Because Aunt Becky said so

Because Aunt Becky at Mommy Wants Vodka has tagged me, along with the entire Interwebs, I give you, The New Year's Meme:


1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Worked with professional directors/actors/writers. And politicians turned actors. It was a blast!

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't remember making any. Not because I don't think I could use some improvements, but because I am hopeless.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No, but lots of friends' children had babies.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Unusually, no. Although there are people I will miss.

5. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

A renovated bathroom.

6. What countries did you visit?

Just another province of my own country.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why:

April 3 (performed Brahm's Eine Deutsche Requiem for the first, but I hope not the last, time) and August 15 (began vacation with dear friends and left this island for the first time in... oh... YEARS).

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I didn't slap someone silly. You have no idea what self control that required.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I didn't keep my weight in check.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

A few. Most of which never happened. There was much testing. Nothing dire diagnosed.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Um... a really nice hair dryer?

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

D2, whose behaviour has shown a marked improvement in responsibility and maturity level.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

D2. On the single most stellarly dreadful occasion that it... didn't.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Roof over head, food in belly.

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

Nothing comes to mind. Now, that's just SAD.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

Wie Lieblich Sind Deine Wohnugen from Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem.

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

i. happier or sadder? Pretty much the same, I think. Perhaps a bit sadder. I'll live.

ii. thinner or fatter? Oh, fatter.

iii. richer or poorer? Very slightly richer. Like, I'm up $5 or so.

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

Exercise.

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

Procrastinating. Eating. Sitting at the computer. Ooops...

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I got to spend Christmas with both my daughters, including the one who lives about 3,000 kms away. So that was nice.

21. There was no #21. I don’t know why there was no 21.

So Aunty Becky made up her own question here.

Name one random thing that people would be surprised to know about you.

I was part of a drum section (pipe band) that came first place in Grade 3 (a competition level, not a year in elementary school) at the Cowal Highland Gathering in Scotland in 1974. It was the first time a North American band had won and they were seriously not considering letting us bring the trophy back to Canada with us. For which you can hardly blame them. They relented and we returned it in plenty of time for it to be awarded at the next year's games.

In fact, every time I played in a competition, the drum section came first. Which had less to do with me being there and more to do with freakish coincidence. It was only noticeable because I started later than the other drummers (about age 14 instead of 9 or 10) and we won the first time I played in competition and every time after that. It didn't half cause hard feelings with some of the other drummers and their parents, though. Eejits.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?

Nope.

23. How many one-night stands?

As if.

24. What was your favorite TV program?

Mad, mad, mad about Mad Men!

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

Hate? No. Distrust. Yes.

26. What was the best book you read?

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows; The Tenth Gift by Jane Johnson. Oh, I don't know.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem and Lyle Lovett's CD Road to Ensenada. Eclectic genius, Renaissance woman or just no-taste hack? You be the judge.

28. What did you want and get?

A raise.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

Um... if I'd known I was going to be asked this question I'd have paid more attention? Will that do for an answer?

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I met D1 at the airport, seeing her for the first time in about a year and a half. I am the same age as Jack Benny. The fact that I know who Jack Benny is is a dead give-away that I could not possibly be as young as he perpetually claimed he was.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

More cowbell. Ya gotta have more cowbell.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

Anything that fit.

34. What kept you sane?

The denizens of the Interwebs. Thank you, my peeps.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I don't really pay much attention to celebrities. Althought that Colin Firth guy is pretty hot. PHWOAR.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

Politics and I do not engage in the stirring.

37. Whom did you miss?

D1 and, as always, my parents. And my friends that I vacationed with.

(I wanted to say 'My ex. But my aim is improving.')

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Aunty Becky. Natch.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:

Never make a priority those for whom you are only an option.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

Mama told me there'd be days like this,
There'd be days like this my Mama said...


So the rest of the meme calls for tagging, which meh... so rather than tag you, I’m going to tag YOU to answer this meme on your blog OR in the comments. Or as performance art in the High Street. Your choice.