for that little earworm.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier!
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter!
c) richer or poorer? Poorer!
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Exercised. My poor horse is skittish these days. I get on, fall off, and away she goes.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Thought about the situation referenced in number 13, definitely. So unhealthy.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
At my family’s house, as usual. Presents followed by omelets, then lying around.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I said Clark last year, but I didn’t know what I was talking about. The real love happened about 4 months in and has continued at an alarming rate.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
We started watching How I Met Your Mother this year. It’s such a great show. And OMG, my love for NPH knows no bounds. Thanks go to our friends M&M for lending us the first couple of seasons.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hmm. No. I suppose not.
24. What was the best book you read?
To be honest, I did the least amount of reading this year than since before I learned how, I think. Nothing is jumping out at me as being earthshattering. I very much enjoyed I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith, however. Thanks, Rona!
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I can’t think of anyone new this year. I’m a bit out of touch. Recommend me some new music, please.
26. What did you want and get?
A new house!
27. What did you want and not get?
I’m so stinking blessed. I have no answer for this.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I didn’t see that many movies this year, surprise surprise. (Jeez! I’m so boring! I need to exit this cave, STAT.) Recently, we watched Away We Go, which I loved.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 33. There was dinner at my parent’s house, then SB arranged for some fun folks to meet us at The Tempest for drinks and cupcakes.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
My horse. Staying on it. Exercise is so important to my mental health, but my needs in general did not come first this year. I’m not blaming it all on the baby, but most of it anyway!
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Ha. Ha ha ha. Whatever fit, decorated with various baby detritus.
32. What kept you sane?
My incredible friends. I could never say enough how much they mean to me. When something sad happened to me, my best ladies helped me to feel better about myself, helped me pick up my broken pieces. (Special shout out to Tiana, Rona, and Marguerite. HOLLA!) I even made a couple of new friends this year whom I am ever so thankful for. Making friends as an adult isn’t easy, but I managed to pick up a few new ones who I think are going to be around for a while. I’m so lucky!
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Neil. Patrick. Harris. Loooooooooooooooooooooooooove.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The frigging Health Care debate. I know what we ended up with is nothing to write home about, but it’s a start. I am choosing to think about it like Light Rail. There’s always an ambitious plan, then something tiny actually gets built and everyone complains that it cost millions but doesn’t go very far. But you have to start somewhere. More lines will eventually be added, and future generations will be glad we made a start.
35. Who did you miss?
Heather. Again.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
I actually met Marguerite last year, but this year we got to be good buddies. She is the coolest.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
I learned to appreciate your friends every day. All the time. Tell them you love them. Tell them how important they are to you.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I got this quiz from Sundry, and she has changed this question to a quote, which is easier to think of. Given how much time I have spent obsessing about something unimportant, this quote is something I am trying to repeat often enough that it sticks:
“What other people think of me is none of my business.”
I can’t seem to find who said it first. Anyway, to me it means, stop obsessing about why someone does or doesn’t like you. You’ll never get the answer and it just leads to negative thoughts.
Well, friends, thanks for reading if you made it this far! I hope to get to posts about our trip later this week. We survived 6 hours on an airplane with a one year old, but JUST.
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January 6th, 2010 at 9:08 am, Tiana (like the princess. HA!) Says:
As a non-regular commenter on(but an avid follower of) the blog, this post inspired me to do just that. I hope you feel the same amount of pride in writing down those many 2009 accomplishments as I do in reading them. And hot damn, I didn’t even do them! Thank you for your honesty and inspiring quest for living in the center of yourself. I love you.
January 6th, 2010 at 4:51 pm, Leah Says:
omelets?
January 6th, 2010 at 7:35 pm, Rona Says:
Lovely Jenny, I laughed, I cried, I loved this post. And I’m putting it on my blog, too. Thanks for being a stellar friend!
January 6th, 2010 at 7:51 pm, Amy Says:
I love that you blog Jenny. Enjoying a glass of wine while reading your reflections on a year well lived is truly satisfying. Cheers!
January 7th, 2010 at 11:32 pm, Jenny Says:
Princess Tiana: I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE that you just commented. Huge! You are so sweet, my dear. XOXO
Leah: Did I spell it wrong? WHAT?
Rona: No, YOU!
Amy: Aww. Thanks, love. Are you really still drinking?
January 8th, 2010 at 2:58 am, Leah Says:
omelets for Christmas! We had smoked salmon, caviar and creamed goats cheese blinis, pumpkin and chestnut soup, roasted Turkey and also Goose, goose fat roasted potatoes, mashed carrot and swede, sprouts, boiled new potatoes, cranberry and port sauce, honey roast parsnips, 2 types of gravy, Harrods Christmas pudding with brandy butter and double cream followed by a mountain of presents under the tree (incidentally going the whole hog with coloured and white lights) – were we being excessive in Liverpool if you had omelet…….actually i’m not sure if it’s spelt Omelette being a french derivative and all that but don’t forget you spell colour color.
I hope it was a special omelet.
January 9th, 2010 at 6:25 am, hliv Says:
do you think one day we won’t have to miss each other anymore? if so i hope we are both living somewhere exotic? maybe when we are old and retired? We are thinking spring and fall in NYC, travel in the winter and summers. sound good?
January 9th, 2010 at 6:26 am, hliv Says:
um and I just have to say that it makes me so happy to be that person every year…btw…you rock, you know you are my on the horse, groove idol, so glad to hear you are working the yoga again…baby steps with the baby…