as the year winds down...

saw this on a few different blogs & thought it would make a good New Year post =)

One last look at 2006...

What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?
finally started doing what *I* need to do for me, even if that means telling people "no"

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
i have never been one to make resolutions. i don't think i will start now.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
no new babies in 2006

Did anyone close to you die?
not anyone very close to me. i recently learned that my grandfather's sister, Emma, passed away not to long ago, at the ripe age of 96.

What countries did you visit?
no countries, unless the ones at Epcot's World Showcase count. ;-) i did visit California for the first time though!

What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
peace. confidence. and a Red Sox championship. ;-)

What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 11, 2006 & August 24, 2006: two pivotal days after which my life will forever be changed.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
standing up for myself

What was your biggest failure?
second-guessing myself

Did you suffer illness or injury?
not that i can recall. a minor sniffle. some cuts & bumps. the worse one was the suitcase attack on my calf that resulted in a huge bruise & a lump that lasted two months!

What was the best thing you bought?
gifts for the people i love =)

Whose behavior merited celebration?
for once, my own

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
ummmmm... i think i am going to leave that in 2006...

Where did most of your money go?
freaking car insurance! ugh!

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
visiting Nichole & Daniel. attending a Red Sox game (even if it was in Tampa).

What song will always remind you of 2006?
"The Promise" by Tracy Chapman

Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter?c) richer or poorer?
i am happier, the same size & richer in more ways than i can possibly put into words...

What do you wish you'd done more of?
paying attention to that little voice that whispers into my subconscious

What do you wish you'd done less of?
fighting so many things...

How did you spending Christmas?
with people i love, who want nothing more than for me to be happy & to start making *good* memories

Did you fall in love in 2006?
uhhhh... moving right along...

How many one-night stands?
i don't believe in one-night stands...

What was your favorite TV program?
anything Red Sox or Patriots or Brett Favre-related. Grey's Anatomy. Boston Legal.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
hate? i don't have space to hate. i would rather spend my energy & thoughts on the people who are worth spending such precious things on & simply cut loose those who are toxic before they poison me further.

What was the best book you read?
i didn't read anything that particularly struck me in such a way that i still remember it now.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
i can't possibly pick one song, because music affects me so deeply & there were many songs that meant something special to me throughout the year so... i will say my greatest "musical discovery" is the player i have on my blog right now that actually gives me a lot of control over the playlist i have here on my blog.

What did you want and get?
space to be me. to heal. to redefine. to rest. to feel safe.

What was your favorite film of this year?
wow. i saw very little in the theater. i saw some movies on dvd though. enjoyed The Notebook & The Wedding Date. was completely surprised & *really* liked The Lord of the Rings trilogy, even if it was a lot to absorb -- especially when you watch the whole thing (the extended version with all the deleted scenes, even!) in one 24-hour period of time!

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
i didn't do much *on* my actual birthday, but the weekend afterward, i went to California & got to play at Disneyland with two of my favorite people. this year was "a big one." i turned thirty.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
leaping sooner...

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
still classic, now with lots more red.

What kept you sane?
the people who love me

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
i really like Brad Paisley & Kimberly Williams. they seem so real. and completely in love.

Who did you miss?
so many people. for so many different reasons.

Who was the best new person (people) you met?
hands down, Nichole & Daniel.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006
sometimes the only answer is to simply walk away.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Life ain't always beautiful
Sometimes it's just plain hard
Life can knock you down, it can break your heart...

No, life ain't always beautiful
Tears will fall sometimes
Life ain't always beautiful
But it's a beautiful ride...

But the struggles makes me stronger
And the changes make me wise
And happiness has its own way of takin' its sweet time...
(from "Life Ain't Always Beautiful", Gary Allan)