I’ve been rather reflective the past few days, looking through old pictures and writings.  I cannot believe another decade has passed!  They always say how the years just fly by as you get older and when you’re in your teens and 20s, you can’t even believe it.  But here I am, on the downhill slope to thirty and can’t even remember where all the time went.

To start off, I found this meme over at Jenn’s that I figured I’d start out with.  I usually try to do one of these each year and can’t believe I missed last year (then again, I had a lot of things going on).  So let’s start with this as something to reflect on last year and move into the new one.

1.What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Pay off my car – I have had loans on three cars and this is the first one I ever paid off.

2.Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I’m pretty sure I didn’t make any resolutions because I never do.

3.Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.  We haven’t had too many births in quite awhile, come to think of it.

4.Did anyone close to you die?
Not this year, thank god.

5.What countries did you visit?
None.  I travel quite a bit but in the good ol’ United States.

6.What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
More balance in my life and a better financial grip on things.  (And maybe a new laptop!)

7.What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 25th – the day I paid off my car.  June 24th – the day they told me the clots were gone and I was “healed”.  June 25th – the day Michael Jackson died.  Dec 18th – driving to PA in a blizzard.  Mar 17th – the day my boss left and I knew things would change drastically (and I was right).

8.What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Cutting back on my caffeine intake and paying off my car, among other debts that I had.

9.What was your biggest failure?
Jacking my cards back up after paying them off.  They cut overtime and I was desperately trying to rework my entire budget.

10.Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was still recovering from the blood clots.  And among the various other klutzy injuries, I dropped the slate tile on my toe in June and had to have the nail aspirated.

11.What was the best thing you bought?
My iPhone 3Gs, hands down.

12.Whose behavior merited celebration?
Steve’s, for so many reasons.

13.Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I’d rather keep this to myself.

14.Where did most of your money go?
Bills, as always.  And entertainment.

15.What events did you get really, really, really excited about?
Pinks in April, Myrtle Beach in July, Savannah/staycation in August.

16.What song will always remind you of 2009?
If I had to pick based on what I heard over and over, probably a Black Eyed Peas song or “Party in the USA” by Miley or anything by Taylor Swift (which is funny, because last December I was playing her on rotation).  But I personally loved “Run This Town” by Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye (barf!) and anything by John Mayer.

17.Compared to this time last year, are you:
i.happier or sadder? Happier.
ii.thinner or fatter? I think I might be a bit thinner.
iii.richer or poorer? Poorer in the long term sense.

18.What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spend quality time with Steve and Sammy and actively pursue some of my hobbies

19.What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worry less about money and the house

20.How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas is PA with Steve’s family

21.Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Probably my mother, if only because she’s the only one I talk to most (everyone else is text, email or Facebook)

22.Did you fall in love in 2009?
I always fall in love with Steve.

23. How many one-night stands?
Zero.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Sons of Anarchy.  Dexter.  Weeds.  The Office.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nope, it’s pretty much about the same (I hate very few people)

26. What was the best book you read?
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

27. What was your greatest musical discovery or rediscovery?
John Mayer – I am so late to that party, it’s not even funny.

28. What did you want and get?
An iPhone – thanks baby!

29. What did you want and not get?
Nothing I couldn’t live without.

30. What were your favorite films of this year?
There were SOOOO many – but Star Trek, The Hangover, Transformers, Zombieland, and Avatar were hands down my favorites.

31.What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Steve made me a cake and dinner and surprised me by wrapping the iPod touch he got me into a box of Nutty Bars.  We had a quiet night in.  I turned 28.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying
Not losing my overtime at work (or at least having them compensate me a bit more after losing it)

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
As always, comfortable and easy.  I like soft and loose clothing.

34. What kept you sane?
Steve and my friends.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most/least?
Gerard Butler.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Nothing I’ll speak about.  I like to keep those opinions to myself.

37. Whom did you miss?
Our family, the ones who are far away.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
A couple of new friends, who never fail to make me laugh.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Keep calm and carry on.  I’m still trying to embrace this one but I need to learn to live by it.

40. Do you have any lost feelings of others.
I don’t quite understand this one.

41.Quote a song that sums up your year:
Life’s a game but it’s not fair
I break the rules so I don’t care
So I keep doin’ my own thing
Walkin’ tall against the rain
Victory’s within the mile
Almost there, don’t give up now
Only thing that’s on my mind
Is who’s gonna run this town tonight

I guess 2009 was a rather low key year for me.  Maybe 2010 will be more exciting.  Perhaps that should be one of my resolutions!