Time to Reflect

Now that we're a few weeks into 2009, I feel like I've had a little time to reflect. I've seen this list of reflective questions on several other blogs and thought I would take a look back at my own 2008, the good and the bad. With that, here goes:
What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? Sanded and painted furniture
Did you keep your New Year's resolutions in '08, and have you made some for '09? My resolution for 2008 was to find a job, and seeing that my current status is student, I guess I have to say no. I didn't make any resolutions for 2009; I am strictly living by the Positively 2009 mantra. (If confused, see previous posts...)
Did anyone close to you give birth? You bet... sweet Anne Melton was born January 23, 2008.
Did anyone close to you die? Thankfully, no.
What countries did you visit? Does New Orleans count as a foreign country...?
What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? A stamp in my passport and a positive attitude
What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? I don't really have any exact dates that stand out, but I certainly have some fabulous memories.
What was your biggest achievement of the year? Starting graduate school, making my first 4.0 ever and starting violin lessons
What was your biggest failure? Wow, this is a hard one. I would probably have to say not finding a job, but that led to one of my biggest successes (graduate school), so I'd say it all worked out for the best.
Did you suffer an illness or injury? I've had a cold since October...
What was the best thing you bought? Furniture for my apartment
Whose behavior merited celebration? All of my incredibly successful, prosperous friends, whose engagements, jobs, professional school acceptances, weddings, and pregnancies abounded this year.
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? The ignorant, uninformed voters of my generation who spouted their opinions around Mississippi State's campus before and during the Presidential election.
Where did most of your money go? Mississippi State University and Barnes & Noble (I mean, come on... coffee, textbooks, book books... duh.)
What did you get really, really, really excited about? Decorating my apartment, which is incredibly embarrassing...
What song will always remind you of 2008? Where I Stood by Missy Higgins
Compared to this time last year, you are: happier or sadder? thinner or fatter? richer or poorer? happier; thinner (but just barely); poorer (seriously, between tuition and the economy, there's not even a question there)
What do you wish you'd done more of? Travelling, exercising, spending time with my family, talking to God
What do you wish you'd done less of? Looking at the glass half-empty, sleeping the mornings away
How did you spend Christmas? With my family, the best way I can imagine
Did you fall in love in 2008? Seriously? Don't you think you'd already know about it...?
What was your favorite TV program? American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Can you hate someone you don't personally know? I dislike Oprah more everyday...
What was the best book you read? The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
What was your greatest musical discovery? Does that really mean who, or are we talking musical equipment? I'm going to go with who, which would probably be Jon Foreman or Amos Lee.
What did you want and get? Nikon D40
What did you want and not get? My college graduation present from my mom (I graduated in May of 2007; where is my present?)
What was your favorite film of this year? Hmmm... that depends on if the question means released this year or viewed this year. I'll go with viewed, which would have to be Into the Wild or Once.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I rang in my 24th birthday dancing the night away on Bourbon Street in New Orleans; I even made a brief appearance onstage and made some new friends.
What would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Accepting the changes that were taking place as they were happening instead of trying to fight them by attempting to keep things the same.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? I'm embarrassed to say that it varied a lot by activity...
What kept you sane? Writing, primarily journaling and blogging
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? For me, it's always been all about Kate and Leo. Period.
What political issue stirred you the most? The election and all of the activity it brought about
Who did you miss? The friends who made my college life what it was.
Who was the best new person you met? My professors
Tell us a valuable lesson you learned in 2008. You can't recreate the past; all you can do is look back on it fondly and cherish the memories while continuing to make new ones.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "I've tried my best to be guarded, but I'm an open book instead."--Lifehouse, Broken