Ah, it’s time once again for my yearly round-up of crap. If you’re bored, 2007 here, 2006 here. The rest I believe have been lost somewhere. Probably for the better, eh?
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Attended the funeral of one of my favorite people on the planet. Oh wait, that’s really depressing.
Um…
I got one! I bought a new washer and dryer. And, um, I ate close to my weight in tater tots and ketchup. No small feat, if you knew how much I weigh.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year, my resolutions included (but were not limited to):
Finish losing the baby weight.
Stop lactating.
Engage in a more heart healthy diet. Genetics, they don’t lie.
While I got CLOSE to losing the baby weight, I got pregnant again and plopped it all right back on. Perhaps it had something to do with the aforementioned tater tots.
I did manage to successfully stop lactating, which was a huge plus for both Alex and I. Because when we were done with it, we were DONE.
And finally, no, I didn’t engage in a more heart healthy diet. At least, I didn’t after May-ish when my cravings for junk food and vinegar overtook any last shreds of will power. The genetics comment was in reference to my father, who had just had a heart attack this time last year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes. But don’t ask me who. Because I cannot remember. The brain, she is f-r-i-e-d. I blame Christmas. And hormones. Yes, hor-mon-eeees.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
You had to go there, didn’t you? You couldn’t just leave well enough alone and let me bow out of this one gracefully without seeming like a complete and total Debbie Downer, now could you? I SEE YOU SMIRKING OVER THERE. WIPE THAT DAMN SMILE OFF YOUR FACE, MISTER.
Fine.
In early February, one of my oldest and best friends died. She was 26. And no, I’m not over it.
5. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A discernible waistline.
6. What countries did you visit?
Unless you count my head, none.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why:
I can remember exactly one date right now. Only one. October 25, 2008. The day my best friend got married.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I could be all dramatical and be all “surviving” and *sigh* deeply and wait for some sympathy, but I won’t. Not this time.
My biggest achievement this year was…not strangling my husband no, that’s not right eating more popcorn than previously thought possible no, that’s stupid. Okay. How about becoming the world’s gimpiest pregnant chick?
9. What was your biggest failure?
Well, I broke the dryer. My sexy ass wood paneled dryer. And I accidentally got my wedding ring stuck on my finger. That’s not so cool (but it’s pretty funny looking now).
I dunno. I guess I don’t think I failed that much.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Bwahahahahahaha!
No. Obviously.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My iMac. Which has sadly been taken over by the savages I call “children.”
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Good lord, this is a tricky one to answer. I mean, on the one hand, I could single someone out and be all “good job!!!!” but on the other, who? Should I say something deep, meaningful and profound?
Nah. That’s totally not my style.
So I’m gonna go with Britney. Who has successfully made a come-back AND an excellent new record.
Oh shut up. Like you don’t want to borrow it from me.
Don’t you?
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Again, how the hell do you answer this one? Uh, I guess I don’t think about how full of hatorade I am towards other people. I guess my answer is the dude who deliberately cut in front of me while I was hobbling toward the checkout with a screaming toddler last week. He sucked.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Stuff covered in vinegar. Also: chocolate.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My prescription for Tylenol 3. Because my blog should be called “Mommy Wants Vicodin.”
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Dolly Parton’s “Little Sparrow.” What a sad, sad song that is.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Totally happier. Last year, I hadn’t slept properly through the night in months, was on the edge of falling into some post-partum depression, and was losing my grip on my sanity.
ii. thinner or fatter? Way, way fatter.
iii. richer or poorer? Tasteless, eh? But, richer is the answer. RICHER IN LOVE! *gag* *barf*
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Gardening. It was a lovely year for my roses, who went somewhat neglected this summer. But still, they bloomed until November, so I’m doing something right.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Laying in bed. I have terrible insomnia and it’s exacerbated by my (in)delicate situation. Which sucks hard, because I can’t take much that will actually help me to sleep properly. Perhaps next year.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
There is some kind of tense problem here as Christmas was over um…last week. But, ideally, I would have spent it in bed with the covers over my head. I did nothing of the sort, of course.
21. There was no #21. I don’t know why there was no 21.
I’ll make up my own question here, then. Hmmm.
What would cheer you up today?
Hearing from all of my lurkers out there. I have a feeling you are there but you’re afraid of Aunt Becky, which will not do. Aunt Becky would like to say “hello, my sexxy bitches” to all of you. What would you like to say to Aunt Becky?
(I’m totally copying myself from last year because I am that cool)
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Many times a day. Except for no. I didn’t.
23. How many one-night stands?
Hahahahahahahaha! Bwahahahahahahahaha!
(wipes tears from eyes)
Tons. More than you can even count.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Burn Notice and that weird show after House, MD. Mainly because I want nothing more than to do incredibly naughty things to the male leads of both. Maybe even at the same time.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hmmm….
No. I don’t.
26. What was the best book you read?
US Weekly.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I just got that awesome remake of the soundtrack of A Nightmare Before Christmas. Which is flipping sweet.
28. What did you want and get?
A prescription for Tylenol 3. Also, some kettle corn.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Iron Man. Hands down full of The Awesome. And P.S. When did Robert Downey Jr get so fuckable?
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you (optional)?
I turned 28 this year and celebrated with a prescription for some progesterone suppositories. Now that is sexy.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More cowbell. Definitely more cowbell.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Slovenly and unkempt.
