The 2009 Year-End Meme

Found this over at The Daily Grind. Thanks Martha, for letting me steal this one--even though I didn't ask permission first. :P

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Let's see...I attended Trivia Night at a pub, went to the Strand Bookstore in NYC, and tended to a sick canine. Also got DVR and got emotionally involved in three TV shows. I didn't do nothing majorly new. I didn't take any really huge risks in 2009.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I stopped making resolutions years ago. There was no point in doing so if I was only going to break them later.

3. How will you be spending New Year's Eve?
At BFF's annual shindig.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sadly, I lost two dear mentors.

5. What countries did you visit?
The United States of Kitten.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
I really don't know. 2009 was an excellent year for me. I'm the happiest I've ever been.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 25th: the start of my last bout with depression.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I was on a committee at work where we applied for a statewide award--and we won!

9. What was your biggest failure?
Getting discouraged so easily and constantly battling self-pity--see #7 for details.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had a rawther nasty sinus infection in June, which took me most of the month to get rid of. I haven't been sick since. Thank you, vaccination gods, for the H1N1 vaccine.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My new Pantech cell phone. It has a qwerty keyboard. My old phone didn't have one, and I am rawther excited about it.

12. Where did most of your money go?
The mortgage and car repairs.

13. What song will always remind you of 2009?
"The Story" by Brandi Carlile. Also anything from the Glee soundtrack. And "Chasing Pavements" by Adele.

14. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Entertaining at my house. I can't remember the last time I did that.

15. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Blowing things out of proportion.

16. What was your favourite TV program?
I have four: 30 Rock is one. I am in love with Alec Baldwin's character, Jack Donaghy. And Kenneth the Page NEVER fails to make me laugh. Then there's Glee. Not only is it hysterical, but I love the music. That, and I sang in a glee club, so I have a little more emotional investment in it than others may. Flight of the Conchords is so quirky and funny, and the music is great. And of course, there's The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. Say what you will about Conan, but I absolutely love him and I think he's adorable.

17. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Life's too short to hate.

18. What was the best book you read?
The Time Traveler's Wife. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. French Milk. The DaVinci Code.

19. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Pull up a chair, kittens, here we go: Straight No Chaser. She and Him. Julian Casablancas. Diane Birch. Jack Johnson. Flight of the Conchords. Lady Antebellum. The Belle Stars. And of course, let's not forget the classics that keep me going: Springsteen. Bon Jovi. Billy Joel. Brad Paisley.

20. What was your favorite film of this year?
I only saw two movies in the theater, but I really loved Julie and Julia. As for cable, Grey Gardens with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange was excellent.

21. What did you do on your birthday?
I went to work. I really don't recall what exactly I did to celebrate my birthday this year, sadly.

22. What kept you sane?
My friends and family. Music. Reading. But music, for some reason, has kept me more grounded this year than any other.

23. Who did you miss?
BFF, during the time we weren't talking. Thankfully, gratefully, that's over.

24. Who was the best new person you met?
My friend L.

25. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Here are some quotes for y'all:

"Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." (Henry Ford)

"If life gives you lemons, make some kind of fruity juice." (Conan O'Brien)

And one more thing, don't jump to conclusions so quickly.

Happy 2010 kittens!!

And now, the news you've all been waiting for...

First of all, thanks to everyone for their comments on my last post. If you're tuning in late, I wrote earlier in the week that I was considering discontinuing the blog. Real life, as opposed to cyber life, was taking up a lot of my time, and I needed to deal with that.

I appreciate all of the advice, all of the "I'll miss yous", all of the "do what's good for you" thoughts. They were very lovely. And now that I've babbled on long enough, here's my decision...

I'm going to stay.

My posts won't be as frequent as they have been. I'm just going to post whenever I feel like it, and whenever I have something to share with you. Sometimes that will be a lot, other times that won't be so much.

