2009 Recap...

As always, I'm late with posting so just ignore the fact that it's Feb. 2nd already. Technically, I started this on Jan. 10th.

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

Attended and graduated from an accelerated bachelors in nursing program. Learning that medicine has to have a special name for every bodily function. You can’t just say nose bleed you have to say “epistaxis.” Bed-wetting is “enuresis.” And gall bladder removal is “cholecystectomy.” I could go on and on about this but nursing school is pretty much all I did during 2009 so we’ll just leave it at that.

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

They were more like goals than resolutions but I met most of them. My container gardening experiment went south when the damned squirrels started digging up all my plants despite my efforts to fence everything in. Stupid squirrels. I did not manage to make bread from scratch until last weekend and I had a bit of a bread fail. I’ll work on that. And we did go to Hawaii for Christmas, so check!

I did make 2 resolutions for 2010: no talking on the cell phone while driving (not even with my ear bud) and doing less multi-tasking. I make myself nutty with too much multi-tasking so it’s time to cut back a bit.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes. I don’t want to talk about it.

5. What countries did you visit?

None. Again. But that was expected this year. I did however go to Atlanta and Hawaii and I rather enjoyed myself. Besides, with Hawaii, it feels like you’re going to another county because it’s unlike anywhere in the contiguous U.S. Even Florida. Florida may have palm trees but it does not have huge blobs of lava rock everywhere.

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

Um, a job? Hello, Universe, it’s me again. I’m unemployed. Again. I need a job. Preferably one in California, please. Also, more time to read. And I don’t just mean textbooks and nursing journals. More Sundays spent reading the NYT drinking coffee with my husband.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

There are many but in an attempt to focus on the more positive events, I’ll just note that 1/5/09 was the first day of school and 12/6/09 was my Pinning ceremony and 12/20/09 was my last day of preceptorship at the hospital.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

See #1.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Getting a B+ in Maternity. Ok, really, in the long run, not such a failure. That class was f’ing hard. In the beginning of the year, I had a hard time keeping grades and things in perspective. I started doing a better job of it in the fall. Maybe that had to do with the fact that I was tired of being in school and my can of care was running low.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

2 sinus infections and horrible neck spasms that rendered me pretty helpless while Michael was 2,000 miles away visiting his parents. That sucked.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Underwear that fits. Brand new sneakers for the first time in 5 years. What was I thinking?

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Michael. He has been a total rock star and I could not have made it through this year without him. Or any year, for that matter. Because he’s awesome.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Well, we finally rid ourselves of Bush but his wrongdoings live on. Also, the Republicans and Joe Fcking Lieberman. Seriously, why are you trying to sabotage health care reform? What the hell is wrong with you?

14. Where did most of your money go?

Since I was unemployed, I did not make any money. :<

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

Our vacation. It was long overdue.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

I don’t know. I’ll have to think about this one. Probably any song by Lady Gaga because she's always on the radio whenever I switch over to the music stations.

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

a) happier or sadder? about the same
b) thinner or fatter? thinner
c) richer or poorer? I’m, like, negative poor. I’m in debt to the gov’t and the bank. Boo.

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

Leisurely reading but, hey, that was a pipe dream anyway. Unless I could suddenly learn to live on only 4 hours of sleep. Um, yoga. I really should have done more of that. Taking what blessedly few breaks from school that I had and really trying to relax instead of running a mile a minute to do life maintenance. Also, loving on my husband. And I don’t mean just the naked tango, people.

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

Freaking out about grades. Getting worked up by classmates who cheat because they won’t be able to cheat on the NCLEX. Good luck passing that one. And, as always, worrying. I worry about everything. It’s not always very helpful.

20. How will you be spending did you spend Christmas?

In Hawaii. We went on a walk down the coastline and watched the surfers for a bit. Later we went to a luau and had some pretty tasty food. The poi was okay. Pretty starchy. Also? Mai Tais are good. So is a well made pina colada.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

House. I love me some Hugh Laurie. Also, I particularly enjoy the Daily Show and the Colbert Report. It was easy to watch the occasional 21 min. show on the C C website without commercials. It was a nice little break from studying.

25. What was the best book you read?

Ha! 20 textbooks, maybe? Okay, I really only got to read, like, 2 books this year. I read Kitchen Confidential and loved it. Also, another book in the Outlander series, Drums of Autumn. Mostly I read the NYT. Even then I usually only got through the Style section and the magazine.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

KCSM 91.1, the local jazz station. I just love the really mellow jazz they play from 6-9pm on weeknights.

27. What did you want and get?

To get through nursing school without losing my sanity. There were a few close calls. But also, I made some new friends. It helps make California feel more home-like when you have friends. Visits to the weekly farmers markets and if I couldn’t go, Michael did so we still got to eat really awesome fresh produce every week.

28. What did you want and not get?

Universal health care. A less effed up family. You can pick your nose and you can pick your friends but you can’t pick your family. Wait, I don’t think that’s how that’s supposed to go.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

Nothing comes to mind. Well, I saw Spinal Tap again. But it goes to eleven.

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

I was 32 and I don’t remember. How sad.

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

Bountiful job offers at the end of school. Wow, I’m like a broken record here.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

White scrubs which I do NOT recommend.

33. What kept you sane?

My husband and my friends and coffee and flannel sheets and baking. There was a lot of stress baking.

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

Hugh Laurie and Stephen Colbert. I can’t help it.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Seriously. Worry a little less. Try to keep things in perspective. Always realize that there’s more than one point of view. Perception is reality. Not to take it personally when a schizophrenic calls you a dirty whore.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I’m never any good at this. I never download new music and I mostly listen to NPR. I don’t know…something, something, something, poker face.