2010, The Year of the Stomach-Churning Carnival Ride (because I'm tired of saying "rollercoaster")

I've stolen this from Linda over at All & Sundry for the past couple years.


1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
Filed for unemployment, drove round-trip from Ohio to Washington, opened my Etsy shop.

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

Nope and nope.  I canceled my gym membership soon after I lost my job, although I did get out and walk the dog more than before.  Every goal I set for myself tended to fall on its face this year, but hey, that's what a new year is all about, right?  Hope?  Right?

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes - what can I say, my friends tend to procreate like rabbits!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No.

5. What countries did you visit?
I don't know if I'll answer this question the right way anytime soon, but I did drive through some new states - Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa - on our There And Back Again quest.  We also visited some new towns in Oregon - Coos Bay, Bandon, and Bend - and saw some new parts of Montana too.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A damn job, and our own place again.  And a sense of peace and security.


7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 28, and November 2 - the day I lost my job, and the day we gave up & drove back to Ohio.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Not letting my depression, anxiety, stress, and every other crazy emotion I dealt with this year get the better of me.

9. What was your biggest failure?
When I couldn't land a job in Washington or Oregon like I'd dreamed and wished and hoped for.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Some serious sciatica from sitting on the couch.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I didn't buy anything major this year, but we sold a lot of things which was kind of cathartic.

12. Where did most of your money go?
Gas & travel.

13. What did you get really excited about?
Going west, and the interviews I had (all TWO of them).

14. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Zac Brown Band, Toes.  Because it's all about the ADIOS AND VAYA CON DIOS!  And Christian Kane's cover of Fast Car, which I'm sure some people will hate, but I love it.


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

– happier or sadder? Sadder, good god, sadder.
– thinner or fatter? About the same - not eating as much, but not exercising either.
– richer or poorer? Poorer, good god, poorer!

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

Spent more time with people while we were in Washington.

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

Nothing.  Literally, sitting doing nothing.  I feel like I wasted a lot of time this year.

18. How did you spend Christmas?
We actually haven't celebrated Christmas yet - the plan is for January 2nd.  The bro-in-law will be home then, so we decided to wait.

19. What was your favorite TV program?
Castle.  I love me some Nathan Fillion.  And White Collar.  And Leverage and Bones still too.

20. What were your favorite books of the year?
I enjoyed The Alchemyst series by Michael Scott, and LOVED Boneshaker & Dreadnought by Cherie Priest.

21. What was your favorite music from this year?

Christian Kane, Zac Brown Band, The Black Keys.

22. What were your favorite films of the year?
Inception was AMAZING.  I also finally saw Zombieland, which YES, and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, which DOUBLE YES.  This year was more about catching up on Netflix from the comfort of the couch.

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I don't remember now - we were in the middle of packing up to get out of Toledo.  I turned 31.


24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting my job back, or getting a new job, and getting to stay out west.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Pajamas... yeah.

26. What kept you sane?
The irrefutable fact that there are hundreds if not thousands of other people dealing with the same situation that I am, and that I can't take this personally.  Also, the library, for keeping me in new music and good books, and the craft store for keeping me in crochet projects - busy hands = distracted mind.


27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.

"Nobody gets to name you.  You are not forgettable.  You are not replaceable.  You are not your pain.  You're sacred and special and alive."  @jamietworkowski

***
Edited:  I noticed that Sundry cut out a few questions from years' past, so I added them back in here.

Whose behavior merited celebration?  B's brother, for packing up and just GOING where he wanted to be, and DAMN THE MAN.  *sigh*  Wish we could do that.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?  An organization that I will refrain from naming, and their lousy idea of basing their entire hiring process on a stupid online personality quiz.  Seriously, who does that??

What did you get really, really, really excited about?  "Moving."

Did you fall in love?  This is one that can remain edited out, I think.

What did you want and get?  Want and not get?  The chance to spend time with some of my family and friends... and the jobs that would have let us stay there.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy most?  Nathan Fillion.  His comic delivery is brilliant, and he's kinda cute too.  :-)

What political issue stirred you the most?  I honestly have stopped paying attention.  No matter what happens, there will always be people complaining and arguing, and I just can't stand it.

Who was the best new person you met?  My nephew's girlfriend was a lot of fun to spend time with, and some of B's brother's friends in Montana too.

Quote or song lyric that sums up this year:  "The world's a rollercoaster, and I am not strapped in..."  -Incubus, Wish You Were Here