Like a lemming flying off the cliff, I also present my 2003 in Review.

  1. What did you do in 2003 that you’d never done
    before?

    Went to a reception at sat by myself at a table, instead of glomming on to folks I already knew.

  2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

    Didn’t make ‘em, didn’t break ‘em.

  3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

    A number of close friends had kids.

  4. Did anyone close to you die?

    Nope.

  5. What countries did you visit?

    England, Belgium, Russia. It was all virtual in Battlefield 1942, but I’ll take what I can get.

  6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003?

    More parental patience.

  7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

    I have very little concept of dates. Most of them I remember because they’re stamped on something important, like a marriage license or birth certificate. I only remember my mom’s birthday because it’s the same day as the Mt. St. Helen’s explosion. My Grandma’s is Cinco De Mayo.

  8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

    Raising 2 wonderful children. Releasing Student Link Version 4.

  9. What was your biggest failure?

    I won’t know for 10 or 20 years when the psychology bills start rolling in.

  10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

    I’m not sure (sucking at dates and all) but I don’t think I’ve had a significant back outage all year. Huzzah!

  11. What was the best thing you bought?

    Nearly a thousand dollars of dental work.

  12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

    Cassandra’s forays into more cooking have been damn tasty. And I’m pretty proud of her for taking on more responsibility with her orchestra.

    I’m pretty damn proud of my gym accomplishments, too.

  13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

    I’m the only one who can make myself depressed.

  14. Where did most of your money go?

    Mortgage

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

    Did you just meet me?

  16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
    See “date etched in memory” question above. Unless the name of the song was “2003, my kind of year”, I wouldn’t connect it.

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


    1. happier or sadder? Happier

    2. thinner or fatter? Thinner

    3. richer or poorer? not Poorer


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

    Spent quality time with my kids.

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

    Watch TV

  20. What was your favorite TV program?

    Boy, so many to choose from. I’ll have to go with Six Feet Under, or West Wing last season before Sorkin left.

  21. What was the best book you read?

    It’s been a great year for books. “The Alienist”, by Caleb Carr. “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “the five people you meet in heaven” by Mitch Albom. “How to be Good” by Nick Hornby was 99% great and then turned to crap in the last paragraph.

  22. What was your greatest musical discovery?

    My daughter’s singing

  23. What did you want and get?

    Better Health

  24. What did you want and not get?

    A better PC at work

  25. What was your favorite film of this year?

    I think I saw “Sound of Music” for the first time this year. Damn good film. Movies that came out this year? “Seabiscuit”, “Finding Nemo”, “Return of the King” were all tops.

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

    31, and I don’t remember. Birthdays aren’t my thing

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

    Winning a lottery of some kind

  28. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?

    Find things at the back of the closet that didn’t use to fit.

  29. What kept you sane?

    Music

  30. What political issue stirred you the most?

    I actually got a little worked up over a local transportation issue. It was for a light rail, public transportation city tax. There were certainly flaws in the proposal, but so will the next one, and the next one, and… So you go with the best you can, so there’s a least some progress. Naturally, it being the right thing to do, it failed miserably.

  31. Who did you miss?

    My mom.

  32. Who was the best new person you met?

    I’ve only met him twice, and briefly, but Rick seems awfully cool. I’d like to chat with him more.

  33. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003:

    It feels good to be good.