I wanna be like the cool kids!

Okay, it's still the first week of 2006 so I guess it's not too late to do this. I swiped this from Peachy, who swiped it from YankeeBob. Who says crime doesn't pay?

2005 in a Nutshell

1. What did you do in 2005 that you’d never done before? Stayed at a bed & breakfast in Napa, went to Cancun and to Newport Beach.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I accomplished at least one of my major goals, which was to get out of my rut at work, and I think another was to travel more and I did some of that! I've made some for this year -- I just need to polish 'em up a bit.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Yeah, my grandmother and my friend Jeff. :0(

5. What countries did you visit? Just the one I'm in and Mexico.

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005? A sense of peace. And a bedroom dresser.

7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? August 21st. The day Jeff died in a tragic and most unlikely accident.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Going for, and getting, my promotion!

9. What was your biggest failure? Allowing negative thoughts to affect me and my interactions with other people. I need to lighten up!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Does falling down a flight of stairs last week count?

11. What was the best thing you bought? So many things . . . but really, I think the best things we bought were plane tickets and hotel rooms. Looking around, most of the major things we've bought were purchased in 2004!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Not sure.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Some friends and family, for sure. Some people done lost their minds.

14. Where did most of your money go? House payment! It's not THAT much, but it is our biggest bill. Other than that, maybe travel, taxes, food.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Back to that promotion again. Life-changing, I tell you! Seeing the Caribbean from our hotel room in Cancun didn't suck.

16. What song will always remind you of 2005? We Belong Together (Mariah Carey)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder? Both. I think life gets richer, and more difficult, as you get older.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Working out! And saving money. I should have had more get-togethers, too.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Stressing out about other people's problems.

20. How did you spend Christmas? Had it at our house, with friends and family.

21. How did you spend New Year’s? At my best friend's place -- photos posted in a previous blog, below.

22. Did you fall in love in 2005? No.

23. How many one-night stands? Please.

24. What was your favorite TV program? Scrubs, Law & Order (all of 'em), Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, probably several others I don't have the patience to think up right now.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No, I hate all the same people. ;o)

26. What was the best book you read? Sadly, I did all of my book reading earlier in the year. All self-improvement/finance/job, etc. related. I dunno. Maybe Orman.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? James Blunt! I do love him.

28. What did you want and get? Hanae Mori perfume.

29. What was your favorite CD of this year? I really liked The Emancipation of Mimi (Mariah Carey), X&Y (Coldplay), Lifehouse (Lifehouse) and Back to Bedlam (James Blunt!). I do love him. Yes, I know I said it again.

30. What was your favorite film of this year? Dude, Wedding Crashers!

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Took Jason to the doctor's office -- twice. Stupid car accident caused all kinds of drama, and he was in agony. I turned 34. 34! Unacceptable.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Winning the frigging lottery.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005? Black, platform-heeled, open-toed shoes are the best. And, dressing better than I want to so I can get where I want to.

34. What kept you sane? Beer, friends.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Back to James Blunt -- I found him late in the year, but it counts! I don't know why -- I just love him.

36. What political issue stirred you the most? Scandals. Why is government so fucking corrupt? These so-called public servants serve no one but themselves.

37. Whom do you miss? Grammy & Jeff.

38. Who was the best new person that you met? I'll have to think on that one. I haven't really met anyone new, socially -- though like Peachy, I've run across some interesting bloggers that I wish I'd met! I should've rattled the cages of the bloggers down in Orange County when we went down there in September!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005: Don't assume you have all the time in the world -- accept those random, last-minute invitations from your friends!

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: Beautiful dawn - lights up the shore for me./There is nothing else in the world,I'd rather wake up and see (with you)./
Beautiful dawn - I'm just chasing time again.

It makes me think of waking up in a beautiful place, and taking time to appreciate it while going after what I want. As the saying goes, life's a journey -- not a destination.

Happy 2006!