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1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Well, compared to last year, NOTHING. I did start my own business (although I don’t, as yet, have any CLIENTS). I also taught someone where his belly button is, even if he does still sometimes confuse it with his penis.

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

Apparently, but I had no memory of what it was. Turns out I resolved to write my dog training book.

Oops.

But on the other hand, I DID start the website and I also founded a dog training business.

That’s pretty close.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, my friend Grace from The Domesticated Nerd Girl gave birth in February and my friend ~K gave birth in May. Both of their babies are now bigger than Owl by a significant margin.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit?

The U.S., for their cheap chicken and peculiar frozen foods.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

A million dollars. Self esteem. A baby who regularly sleeps through the night. A booming dog training business. Organization. The ability to hold my bladder.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

I’m sorry, I’m far too sleep deprived to remember dates.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Teaching Owl sign language. Making him laugh. Losing 10 pounds. Biting the bullet to actually start a dog training business. My Twilight posts.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Returning to work. Instead of revelling in the joy of doing what I had been trained to do, I found myself flustered, out of practice, confused, and verbally abused.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Only to my self confidence.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Food, probably. I like food. That seems to be where my money goes.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Owl’s of course! He has never cried once being left at daycare. NOT ONCE. His cheerful, unflappable confidence made the transition to work just that much less difficult

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Cranky Vet. That man is crazy. CRAZY. The new employee, who got all of a week and a half of him, said the exact same thing to me after he left.

CRAZY.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Debt repayment, the housing levy, and food. And flying home for Christmas.

15. What did you get really excited about?

I think I’ve lost the ability to get excited. Extreme emotions – with the exception of occasional crippling anxiety – seem to be out of my reach lately. Maybe it’s a a self defence thing – hiding from my anxiety and poor self esteem, I shut the world away.

I find this a problem. I MISS that level of joy, and I even miss having a good cry.
I do get excited when I go to pick up Owl from daycare, though, especially in the beginning when I missed him SO MUCH. I’d be driving along going “Gonna see Owl! Gonna see Owl!”

But that’s just sort of pathetic.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

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

– Happier or sadder? Sadder. Not by much, but a little.

– Thinner or fatter? Thinner!

– Richer or poorer? Poorer. Thanks to my cut hours, I’m now MAKING as much as I am PAYING for child care. ISN’T WORKING GREAT?

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

Writing in my diary.

Writing. Period.

Cleaning.

Earning money.

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

Sucking so much.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

At home in Nova Scotia, even though we couldn’t really afford the trip. Next year Owl will be a real person according to the airlines, and we’ll actually have to pay for a seat for him, so a trip will probably be prohibitively expensive, then.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?

Continued falling in love with Owl. He just gets more awesome on a continuous basis. Still fond of PH, too.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Dragon’s Den. Canada’s Worst Driver. Oddities.

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

I’m not good at hate. I tend to end up just seeing myself from the hated person’s point of view and hating myself instead.

24. What was the best book you read?

Assuming that we’re talking about NEW books, probably The Help and The Hunger Games.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I’m not that up on the music scene. I listen to the radio. That’s about it.

26. What did you want and get?

Baseboards. A lightweight vacuum. A good daycare provider and Owl’s easy adjustment to care. A cheerful baby. PH to take over more of the “night duty” baby care. An Xbox (used) and Kinect. An iTouch (which I didn’t even know I wanted until I unwrapped it and then I was like “THIS IS EVERYTHING I NEVER DREAMED I COULD HAVE”).

27. What did you want and not get?

A job I feel comfortable in.

Time.

A baby who sleeps through the night.

AND A HARD DRIVE, APPARENTLY.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

The King’s Speech.

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

I turned 29 last January. My friends took me out to dinner, and passed Owl (then Babby) around.

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

Being independantly wealthy. Going back to work sucked balls.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

Boob hanging out/scrubs.

32. What kept you sane?

Owl’s giggles. His amazing rate of learning. PH cooking dinner. My friends. WELLBUTRIN.

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

I have never fancied celebrity figures much, although PH and I were recently charmed by that sweetly bashful Jason Keller on Jeopardy!

And there’s always Isaiah Mustafa, of course.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

The election.

35. Who did you miss?

My family. Feelings of competence.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Okay, this is a bit of a cheat, because I didn’t MEET her this year, but Pug Mama. I actually met her way back when, in my anxiety group, but she emailed me last year and we got together early this year.

It quickly blossomed into an awesome friendship – she’s an extrovert to my introvert, which means that she keeps calling me and inviting me out (which I need because otherwise I just sit in my hamster cage and wonder why no one ever calls) and since we both understand each other’s crazy, the friendship works well.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

I… um…

uh…

I seriously need to work on my self confidence? Or just, like, STOP SUCKING SO MUCH.

No, wait, I’ve got it – I need to be more like Charlie Sheen.

WINNING.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Who needs sleep?
well you’re never gonna get it
Who needs sleep?
tell me what’s that for
Who needs sleep?
be happy with what you’re getting
There’s a guy who’s been awake
since the Second World War

-Barenaked Ladies, Who Needs Sleep?

Today I don’t feel like doing anything
I just wanna lay in my bed

-Bruno Mars, The Lazy Song

And I’ll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I’ll know my name as it’s called again

-Mumford and Sons, The Cave