Year in Review Meme

I've been seeing this (in various forms) around the internet and it struck me as a fun thing to do. This one was stolen from Reassigned Time (who received tenure this year in a record-breaking amount of time -- seriously, is it just my University that takes forever and a day with tenure and promotion decisions?):

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

• Applied for tenure and promotion.
• Held my dying kitty as he was put to sleep.
• Gave an oral presentation to a room full of hundreds of experts at a conference.
• Visited the Northern Cascades in Washington State.
• Published peer-reviewed papers in a new (to me) field.
• Made the switch from PC to Mac.
  

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn't make any new year's resolutions and don't plan to make any this year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes! One beautiful baby girl.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Beloved kitty. No humans.

5. What countries did you visit?

2008 was unusual for me; I did very little traveling.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

I would like to renew my passion for teaching. The whole tenure and promotion application process (and subsequent waiting) has left me feeling flat and uninspired. Apparently this is perfectly normal, but understanding its normalcy doesn't do anything for my lack of enthusiasm these days. I have been constantly startled that my student evaluations have come back as strong as ever over the past term, because each time that I've finished any teaching session I've walked away feeling like I failed them all with my blah-ness.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

September 1st, the day that I submitted my tenure & promotion application.
September 20th, the day beloved kitty lost his fight against his CV illnesses.
November 4th, the day that Obama won the election and gave his moving speech.
November 22nd, the day that two new sweet little (terrorist) kitties came into my life.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Everything tenure-related. Also the paying down of my student loan debt. It will all be gone in less than another year and then it's on to home ownership. I cannot wait.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I can't think of any particular concrete failures.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I hate to think of them as "property" but I suppose that since I paid an adoption fee, I have to say my two new kitties.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

All of my awesome friends (real and virtual), family and neighbours who really helped pull me through beloved kitty's death. The outpouring of support, empathy and sympathy was overwhelming and will not soon be forgotten.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

In the political world: Sarah Palin.
In my personal world: A colleague. But colleague's behaviour is an on-going problem, not new to 2008 but certainly persistent through it.

14. Where did most of your money go?

I became really aggressive about paying off my student loan, so the answer would be to the student loan people.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Hm. I can't say that anything got me three reallys excited. I will have to work on that in 2009.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

"All Summer Long" by Kid Rock. I wish that he would get over himself and release it to iTunes because I would buy that one song in a second but am generally not a fan, so I won't buy the entire album for that one song.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) the same b) the same c) richer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Taken long bicycle rides. 2008 was a year of short rides -- I really miss those 4+ hours long bicycle rides.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

I can't think of anything.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Christmas was a quiet affair with the highlight being a group of loved ones around a table over-flowing with yummy food.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Did I fall in love? Well, no. But I've got lots of love, both coming in and going out.

22. How many one-night stands?

Zero.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

Don't laugh: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I've always enjoyed the Terminator movies so I quickly became an addict of the television show.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Nope.

25. What was the best book you read?

There was no single best one but many fantastic ones.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Musical discovery? Huh?

27. What did you want and get?

A plane ticket to visit Cape Town, South Africa in 2009. It's been far too many years since I visited all of my friends there so I took the plunge and forked out thousands of dollars for the ridiculously high priced ticket.

28. What did you want and not get?

Not much; I've been pretty lucky. I suppose the only outstanding thing is a publication that was submitted in September and there still has not been a peep from the editors. It's been listed as "under peer review" for four months and I really wish that someone would get off of their butt and either accept it or reject it already.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

I'm not much of a movie goer, but I did recently rent WallE and was surprisingly delighted by it.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 25 (ha ha) and spent my birthday at the lovely Sun Mountain Lodge, hiking mountain slopes covered with flowers -- it all made me feel like I was Heidi skipping through the Swiss Alps. It was wonderful.

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

I've had a pretty satisfying year. Maybe more travel and (as mentioned above) some longer bike rides.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

Fashion?

33. What kept you sane?

I have not for a moment doubted my sanity in 2008.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Obama.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?

The election.

36. Who did you miss?

I can't think of anyone that I miss because I keep in regular contact with the people who are important to me, no matter how far apart in the world we are.

37. Who was the best new person you met?

I've met a few new friends in 2008 and each has been as terrific as the next.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

I didn't learn any one particular lesson but more a series of small ones that I think come naturally with becoming older and (hopefully) wiser: patience with my own limitations and the limitations of others, a deeper acceptance for individuals' behaviours and a much deeper appreciation for the people in my life.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Nothing in particular comes to mind.