Stolen from twelve people...



1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Had a baby girl


2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I try to make one resolution and make it important but something other than weight loss or exercise.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, four friends and me.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Some not so close relatives who were close to my parents.

5. What countries did you visit?
Sadly, only this one.

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
An Agent. Multiple book sales.

7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 17, when I had my daughter. It was something that I had not planned, been afraid and slightly resentful of. The pregnancy was hard and we were constantly worried that I would lose it. After what should have been an easy delivery that had the surgeon saying “I’ve never seen that before! Thank god she’s having a C Section” we had a very vibrant, very healthy baby girl.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Well, I sold a book. I took my “I am going to give writing a shot” comment and actually made it a reality.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I’m sure I can be a better mother, I wish I was more patient.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just a C Section. Other than that, I’ve been pretty free of illness and injury.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmmm, well, loads of great books, loads of great music, stuff my kids love.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My oldest son who is kicking ass in school and has been facing his illness with incredible bravery. My husband, who quite simply is the finest human being I know, a great father, my best friend and an awe inspiring partner who never ceases to amaze me and make me blush.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Those millions who voted for Bush because of so called values issues which included making sure that gays couldn’t be married.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Day to day living. Debt, mortgage, clothes for kids who outgrow everything five minutes after we buy it, food.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Hmmm, well selling a book, having a baby, TM got me pretty excited many many times this year (blush).

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
Milkshake by Kelis (I wish I had something monumental here but it reminds me of my son singing it all over the house and my intense mortification as he sang it at school)

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

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Had more one on one time with my children.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Stressed out, been impatient.

20. How will you be spending New Year's?
With family.

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
I fall in love with something else about my husband at least once a week. New love? My daughter.

23. How many one-night stands?
None.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
The Office

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

26. What was the best book you read?
Impossible to choose just one – I blogged my list earlier this month.

27. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?
Rediscovered the Cure’s Pornography. PJ Harvey’s Uh Huh Her blows me away, Jeff Buckley is a constant thing with me as is Pearl Jam

28. What did you want and get?
A healthy baby, selling a book.

29. What did you want and not get?
A new president.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I don’t get to go to many movies so I do rentals. I liked Shaun of the Dead (just saw it today) and Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 36 and I was horribly sick with nausea. I stayed home but TM brought me my favorite Chinese food and gave me presents. Oh yeah, and I had an amnio, that was lovely.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Bush and the right wing getting trounced.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
HA! Well, uh, hmmm. I was hugely pregnant until mid August so you can’t be fashionable in maternity clothes unless you are one of those tiny girls, which I am not. Now, I am just glad to have a waist again.

34. What kept you sane?
My sense of humor, Eric Alterman, my husband, my friends.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Oh I am a huge slut when it comes to celebrity crushes. Political figures I’d have to go with Wesley Clark (I know, but he’s so damned butch), celebrity I’d have to say Jon Stewart.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Equal rights for gay Americans.

37. Who did you miss?
My mom, who lives too far away. My friend Janet, who only lives in Portland but I rarely see her. April, who also lives in Portland but who is a work a holic and is always out agitating the masses and causing trouble (which is why I love her so much) Kimberly, who I was lucky enough to see twice even though she lives in Florida.

As for people who passed on, I miss my grandmother every single day and I will for the rest of my life. She’s my touchstone, a great inspiration and one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Gosh, I can’t say, or I certainly can’t choose just one. Many online people that I haven’t met in person but who have been really wonderful in my life (Anya, Dee, Kaki are just three) and a few online people that materialized in my real life (Karen, who can talk on the phone as long as I can, which says a lot)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
Some things you least expect, maybe even strongly don’t want, end up being the most wonderful things you can imagine.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“You can, live your life alone, redigesting past regrets. Or you can, come to terms and realize you’re the only one who can’t forgive yourself. It makes much more sense, to live in the Present Tense.” Present Tense, Pearl Jam