Happy New Year! Before 2009 gets too far underway, time to take an annual look back at the year that was by answering a few questions with this handy meme:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
   Saw the Decemberists in concert, hired someone, watched fireworks from a boat, installed kitchen cabinets.
   
2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
   Of course I didn’t keep my New Years’ resolutions (does anyone?) but I will absolutely make more for this year. One must live in hope.
   
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
   A couple of co-workers had kids this year, though one of them didn’t atually give birth, being a man and all.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
   No.
5. What countries did you visit?
   Just Canada. Wow, that’s kinda sad. No offense to Canada.
   
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
   A proper vacation.
   
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory?
   January 3: Iowa caucus; October 29: Phillies win the World Series; November 4: Election night
   
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
   I‘ve hired myself an assistant at The Workplace, though I probably shouldn’t count that yet since it isn’t officially official. Still, the thought of being able to give half my work to someone else fills me with the kind of glee usually reserved for six-year-olds on Christmas morning.
   
9. What was your biggest failure?
   After more than two years, we still have not published a single thing using our content management system. It’s really annoying.
   
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
    Nope, not even a cold or a papercut, for which I am very grateful.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
    A 1920s dining room set from Craigslist for $250. Sweet.
    
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
    President-elect Barack Obama!
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
    Illinois governor Rod “Bleeping” Blagojevich.
14. Where did most of your money go?
    Usual stuff: mortgage, food, electricity, gas, shiny baubles.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
    President-elect Barack Obama!
    
16. What song/album will always remind you of 2008?
    “Valerie Plame” by The Decemberists.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
    * happier or sadder? Happier. * thinner or fatter? The same. * richer or poorer? The same.
    
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
    Running, reading, taking pictures, playing my guitar, camping, travelling, going to the movies. Oh, and blogging. Definitely blogging.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
    Worrying/stressing about knucklehead stuff.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
    Down in Levittown, PA again. You can take the girl out of the suburbs, but you can’t take the suburbs out of the girl.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
    Mr. Goddess.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
    I fell in love in 1990, and it took.
23. How many one night stands in this last year?
    This year marked the 18th year of my one-night-stand dry spell.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
    I have developed an unhealthy obsession with West Wing reruns this year. I’m nearly finished with Season 4 on DVD. My goal is to finish all seven seasons of the perfect fantasy presidency before the perfect reality presidency begins on January 22.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
    I don’t “hate” anyone. I’m a lover, not a hater.
26. What was the best book(s) you read?
    John Adams by David McCullough.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    Not so much a discovery but a deeper appreciation of The Decemberists.
28. What did you want and get?
    President-elect Barack Obama!
29. What did you want and not get?
    A kitten, but that may been soon rectified.
30. What were your favourite films of this year?
    As usual at this time of year, there are still a lot of late releases and”awards movies” I haven’t seen yet. But my favorites so far are Iron Man, WALL-E, and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
    I turned 37 this year, and went to a swanky restaurant with Mr. Goddess.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
    I don’t know: the presidential election, a Phillies World Series win, and now the Eagles have somehow made it into the playoffs? I think this year had it all covered.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
    “Work-friendly” jeans and turtlenecks, if that qualifies as a concept.
34. What kept you sane?
    Mr. Goddess, Friday night political shows, Sunday morning coffee.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
    President-elect Barack Obama!
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
    Energy independence. So much else hinges on this one thing: growing the economy, national security, saving the planet. Stuff like that.
37. Who did you miss?
    Friends I can’t keep in touch with via Facebook or Twitter.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
    Believe it or not, Mr. Goddess and I have started playing bridge on Sunday nights. I know, it’s very Harvey-Wallbanger-and-deviled-eggs, but it’s also very fun and the new bridge players are a fun
    bunch.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
    Nothing gets better by putting it off till later.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
    We are the champions, my friends
    And we’ll keep on fighting till the end
    We are the champions
    We are the champions
    No time for loser, cuz we are the champions
    Of the world.
    – Queen