What if No One's Watching?

The year in review meme is making the rounds, and it's a favorite of mine, so I'll play along. For the sake of comparison, last year's version is here (the second of the three) and 2004 is here.

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?
Left a well-paying dead-end job for a less well-paying job with more potential. Agreed to spend Christmas away from my family. Bought a new car.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I kept some of them, worked on other's. I'll probably make more. I always make them.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A couple of very good online friends had babies.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
None.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
A feeling of control.

7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I don't tend to remember things by date.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting through calculus, expanding our family to include Ata and Esme.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not getting out of debt.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our Element.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Susan's.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Most of our national and local politicians'.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Tuition, junk.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Howell and Melinda's visit, going home in July

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
The Leonard Cohen tribute soundtrack, especially the Teddy Thompson track.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? sadder
b) thinner or fatter? fatter
c) richer or poorer? poorer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Making the most of my time.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Shopping

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With Mark's family and the dogs.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Yes. A couple of times. And stayed in love, too.

22. How many one-night stands?
I am so too old for that shit.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
House

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. But I am intensly irritated by some people I wasn't at this time last year.

25. What was the best book you read?
Counting Coup

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Rufus Wainwright (yep, slow on the uptake)

27. What did you want and get?
A new car, an iPod, time with my mom

28. What did you want and not get?
A savings account, a cure for my allergies

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Kinky Boots, The Science of Sleep

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 27. Went out to a great Indian dinner with all of my local friends.

31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting out of debt

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
My stomach finally catches up to my ass

33. What kept you sane?
My dogs. My iPod.

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

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Local arts funding

36. Who did you miss?
Tony. Sandy.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Minnesota group

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006
It is better, sometimes, to be kind than to be right.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year
"If I've got to remember that's a fine memory."