34. What kept you sane?
My friends in the computer. Whom I love thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssssssssssssssss much.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I dunno. I normally answer with Britney Spears, and I guess that’s probably my answer again.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I suppose this isn’t a political issue or anything, but my hatred of Angelina Jolie crystallized. She’s so damn sanctimonious that it makes me want to puke.
37. Whom did you miss?
*sighs* You just HAD to go there again, Meme That I’ve Personified, didn’t you? Ass.
I miss my friend Stef deeply each and every single day. I’ll always regret not saying how much I loved her while she was still here.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
My cadre of Virtual Internet Pimps.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Things can always get worse. And, when in doubt, see a specialist.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“I’m Mrs-Oh-My-God-That-Becky’s-Shameless”
OR
“Sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down.”
There was an additional question here about who I’d tag to do this meme, but since I rarely tag people (because I’m a rebel, obvs) I’m imploring each and every person that has read this to come over and answer one of these incredibly brilliant and insightful questions.
Or make fun of me.
Whatever.
Also: Good-bye 2008, and HELLO 2009! Let’s make it a fucking awesome year for us all.
Even though it means I’m days closer to having The Daver go back to work–he takes the week between Christmas and New Years off–and thereby leaving me alone with my daemon (toddler) spawn, I’m so fucking happy that Christmas is over for the year.
I’m still pretty shocked by my reaction to the holidays in general this year: I’m normally THAT PERSON that you hate for being thrilled and awed when the Christmas stuff gets put out in the stores in August, and the person who reverently listens to Christmas album after Christmas album in my car in July. I get thrilled by spending ridiculous amounts of cash to give Martha Stewart a wrapping for her money, I carefully unpack and put out all of the 4,000 bins of Christmas decorations I’ve accumulated over the past years. I get misty-eyed when the Christmas programs start running on television, and I typically bake more cookies than anyone can possibly eat.
This year, however, was a bare-bones operation. And even still, as I sit among the piles of stuff that I need to sort and put away in their proper homes, I’m slightly blue that I wasn’t Feeling It this year. Don’t get me wrong: my sadness isn’t because I DIDN’T do the stuff, it’s because I DIDN’T WANT TO. And that is a-typical for me.
It’d be like waking up after having Cheerios as your favorite breakfast food for 25 years only to discover that now it tastes like battery acid to you.
But whatever. The whole fucking she-bang is done, and although we might all be suffering from massive Christmas Hangovers and a little crank-a-licious, we’re all pretty pleased that everything went off as well as it did. And moreover, it’s done! Praise Baby Jesus, it’s DONE!
Now is the time to hurry-up-n-wait for Amelia’s arrival, which will, of course, seem an eternity. Something about that last month(ish) of pregnancy seems to defy all Matters Of Time and yawn wildly into years.
Anyway. Moving on.
So, what would my obligatory Christmas post be without a good chuckle? Nothing much, I’m afraid.
I have this aunt and uncle, both of whom I adore completely and see (sadly) infrequently, but every year since I can remember, they travel to Costco, buy the sort of stuff you’d normally pass by and snicker at, and then wrap it up and send it to us. I’d like to imagine it’s a very cerebral joke as they’re both academics, but I somehow doubt it. I seem to bear the brunt of the weirdest of it.
This years take-home? A collectors box set of West Side Story for The Daver and I.
What’s wrong with that Aunt Becky? You may ask yourself. I mean, it’s a musical and it’s fun and who doesn’t love fun + musicals?
That would be The Daver and I. Especially moi, who tends to equate musicals with the type of torture that involves pulling out toenails and watching The Facts Of Life marathon on late night TV. I’m not only not a Movie Person, I’m REALLY not a Musical Movie Person. And I’ve never been, which left Daver and I mystified as to why on Earth we’d gotten this as a gift.
Certainly it would be an excellent gift for…someone. Just not us.
Thankfully, however, we were neatly able to pawn this puppy off on my father-in-law the following day and have been spared the inevitable back and forth we normally do with gifts like this. Now he, HE loved it. And I loved that I didn’t have to find someone else to give it to. Because it WAS a nice gift.
For someone else.
What was the weirdest thing you got this year as a gift?
(ed note: as my husband, The Daver, who is addicted to Work-a-hol is blissfully off for the next couple of days, I will be few and far between. I’ll be too busy watching him tackle 547 house projects that have gone unnoticed for the rest of the year.)
Christmas comes early to our house, as it does every other year that Nat takes Ben for the one holiday we share (the rest we divvy up based on when it’s celebrated, which is not always the day that it’s TECHNICALLY celebrated upon), and we spent the morning gorging on chocolate-y sweets and cinnamon rolls. Well, I had a diet Coke. Because The Nausea, she is something fierce these days.
(It’s completely unfair that NOW the nausea would return just in time to NOT EAT my favorite holiday treats. Like chocolate chip cookies. Because nothing says “Christmas” like chocolate chip cookies, right?)
It’s been a wonderful day, so far, despite the fact that Ben is now gone and my heart is heavier than it was before. Watching the boys laugh and play with all of the goodies (while Alex body-slammed his brother) that Santa brought warmed the cockles of even my cold heart, and reminded me that this, THIS was what Christmas was about. Not enforced cookie-making, not faux ebullient merriment, not about in-laws or out-laws. It’s about family and it’s about magic.
I hope that each and every one of you is spending some time with people you love with all your heart (and probably some that you pretend you’re not related to), and I hope that some of the magic that has been lost over this year is regained. Somehow.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and all that goes in between from Casa de la Sausage to each and every one of you.
And remember: Aunt Becky loves you even if the rest of the planet thinks you’re an asshole.
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