2014 Year in Review

Here's my annual review.  I probably need to find some new questions for next year - some of them I've answered the same way for the past several years.

1. What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?

Go to Niagara Falls.

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

I don't think I've ever made a resolution and kept it so I will probably not kid myself by making some for this year.  I still need to lose weight - maybe I'll finally come through on that.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Nope - all my friends and family are fairly old.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully, no.  

5. What countries did you visit?

I saw Canada from the US side of Niagara Falls - does that count?  We didn't get passports so we couldn't go across.

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2014?

Still would like to have a library assistant.

7. What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

July 12 - the day I married Matt.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Marrying Matt.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Can't think of any major failures this year.  Perhaps letting the garage get out of control?

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Got an eye infection on my honeymoon.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Though it was originally a wedding gift, I ended up buying a different version of the same thing - a gate for the top of the stairs.  The one I got as a wedding present didn't quite fit.  The second one, the dogs tried to chew through it (as it was wooden).  Regardless - it does work to keep the dogs downstairs when we are gone.  

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My husband and my son are still amazing.  

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Matt’s mother - still.  I had hope when we got a note that said "Congratulations and best wishes to you both" shortly after he told her we were getting married.  We did send her an invitation to the wedding and she did not come.  She didn't even acknowledge with a card or gift or anything.  I had Matt send her a framed picture of us at the wedding for Christmas - still waiting to see if she will acknowledge the fact that her son did get married.  

14. Where did most of your money go?

The wedding - turned out to be more expensive than originally planned - go figure!  Just when I got a loan to pay it off, I get hit with the cost of surgery for my cat.

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

Getting married - what else?

16. What song will always remind you of 2014?

Happy - by Pharrell Williams

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

happier or sadder? Happier – I got married!
- richer or poorer? Poorer - wedding costs and surgery for Lucy
- thinner or fatter? Definitely fatter - can't fit into what used to be my loose pants - time to do something about that I guess.

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

Reading - didn't meet my good reads goal this year.

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

Eating - still.

20. How did you spend the holidays?

New Years (2014) – with Matt at home since the party we planned to attend seemed to get called off.
Valentine’s Day – with Matt at home - grilled steaks and watched tv.
Easter – with Matt - can't even remember what church we went to this year.
4^th of July – with Matt – cooked out on the grill and then just hung o ut at home.

Thanksgiving – Just Matt and I - we went out to eat at Fogo de Chao

Christmas - spent the weekend before Christmas in Austin with family; spent the day at home with Matt and Josh and then went to the movies.

21. Did you fall in love in 2014?

Still in love with Matt.

22. How many one-night stands?

Do I have to answer this question every year?  I'm a married woman!

23. What was your favorite TV program?

Big Bang Theory is still a favorite.

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

Nope - still like everyone I know.

25. What was the best book you read?

I didn't meet my Good Reads goal, but I did read 38 books this year.  Nothing major stood out but I did like John Green's Paper Towns and I found the book A Thousand Lives about the Jonestown massacre interesting.  Of course I still re-read the Harry Potter series each year.

26. What was your favorite film of this year?

Into the Woods was good though slightly disappointing.  I also enjoyed Mockingjay though I didn't really care for the book itself - at least the way it ended.  I guess that will have to wait for the next movie.  Matt and I also saw Birdman which was just weird.

27. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?

I'm going to have to delete this question next year - nothing changes - I wear whatever fits these days.

28. Whom did you miss?

Miss seeing my dad I guess.  I keep trying to get him to come here to visit, but haven't been successful yet.  I also haven't seen my sister in over a year either.

29. Who was the best new person you met?

Some of Matt's family - a cousin and uncle who we met earlier in the spring and they also came to wedding this summer.

30. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.

Don't trust the dogs when you're gone.