A Look Back...and a Little Ahead

This came from Kelly's blog, and I thought it was a good way to reflect on 2008 a bit.

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

• Went to a hockey game
• Learned how to dance
• Won a bike race
  

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

• I didn't really make resolutions; I wanted to learn something new every month. Although I didn't always have a plan for each month, I did end up learning a lot throughout the year.
  

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

• Liz had a baby girl, Tamara
• Megan (close proximity, not necessarily close friend) had a baby boy, Austin
  

4. Did anyone close to you die?

• No.
  

5. What countries did you visit?

• US (I visited lots of states)
• Canada (I went to Niagara Falls)
  

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

• A deeper understanding of and relationship with God
• A realization of my purpose
  

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

• Christmas: Visit to Hawaii!
• June 7: M&M's wedding
  

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

• Winning a bike race and the crit series
  
• Finishing IM Louisville
  

9. What was your biggest failure?

• Not finishing IMLoo in the time that I had projected; letting the outside circumstances affect my performance.
  

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

• Thankfully, no. Will assures me that I will not get injured if I keep doing what he tells me to regarding working out.
  

11. What was the best thing you bought?

• Food
• My car (2004 PT Cruiser)
  

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

• My parents, because they continue to love and support me.
• Allison, because she listened to God's call for her to go back to school.
  

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

• Besides the government, which approved the automakers' bailout? No one else that I can think of.
  

14. Where did most of your money go?

• Rent
• Food
• Church (tithe to God)
  
• Hawaii trip
  

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

• Hawaii!
• Learning anything and everything
• IM Louisville
  

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

• None.
  

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

• happier or sadder? happier
• thinner or fatter? same
• richer or poorer? richer, but not my much
  

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

• Spending time with a couple friends
• Riding my bike more
  

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

• Spending time on the computer (and yet here I sit)
  

20. How did you spend Christmas?

• Christmas Eve: the fam drove around the south part of Hawaii. We stopped at a black sands beach, jumped off a cliff on South Point, then went back to the parents' house. We went to church and then opened all our presents. We also said what we were thankful for about that year.
• Christmas: We might have gone to the pool? Then we went to Altermans' to open more presents, have lunch, and play games. For supper we went to Kona Inn where we had appetizers, saw whales and the sunset, and then ate.
  

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

• No.
  

22. What was your favorite TV program?

• Over the year? I really only watched The Office and football, and I wouldn't say either of those really stood out to me as being my favorite.
  

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

• No, thankfully. God is love, and although I do not like every person all the time, I try to love everyone with the love of God.
  

24. What was the best book you read?

• The Bible.
• After that, it's close among "The Most Important Year in a Woman's Life," "The Cross Examination of Christ," "One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven," and many more. I read a lot this year.
  

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

• Nothing really sticks out to me.
  

26. What did you want and get?

• A great Christmas with the family. Everyone in the immediate Acheson family was able to be there!
  

27. What did you want and not get?

• A bibliochaise
  

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

• Considering I only watched a few and I can't remember any but one, I guess "Phantom of the Opera" is the one.
  

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

• Did I have a birthday this year? Oh, yeah, I turned 25. But I'm pretty sure I did nothing special.
  

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

• Knowing that I had been 100% obedient to God.
  

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

• The same as always--jeans, tees, sweats, and comfort!
  

32. What kept you sane?

• The Word of God
• Exercise
• My family
  

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

• I doubt there is one.
  

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

• None, really, although I did some research during election time. The fact that the president-elect supports abortion is disheartening.
  

35. Who did you miss?

• All my family who doesn't live around here (that's a lot)
• Lana
  

36. Who was the best new person you met?

• Hollyn and Jesi (running partners)
  

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

• The more you learn, the more you realize you don't know.
• Education is just moving from an unconscious to a conscious awareness of how much you really don't know.