2012 Survey

1. What did you do in the last year that you’d never done before?
-snowmobile riding
-met a few out of state friends 
-went on a proper road trip that was 18 days long
-slept in subzero temps on the ice
-went dog sledding
-let myself say "I love you" and mean it

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 
I didnt make any resolutions, I was still working off of my 101 in 1001 list. I ended the year with a few leftovers but feel good about it regardless.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A few friends gave birth, almost every baby was a boy.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
-my uncle
-some great Scouters
-TW’s stepdad
-my childhood dog, Shelby

5. What countries did you visit?
None.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Clarity

7. What events, one each month, from this year will remain etched upon your memory and why?
– January – Epic Winter Wonderland Extravaganza Roadtrip with Shane
– February – Threw Liam a super awesome Surprise 29th birthday party
– March – Logged over 60 miles of hiking with L
– April – Spend nine miserable days in bed with a really bad case of vertigo
– May- Had a beautiful 7mile hike with my son that kicked my ass. 
– June – Summercamp for 9 weeks 
– July – Josh moved
– Aug – Kids went back to school
– Sept – Got a promotion at work, hired another babysitter and a housekeeper just to help me manage 
– Oct – Girls weekend in Destin Beach, FL with Mary
– Nov – L totaled his truck and said "I love you" and the kids and I adopted a new puppy, Lola
– December – The entire month was spent tying up loose ends so that I can go back to MN in a few days

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Promotion at work was nice even though the work load is killing me. Speaking of killing, I didnt do any of that — always a plus.

9. What was your biggest failure? 
Not living up to my own expectations

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
– vertigo sucked hard

11. What was the best thing you bought? 
New pants. Sad, I know. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My friends’ because this has been a really rough year for me. Without them I wouldnt be able to function. 

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?  
Coworkers – they all quit/moved in the same week without notice. 

15. What did you get really excited about? 
Planning another trip to Minnesota with Shane

16. What songs will always remind you of 2012?
Stubborn Love – Lumineers

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: 
Happier or sadder: same
Older or wiser: How could I NOT be older than I was last year?? 
Thinner or fatter: Definitely thinner
Richer or poorer: Exceptionally poorer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Things for myself that I actually enjoy

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? 
Searching. I’m always looking for something. Literally and metaphorically

20. How did you spend Christmas and New Years Eve? 
– Spent Christmas at home while kids went with their dad for 3hrs (first time he’d seen them since Thanksgiving) and then we drove to Buffalo, NY for an impromptu vacation at a water park and other things. 
– NYE hasnt come yet but I expect I will spend it either at home or at the Elks if I can get a babysitter. And packing, I will be doing that, too.

21. What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2012? 
Obviously whatever it was isnt that bad or I would remember it?

22. Did you fall in love this year? 
Yes and no. Still trying to figure that out.

23. How many one-night stands? 
None, actually.

24. What was your favorite TV program? 
I have started watching Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix again and I just got season one of The Big Bang Theory so I expect I will enjoy that, too.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? 
Not really, surprisingly.

26. What was the best book you read? 
Oh gosh. So many. Cant pick. I really liked:
– Wild
– The 50 Shades of Grey trilogy
– Sing you home
– Others that I cant remember but want to pay credit to

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? 
Ben Rector’s new albums

28. What did you want and get? 
new car

29. What did you want and not get? 
clarity

30. What was your favorite film(s) of this year? 
I have no idea, nothing stands out to me right now

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 
I turned 30 and spent it on the road to Tennessee with the kids

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? 
-to lose 15 more pounds (small goals, small goals)
-to feel more secure financially

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept this year? 
The beginning of the year was extreme weather camping clothes, then a lot of days in a uniform for work. After I lost weight at summercamp I had to buy new clothes and have been wearing more feminine things

34. What kept you sane? 
My friends

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? 
nobody is sticking out

36. What political issue stirred you the most? 
Not even going there.

37. Who did (do) you miss? 
Friends I havent seen

38. Who were the best new person/people you met? 
Stacy (wife of one of my friends) and Gabi (my sitter)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned this year: 
– "Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it."
– "Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It’s the courage to continue that counts."

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"If we could just free up the laws that bind our heart then we could love." – Alex Goot