1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before? Spent the night in an airport (two, actually... dern traveling!)

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? i don't do those, but I know that my hopes for the year... went as well as one can conjure under human constraints!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Heidi had my first niece... making me officially an aunt, and then Andrea had my first nephew, making me an aunt twice over!

4. Did anyone close to you die? not that I can recollect... random people I recognized were in the obits of the Hood River paper, but the only funeral I went to was Josh's grandfather's.

5. What countries did you visit? Argentina, and then there were the two extended visits to the Costa Rican airport... they've got these shops that serve up various espresso goodie samples!

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? still looking for love...

7. What date(s) from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? february 14th, best valentine's ever!; april 27th, the mere discovery of half birthdays created much memories; august 27th, moved to bingen; september 23rd, the accident; october 27th, a great friend's birthday; november 27th, my best birthday... hooray for 27!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? the xmas card/cd project... wait a second, sara's wedding!

9. What was your biggest failure? achieving some sort of reconciliation with folks I love dearly

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? um yeah... I got rear-end, super squished, all discombobulated in the back, *growl*

11. What was the best thing you bought? ipod

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? andy

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? at times mine own... but in the whole course of the year, the aforementioned folks I love dearly

14. Where did most of your money go? move, debt... *sigh*

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

16. What song will always remind you of 2004? Beautiful One * Jeremy Camp

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
    1. happier or sadder? with perspective, much happier
       
    2. older and wiser? i'd like to think so, yet still in touch with the younger side of me I'm not about to shake anytime soon!
       
    3. thinner or fatter? even thinner
       
    4. richer or poorer? poorer... *pout*

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? hiking/walking with friends & possibly even photography

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? complicating things, over-reacting, taking things personally

20. How did you spend Christmas? the preparation was the most blessed parts of it all: the decorating my home, hiking/hunting down an actual tree; but on the eve I had milanesa and time with dad's family, the day of mom's family had breakfast and exchanged gifts, and the day after mom's extended family came together for more food and fun!

21. How will you be spending New Year's? today I'm spending [much needed] pime with jonathan, heading into ptown for the slightest shopping, and some dinner... then it's off to the wold's for an appearance at their open house, eventually i'll make an escape and head back here, hoping others may come and join, to reflect, and pray with pime into the New Year... tomorrow there's a chili feed up at the rich-wimmer's!

22. Did you fall in love in 2004? still waiting "for my love"

24. What was your favorite TV program? ER & American Dreams are all i watch anymore (thanks to my mom's magic with vcrs)

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I honestly spent a great part of yesterday trying to dive into the archives... wondering if there's truly anyone towards whom I have such harsh feelings... that can't be overcome with professionalism and/or God's grace... found not a one.

26. What was the best book you read? The BFG

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? you mean other than an ipod? um... bethany dillon

28. What did you want and get? an ipod, a beautiful house, great friends, blessings in abundance!

29. What did you want and not get? explanations, some sort of rhyme or reason

30. What was your favorite film of this year? guilty pleasure: 13 going on 30; all-around classics: the incredibles and/or shark tale

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 27! I had an amazing formal affair, surrounded by super-sweet folks... fun, photos, and food!

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? *trying really hard not to dwell on the alone-ness factor* climbing out of debt.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? casual classy, with definite personalized funk! the layers of late have become mostly trademark...

34. What kept you sane? a patient copebble

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? dulé hill

36. What political issue stirred you the most? this whole election had me sick to my stomach... not only did I find myself constantly trying to assure myself that folks on the same side of the fence as me were exercising their privilege to vote... but once the voting happened I was glued to results, praying we would remain a slightly conservative country!

37. Who did you miss? meshugana

38. Who was the best new person you met? jonathan

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004. many will call themselves friends, but only a select few are actually worth the pime!

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "i'm holding out for a hero"

I think I'm gonna have to refer to/peruse my entries for some of this info...

1. What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before? got backstage at Creation

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? don't do those...

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Alicia, Melissa... Heidi's pregnant!

4. Did anyone close to you die? Murray... and then a couple teachers (that was weird!)

5. What countries did you visit? not a one *pouty lip*

6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003? love

7. What date(s) from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? March 11th - Murray Bartholomew Maahs

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? The Search For Sole

9. What was your biggest failure? this christmas and/or a possibly new friendship

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? not extremely

11. What was the best thing you bought? my digital camera

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Sara... I've become more and more impressed with how she handles herself, adversity, and just life in general!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? do I really need to say?

14. Where did most of your money go? good question

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Creation y2k3

16. What song will always remind you of 2003? My Immortal

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
    1. happier or sadder? somewhere in the middle/leaning towards sadder
       
    2. thinner or fatter? thinner
       
    3. richer or poorer? richer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? swimming

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? festering

22. Did you fall in love in 2003? not something I talk about... but obviously no one fell in love with me!

24. What was your favorite TV program? Dawson's Creek

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? hate is a very harsh word... I've definitely reconsidered some folk, thanks to how they've acted or not acted towards me.

26. What was the best book you read? I haven't finished it, but Transgression was really intriguing me late this summer

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Meshugana

28. What did you want and get? a new printer/scanner/copier

29. What did you want and not get? a plug in the wall teapot

30. What was your favorite film of this year? Finding Nemo

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I had a wonderful birthday/week/month! never mind how old I am *cheesy semi-sheepish grin*

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? finding the right person to be transparent with

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003? summer: all about the dresses; winter: all about the leopard print

34. What kept you sane? sane? some good pals and God's everlasting grace!

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? *scrunchy face* Joshua Jackson won my heart as Pacey...

36. What political issue stirred you the most? DV is becoming more and more of a forefront focus for me...

37. Who did you miss? Torsten

38. Who was the best new person you met? Pieter

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003. A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still (knew it before, but hit home much this year.)

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "My people tellin' me dat you da man, that can heal the sick with your healin' hands, demand sickness to scram, and got power like SuperMan!"

Lord, first and foremost... I pray that this year be for You and only You, as You are número uno for me and all I could ever hope for. Having said that, there's a couple things I'd like to lay in Your Hands, as I obviously am not the best care-taker of them.

• my heart please Lord, don't let it fall for... or get entangled with another unrequited, fruitless, love. I honestly don't know that I can handle that again. I know you have a very special, specific, man set apart for me... please help me to be the woman he deserves, and save my heart only for him!
  
• my money is Yours, God... you've blessed me beyond belief with the specific amount of hours needed to set apart to go to Argentina later in the year. May I be faithful in using the rest exactly as you deem necessary.
  
• my body is a temple... I'm not willing to continue to treat it like a junkyard. I full on admit that I'm not about to join a sports club and work out like a maniac, but I do want to honor you more by noting what goes in to this temple garbage in, garbage out!
  
• my friends [family, people in general] God are so very precious. May I be able to serve them, and bless them at every possible juncture, setting others before myself...