The 2009 Meme
1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Let’s see…I went to a beer dinner, where I first tasted hop-cured bacon. Visited Mystic Seaport. Renewed wedding vows on a professional baseball field.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t bother with resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, our eldest kitteh, Dusty.
5. What countries did you visit?
None
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
The joy of not having to see the inside of a hospital room, and a real summer.
7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 16, the day that Mike’s hospital nightmares began.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I think it was finally getting Mike to realize that his doctor and the hospital he was affiliated with was bad news. Basically, I forced the hellhole hospital to release him, because he was just getting sicker and they were doing nothing to help him. After I got him released, I took him to Lahey Clinic, and things started to look up from there. It was truly one of the best decisions I ever made.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Believing other people’s lies, letting people push me around.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
My anxiety attacks started up again, after all of Mike’s hospital crap was over and done with. Thought it was a heart attack, spent a night at the Lahey ER. Miraculously, though, I did not get the flu this year, even though flu shots were hard to find, and I never got one.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Probably my ASUS netbook. No more having to use public hotel computers, or Mike’s work laptop, when we travel!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mike’s. After all of the health scare stuph, he has become religious about taking his insulin, going to his doctors’ appointments, and such. I’m proud of him for wanting to stay alive for me, the kittehs, and most of all, himself.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The nurses on the fourth floor of Melrose-Wakefield Hospital. Very rude to me, and they let Mike sit in his own waste, also caused him to get a Hugh Jass bruise that no one could explain. They are all lucky we have decided not to sue.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Other than the usual rent, food, bills…I’d say minor league baseball tickets, and weekend trips.
15. What events did you get really, really, really excited about?
New Hampshire Fisher Cats Opening Day. Maine Brewers Festival. New Hampshire Brewers Festival. The fall Drink Craft Beer dinner.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Anything by Michael Jackson. I still feel sad when I hear any of them. We lost a great talent in 2009.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i.happier or sadder? Happier
ii.thinner or fatter? About the same
iii.richer or poorer? About the same
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Scrapbooking and other crafting
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Laundry? LOL!
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent it at home with Mike and the kittehs!
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Probably Mike, when he was stuck in the hospital.
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Nope, already happily married!
23. How many one-night stands?
None, see #22.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
The Good Wife
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Let’s see…hated the New York Y*****s last year, still hate them now. Hated George W. Bush last year, hate him slightly less now that he’s no longer President. So no, guess not!
26. What was the best book you read?
Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper. It’s the story of a blind cat named Homer, and how he changed the author’s life for the better.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery or rediscovery?
Nothing in particular comes to mind.
28. What did you want and get?
A new computer monitor, a NuWave oven, the aforementioned netbook, lots of baseball tickets. We didn’t do Christmas gifts this year, so this is stuff I bought throughout the year.
29. What did you want and not get?
A better place to live.
30. What were your favorite films of this year?
Julie & Julia
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 49. I don’t remember what I did, as either Mike was in the hospital, or was between stints in the hospital. The Big 5-0 had better be better!
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Winning the Powerball. That, or at least seeing Mike’s former doctor lose his license to practice medicine.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
T-shirts with baseball or beer logos, jeans, sneakers. It’ll be the same again in 2010.
34. What kept you sane?
The internet, where I was able to vent about all of the shit that was going on. And baseball. I have NEVER had an anxiety attack while sitting in a ballpark.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most/least?
If “fancy” means a romantic type of thing, nobody. But who did I like the most or least who was in the public eye this year? Most – Captain Sully, of “Miracle on the Hudson” fame. Least – OctoMom, may she just go away already!
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I’ll have to say health care. Mike and I are very fortunate to have good insurance that pays for most everything we need. But not a day goes by when I don’t read blogs, Tweets, Facebook posts from friends, complaining about health care coverage issues. Either they can’t afford insurance at all, or they can’t get any due to pre-existing conditions, or they have insurance but it sucks and barely pays for anything (we were once in that last boat, with Suckna). Something needs to be done, and it has to be something that is within the reach of everyone, not just people with money.
37. Whom did you miss?
Our departed Dusty-cat.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Two, actually…Devon and Jeff of Drink Craft Beer. I hope to see a lot of them again at their various 2010 events!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
If something is not right, speak up and take action. If I hadn’t done so, perhaps I’d be a widow now.
40. Do you have any lost feelings of others?
Not really.
41. Quote a song that sums up your year:
Don’t you know I’m still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I’m still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
~”I’m Still Standing” by Elton John
1Kat
wrote on 1 January 2010 at 0:35
That was a great recap of your year!
Thanks for posting it!
Kat´s last blog ..2009, A meme.
2Agnes
wrote on 2 January 2010 at 11:12
First time here (via blogcatalog).
Hospitals are not much fun, I agree.
Have a great year, Christine:-)