As for commenting, I think I'm only going to read X number of blogs per day; that way I won't feel so overwhelmed. And if I need to skip a post or two in my reader to take a day off, so be it. Just know that I won't forget about you.

This seems to be a theme resonating throughout a few blogs I read. Some have said that blogging has become like work; others have said that reading and catching up with challenges has become like work. I have yet to rediscover the joy of reading; I know I will, but I just need a little more time. You'll see my book reviews again soon.

I hope you all have a wonderful, blessed New Year's, and a terrific 2010. I'm headed down to BFF's for his annual shindig. Yes, if you've been following that storyline, BFF and I have patched things up and are back to our regular selves. We went to the city a couple of days ago and it was as if we had seen each other yesterday. We picked up right where we left off.

Oh, and one more thing...be SAFE tonight! I just looked out my window and it's already started snowing! WTF?!?!

A message to my readers...

Lately I've been thinking about discontinuing this blog. This is a difficult decision for me to make, since I have friended a few of you in real life, and I've grown attached to cyber friends whom I have not yet met. However, in the past few months I've simply had no time to post, and it isn't fair to those who follow this blog to look in their readers and wonder when I'm going to update again.

It's also a difficult decision because blogging and writing is a creative outlet for me, and I just haven't had the opportunity to put my thoughts down in any way, shape or form.

Things have been going wonderfully lately. The holiday season has kept me incredibly busy, and I really wonder what I'm going to do with myself when things finally slow down.

However, I being so busy has left me with very little time to read, and I know a lot of you come to visit to read my book review posts. Things have been so hectic, I've had to drop out of my book clubs.

I haven't been as active a commenter or poster on other blogs as I have been, either, and I feel badly about that, too.

It seems like this general sentiment has been permeating many of the blogs that I usually read. I know I'm not alone. A part of me feels that it would be best for me to stop posting, but another part of me doesn't want to leave anyone hanging.

On that note, I'll let you know my decision soon, kittens. Please note that it has absolutely nothing to do with anything negative happening in my personal life, it's just that I haven't had the opportunity to post. An announcement will be forthcoming later this week.

Merry Christmas from the Muppets and Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Fallon joins the Muppets for an old holiday favorite.

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

I don't like spam!

Sadly, I am not talking about the variety that Graham Chapman and company are speaking of. I'm talking about the crap that clutters up our inboxes.

Lately, my darling kittens, I have been getting anonymous comments promising me that I can earn $2,000 a day if I just invested in this online program. They have been so frequent that I have no choice but to establish the following policy:

Anonymous comments will NOT be published.

This is especially true if you promise me that my short dark brown hair will turn a lovely shade of blonde if I take 30 of your Insta-Blonde pills three times a day. It is also true if you say I can make $10,000 a day if I whore myself by using your website.

Have y'all been receiving such comments in higher frequency these days, kittens? Or is it just me? Fortunately I moderate my comments, so I can weed out the ones by this "anonymous" fellow. But if you are new to the blog, please make a note of this.

Merci beaucoup, mes amis.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

A Christmas meme

Special thanks to NurseExec for this one.

1. Does your family send Christmas cards?

Always. We even hang them up. I have kept my Christmas cards every single year since I've been on my own. Not just the photo ones, but the paper ones, too.

2. How soon do you start shopping?

I traditionally start the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year it was the Saturday after T-Day. A migraine prevented me from partaking in early festivities.

3. Who do you shop for?
Immediate family and my two best friends. I bake for co-workers.

4. Do you put up a Christmas tree?

It wouldn't be Christmas without one!

5. If so, is it fake or real?
It is fake. I live on my own, in a loft. It would be a doozy for me to drag a real tree up the stairs every year. Plus, I kill plants. I have a black thumb.

6. Do you like tinsel?

Ick, nooooooooo. Besides, it's too much temptation for the cats, and the last thing I need during the holidays is a ginormous vet bill.

7. Do you use homemade or store bought ornaments?

Both. In fact, this year, I'm taking pictures of my ornaments and writing posts about the stories behind them.

