New Year’s MeMe

1. What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
Blogged, started an adoption, saw my child’s face, spoke a
few words of Mandarin, moderated a Yahoo Group, had a Mexican doctor perform a medical procedure on me that is banned by the FDA.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I lost 20 pounds Feb-April last year (no sugar, no wheat, no dairy IF diet), then gained it back this fall (post-LID stress?).

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My sister had a baby girl, Claire, in April, and my good friend from graduate school had her son, Bennett, in May.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Apart from my miscarriages (was that a cheap shot?), no.

5. What countries did you visit?
Mexico–twice. Once for fun, once for not-fun.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
My daughter. So, I guess, technically, a TA.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Jan 1–started the adoption process.
April 21–bad ultrasound.
May 21–5th anniversary dinner in San Francisco.
Sept 7–saw Emme Lu’s photo for the first time.
Sept 18–turned 40.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I got to think of myself as a mom.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn’t write a single poem (this is supposed to be my profession now) all year. Not a one. I’m giving myself a by.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
See #4.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I consider the adoption expenses to be money towards The Bee’s first 18 months of life–(Why don’t people use this explanation when confronted by idiots about how much an adoption costs? I always want to say, “it cost way less than it did for you to raise your bio child to 18 months!”)–not really a “thing bought.” But, it’s an obvious answer.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My stepson’s. He’s turning 20 and turning adult.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
You mean besides The Bushy? Uhhhh….

14. Where did most of your money go?
IVFs that we will never use and can’t get a refund on.
And taxes (don’t even ask).

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Switching to SN.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
Like, personally? Or pop-culturally? Because “I’m Bringing Sexy Back” is definitely the pop-culture anthem of 2006. But I was something more along the lines of “The Riddle” (5FF).

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
 a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier. Much. The same weight-wise. Poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Hiking on the trails.

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

20. How did you spend the New Year night?
At home with hubby. Trying to figure out why the east coast is the only region in the U.S. that apparently has a count down that the networks are willing to acknowledge.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Yes. With a little girl’s picture.

22. How many one-night stands?
I have a theory: I think most memes are created by MySpace-addicted teens and 20-somethings. Because some of the questions on some of these things are SOOOO WTFFFF. Ahem. Young, I mean.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
CBS Sunday Morning (smart TV with the best final 30 seconds on any broadcast)
Gray’s Anatomy
Project Runway
American Idol
Lost
select HGTV/FineLiving/FoodNetwork shows

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word. Let’s say I have been disappointed by some people.

25. What was the best book you read?

Wayne’s College of Beauty by David Swanger

Miracle Fruit by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

26. What was the best movie you saw?
Best In Show

27. What was the most beautiful day you spent during the year?
Hiking up on the trails.

28. Your best Christmas present?
Camcorder. And a Swiss @rmy pocket knife.

29. Your wish for everyone for the new year?
To be like this:

This is my dog Gus at the end of Christmas Dinner, sitting on my mom’s lap. He is not begging! He is totally, blissfully content to sit among ‘his people’ and take it all in. His eyes followed everyone who spoke around the table, and he was comfy enough to settle in and listen.

And, no, he did not even blink at the pumpkin pie. With apologies to anyone who thinks it’s gross to have hairy creatures at the human table–he was only there for the tail end of dessert. Pun intended. So there.