(Borrowed from janscottfrazier

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?

- Went to Gallifrey (Doctor Who convention).
- Produced an animated short: the Otakon 2008 Opening Animation!
- Passed a kidney stone.
- Discovered I have asthma and began treatment for same.
- Nearly lost my mother to lung cancer (she made a hell of a saving throw!)
- Experienced the joy of celebrating Christmas with my nephew (his first).




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

- Don't really make them, but will continue to strive toward several goals in 2009.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

- My sister gave birth to my utterly awesome nephew Alexander

4. Did anyone close to you die?

- The closest was my Aunt Tinkie.

5. What countries did you visit?

- Japan

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

- A remodeled kitchen and new stove
- About 40 fewer pounds of fat and a smaller waist size


7. What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

- Tie; in a way they're both births:
- 17 January 2008, when I drove up to Baltimore in a snowstorm to be among the first to hold my nephew Alex.
- 8 August 2008, when I watched a roomful of Otaku obviously enjoy the opening animation.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

- Tie:
- The major success of my whole team in Otakon 2008
- Converting my main client's back-end application to C#.NET from Classic ASP (Vbscript) and learning a lot in the process

9. What was your biggest failure?

- Not spending as much time with my family and friends.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

- Feels like I've been sick all year -- the flu, three sinus infections, asthma, kidney stone, migraines.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

- Christmas presents for my nephew and goddaughter

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

- The American media and voting public and the politicians, pundits, and personalities that have made the whole system a mess .....only to have it suddenly jump back on track despite the odds. (Except the idiots who screwed up in California.)

14. Where did most of your money go?

- Quite a lot went to gas, more than usual went to booze, and a surprising amount got frittered away on silly stuff like trips to Atlantic City. OTOH, I had fun.

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

- Otakon was a big deal this year. The election had me in tears. But the best thing was probably the birth of my nephew.


16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

- No idea, honestly.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer.

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

- work out
- spend time with family and friends


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

- laying around watching TV
- being sick

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

- Already spent, details in the LJ. With family.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?

- Not in the romantic sense.

23. How many one-night stands?

- None.

24. What was your favorite TV program?

- Doctor Who

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

- Nah, I've hated Bush for years.

26. What was the best book you read?

- I've been enjoying working my way through the Dark Tower series.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

- none.

28. What did you want and get?

- Tom Tom.

29. What did you want and not get?

- Sex, Love, etc.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Dark Knight Returns or Iron Man....tough call.

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

- I turned 38 and spent the weekend with my family and friends at a sci-fi con, re-meeting George Takei, and watching HELLBOY II.

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

- Finding love (insert emo woe-is-me look here)

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

- "Does this fit?"

34. What kept you sane?

- Booze. Seriously, it was probably the most reliable way I had to cope with all the crazy stressful shit that went down in the last few months.

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

- None. I don't count the fleeting "mmm, hottie" moments or the obsessive political stuff.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

- Anything where religion held sway over real politics.

37. Who did you miss?

- Friends I don't see as often.

38. Who was the best new person(s) you met?

- My nephew.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:

- I have a pretty wonderful life. It's a lesson I learn every year, but despite the things I miss, I have a family that I enjoy spending time with; old and dear friends who are awesome; a huge number of newer friends, associates, and acquaintances who I genuinely like; generally decent health; a good job; an immensely rewarding hobby; a nice place to live; financial stability; plenty of toys; and freedom. And I hope I share some of that with anyone I deal with.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

- Into the woods, it's always when you think at last you're through, and then into the woods you go again to take another journey...