End of the year meme -round two

We interrupt this extended vacation to provide you with a most appropriate meme. An end of the year meme! I really enjoy going over all the incredible events of 2008 and crossing items from my invisible list. It is a good time to reflect, and to look back. It is time for the quiet before the new.

I hope you had a great year, and I wish you all a wonder filled, bright and clear new year.

Now for the meme goodness...

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? I became a U.S. citizen! This is so incredibly good that I am not going to add anything else to this answer.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I do not make them, but I kind of get into the idea of bringing change into my everyday with some success.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes. My American sister Connie. Baby Zane is now the youngest of the grandchildren, and he is loved by everyone.

4. Did anyone close to you die? No, what a blessing.

5. What countries did you visit? I had to travel to the US four times this year (because of my citizenship application), and we managed to go back home to Colombia too. We did some traveling in Europe as well: France, Switzerland, and Germany. I could have added the Czech Republic to this list, but I did not go. Remember?

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? Last year I wrote about wanting my US citizenship, my Italian permesso de soggiorno, and a car, and guess what? I got all three! So this year I am going to spread my good luck and say that I want my mom and my mother in law to be able to travel to Italy to visit us. I will like to visit Morocco too.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? December 19, the day I became a citizen of the U.S. November 4 is a very close second.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I started painting and teaching again.

9. What was your biggest failure? I did not go through with a business project.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Good health in general but for the frequent colds that seem to follow me everywhere. I blame planes, wouldn't you?

11. What was the best thing you bought? My iphone. I never wanted a phone that was more than a phone... Now, I am a fan, no, wait, I am a groupie! I love the little gadget, with its music holding power, its podcast providing service, its cheerful reminders, and its fantastic memory! I really LIKE this fancy phone, there is no way around it.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Once again Nicolas takes the prize. He tries hard and makes us proud. What a gift.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Could it be the Bush administration again?

14. Where did most of your money go? Traveling (see #5).

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? The U.S. elections, and off course OBAMA!

16. What song will always remind you of 2007? Nothing comes to mind.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer? Happier, fatter and richer (I have a salary now!)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Painting, there is always more painting to be done.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Stressing over legal paperwork.

20. How did you spend Christmas? With close family in the States, eating Colombian food, singing, and dancing. We also had a lively political discussion until the wee hours of the morning.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007? Yes, with my life.

22. What was your favorite TV program? We do not have cable TV in Italy, so we buy American TV programs by the season. We bought Heroes, and now we are hooked. Take into account that this is our only TV entertainment!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No.

24. What was the best book you read? The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Buika.

26. What did you want and get? My beautiful Francis! Francis! espresso machine. SOOOO lovely. She is mine!

27. What did you want and not get? A new PR (personal record) running the Bogota Half Marathon. I hope to get it this year.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? Lars and the Real Girl, which is actually a 2007 film, but a 2008 one for me.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 42 and I had breakfast with my boys, coffee with Pien, a quiet day of painting and dinner with my girlfriends. A great day.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Nope. Nothing is missing. I am a very happy woman.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Learning from the Italians, I am including a lot of classic items with great accesories like these boots, aren't they lovely?

32. What kept you sane? Running and writing my blog (it gives me perspective)

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Just writing his name makes me happy: Barak Obama.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? All of them!

35. Who did you miss? My mom always.

36. Who was the best new person you met? New? It will have to be my ceramics teacher. He is smart, funny and very good at what he does.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. There is always room for CHANGE.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "Caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al andar." (Traveler, there is no path. We make the path by walking.)