Trying again!
I filled out this end of the year survey in January but never published it. I am still going to use it as my jumping off point though :) I made a couple of updates today, which are in purple.

With the exception of a few posts from Bolivia, I have never blogged before. I thought I might give it a try with the help of a little inspiration from a couple of friends of mine and their end of the year survey. So I'll start this blog with that and see if it goes anywhere from there!

-- What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Well I guess I did a lot of things in 2010 that I'd never done before, the main things being getting a PhD and being a professor :) Outside of academia though, took an ice-skating class- that was a neat experience and I'm glad I did it! Wish I could continue those classes here!


-- Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I'm not sure that I made any...I mean I probably did but I don't remember anything special.



-- Did anyone close to you give birth?
My brother Matt and sister in law Faye had my niece Ivy in August!

A friend of mine compared writing a dissertation to having a baby- so if you buy that, then I did! ah ha ha


-- Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully.



-- What countries did you visit?
Didn't leave the country this year- and my passport is expired!



-- What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Nothing really, expect cuter clothes :)

-- What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
A lot of good memories this year with family and friends. To choose one I'll go with my graduation ceremony. That was really cool to walk across the stage in the Shoe and have my face on the jumbo-tron!

-- What was your biggest achievement of the year?
That danged old PhD



-- What was your biggest failure?
Ugh I don't remember any major regrets.



-- Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, not physically- dissertation writing was a pretty hard emotional blow though.

-- What was the best thing you bought?
No-heat jalapeños! Seriously! I became addicted to them but can only find them at Kroger so I haven't had any since I moved :(
Update! I went back to Cbus in January and stocked up with 5 jars :)


-- Whose behavior merited celebration?
I don't remember who it was, but I remember being really impressed by a baseball player who was cost a no-hitter or something because of a bad call and he was really a good sport about the whole thing. For some reason that stuck out to me even though I rarely pay any attention to sports.


-- Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I guess I try to forget things like that!



-- Where did most of your money go?
Traveling between Ohio, Kansas and Iowa LOTS of times!

Having a house and an apartment

My sister's jewelery party

-- What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My niece Ivy; starting a new job


-- What song will always remind you of 2010?
A lot- Ke$ha and Katy Perry for sure



-- Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
Well I guess both- I am happier because I'm not writing a dissertation, but I'm sadder because it's kind of lonely in Kansas!

b) thinner or fatter?
Probably about the same, with a definite dissertation-induced yo-yo in between



c) richer or poorer?
a little richer, but I can't tell yet because of the house and apartment



-- What do you wish you'd done more of?
Dancing, singing, laughing

-- What do you wish you'd done less of?
Crying

-- How will you be spending Christmas?
We spent Christmas in Iowa, both in Clinton and in Waterloo



-- Did you fall in love in 2010?
Nope


-- What was your favorite TV program?
A: Weeds and Modern Family



-- Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No


-- What was the best book you read?
I actually read 2 normal books in 2010! The last of which was A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie.


-- What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ke$ha :)


-- What did you want and get?
I got to see my family a lot more this year than in recent years

-- What did you want and not get?
Work pants and gray boots!!!!!!!!!!!
Update! I got some new work pants at Maurice's and Kohl's and some gray boots online!


-- What was your favorite film of this year?
I'm gonna say Yogi Bear, because I saw it with my niece! Also, it did not come out in 2010, but I watched the Notebook for the first time this year and LOVED it! Never even wanted to see it but I'm glad I did.


-- What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 29. We went out to the Lodge Bar, Sugar, and the Red Door. It was my first non-joint party in 3 years, so that was kind of sad, but I had a great time.


-- What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A vacation!


-- How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Uh, I don't really have one- but I did try to get a bunch of professional looking clothes for work- problem was I never got any pants!

-- What kept you sane?
Mark and Sadie, my friends and Zeno's!



-- Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Ali Farokhmanesh


-- What political issue stirred you the most?
I don't get stirred by political issues



-- Who did you miss?
So many people! It was hard moving away from CBus, but we are closer to family now.



-- Who was the best new person you met?
Ivy!