The Year in Review--Better late than Never, right?

You know I am never on time for anything---but what the heck, I might as well do it anyway

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Drove to western Canada and through Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, etc

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

I do not really make them because it will be one more thing that I screw up and I hardly need more guilt in my life. But I am trying to make some real life changes in regards to sticking with my exercise program.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No, but Mandy finally brought Gabi home from Guatemala, after thirteen months of waiting

4. Did anyone close to you die? This one trips me up--I do not think so, but probably I have just blocked it out. At least in the people category. I lost my best dog Thor, the night before Labor Day weekend, and I am still not over that. It was devastating and I am still not even close to recovered from it. We lost baby Turbo, Xanadu's colt, to salmonella in April, which sucked, but is not devastating because he was only 5 or 6 weeks old and I did not know him that well--plus he was so sick, I could almost be grateful for him that it was over.

5. What countries did you visit? Canada, St Maarten, Grenada, Dominica, Aruba, Bonaire, Belize. Pretty much all scuba diving places

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
The ability to get back to doing my job and enjoying it, rather than being so stressed I am courting a stroke

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Specific dates? Not really any

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Good question. I will have to think on this. Maybe finally getting the DSLR and learning how to use it. Now to get good at it.

9. What was your biggest failure? Letting my health be impacted by work problems. Getting off track that way

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Do I ever have a time without an injury? No way. My most entertaining injury was the pitching into the road I took in Shawnee, cracking up my ribs and making it hard to breathe. That was just stupid. Then to celebrate that incident, a month later, I flew over Radar's head and partway down a cliff, due to a saddle misfunction. That hurt pretty good too, but would not have been so bad, had I not already been hurt from the month before. I do these things to keep Headley feeling important like he has to take care of me. This cold that started before Xmas is still hanging on too.

11. What was the best thing you bought? The new trailer, hands down. Of course, it was also the biggest ticket item, but already we are having so much fun with it. Barry is more willing to go horseback riding, and we got to do the family Thanksgiving ride, which we would not have been able to do with our old 3 horse trailer.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? The hiring of my new boss caused me to celebrate--it showed more wisdom on the part of the hiring party than I new was there. That is swell and encouraging

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? People at work who shall remain nameless but are not nice people.

14. Where did most of your money go? Vacations and horses.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Getting back in the high end breeding game. It makes foaling season so much more exciting to see what we are going to get

16. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter?about the same
c) richer or poorer? richer

17. What do you wish you’d done more of? Riding, although I did ride quite a lot for a while

18. What do you wish you’d done less of? Stressing over stupid shit and being anxious other things.

19. How did you spend Christmas? Sick in bed at my sister's house in Houston.

20. What was your favorite TV program? Reality TV, the crappier the better.

21. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Rod Blagojevich. And although hate is a strong word, I have removed someone from my life that breaks my heart, but it had to be done for my own mental health.

22. What was the best book you read? I do not have a favorite, but I am grateful that I always have something good to read. I read several books a week. I have enjoyed very much taking up the silly stuff like Celia Rivenbark and Jen Lancaster. Love that stuff.

23. What political issue stirred you the most? Gay marriage. And the shocking knowledge about how racist this country is and how for some reason, this year, people wore it so proudly they did not even realize that is what was happening.

24. Who did you miss? My doggie Thor. And the friend that got cut from the team

25. Who was the best new person you met? Not a specific person, but I am so glad I took up Facebook and reconnected with so many people from my past. I am really having a good time, although it is kind of weird sometimes.

26. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Sometimes you can go TOO FAR