8. Do you put Christmas lights outside your house?

It's against condo association bylaws to do that.

9. Do you put lights on the tree?

It's a pre-lit tree that I bought from the Home Despot the day after Christmas one year. Best clearance deal EVER.

10. How about popcorn and cranberries?

Nope. Don't wanna attract vermin.

11. Is there a wreath hanging on your door?

Yes, it's a wreath handmade by Mama Cat herself.

12. Do you hang up your stocking?

At the Cat Family homestead, yes, because there is a fireplace. At my place, no; I don't have a fireplace.

13. Does your family read "Twas the night before Christmas?"

We used to, when Sister Kitten and I were little. We also read a book called Santa Mouse. We don't do this anymore, now that we're grown. :(

14. Christmas Movie?

A Christmas Story is the BEST Christmas movie EVER. No question. Sister Kitten and I watch the 24 hour marathon on TNT every year and we never get sick of it. We can quote the dialogue.

15. Character from any Christmas Movie

Randy, the little brother from A Christmas Story. My favorite scene is the one where he eats dinner as if he were a pig. Oh, and no mention of A Christmas Story would be complete without the leg lamp!

16. Christmas Song

"Santa Claus is Coming to Town", as performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

17. Christmas Memory

My sophomore year of college a bunch of us went to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. We took the Metro North into the city, saw the show, then went to Jekyll and Hyde's afterward. We caught the last train back to school at 1:30 AM. We got back to campus at 3:30 AM. It was a great night...:)

18. Give or Receive?

Both are fun

19. Ham or Turkey?

Turkey

20. White Lights or Colored Lights?

White; I'm not much of a fan of colored lights on small Christmas trees. On the bigger ones, such as the one in Rockefeller Center, it works.

21. Blinking Lights or Still Lights:

Still. I get motion sickness when I look at blinking lights.

22. Were you Naughty or Nice this year?

I'm a nice girl.

23. What do you want for Christmas this year?

A new washing machine would be nice, since mine no longer runs cold water.

24. When do you open your gifts?

Christmas morning

25. What's the best gift you've ever gotten?

I've received a lot of nice gifts.

26. What's the worst gift you've ever gotten?

Can't think of one.

27. Who gives you the most gifts?

I really don't keep a tally.

28. Have you ever had a secret Santa?

We do Secret Santa every year at work.

29. Do you like wrapping gifts?

Ugh, noooooooo. Read this.

30. Do you put change in those red buckets?

Yes. I feel that any contribution I make is worthwhile, even if it's just a few pennies.

31. Do you burn a yule log?

Only the one they broadcast on TV. Anyone out there in Bloggerland remember the Yule Log on WPIX every year?

32. Can you name all the reindeer?

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph

33. Do you bake cookies?

It depends on how busy and healthy I am during the holiday season.

34. Have you ever seen your mommy kissing Santa Claus?

Ahhhh...no.

35. Have you ever gotten a kiss under the mistletoe?

Yes

36. Do you drive around and look at the Christmas lights?

No, but we used to have some neighbors who would deck the halls, so to speak.

37. Have you ever left Santa cookies?

We did growing up. We left the jelly thumbprint cookies for him...which, coincidentally, were Papa Cat's favorite cookies. Hmmm...

38. Have you ever sat on Santa's lap?

Mama Cat has some pictures, yes.

39. Who do you celebrate Christmas with?

The Cat Family--rawther, my immediate family.

40. Where do you celebrate Christmas?

At the Cat Family homestead.

41. Have you ever had a white Christmas?

Yes, but not every year. In Connecticut it's a crapshoot.

42. What part of Christmas do you look most forward to?

The concerts, the carols, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Also spending lots of time with friends and family.

43. Have you ever had your picture taken with Santa?

When I was little.

44. Does your family always take pictures at Christmas?

Moreso when we were kids, not so much as adults.

45. Have you ever heard the song "Thank God For The Kids"?

Nope.