Friday, December 31, 2010

2010 in One Word

Since some bloggers are trying to sum up the year 2010 using one word, I thought I would try this as well. It is hard to think of a single word though so I am going with a hyphenated 'not-horrible.'

It started out pretty well. My manager came through just after the first of the year and asked if I was still interested in getting on as a permanent employee. So that was good. Then I didn't hear for a long time and asked my manager why I hadn't heard anything. They were didn't want to pay me what I am worth. That was bad. Then I got a great job offer where I could work from home, got great pay with full benefits. That was great! Then the contract I was hired to work on was cancelled (after a single week). That was bad. Fortunately I hadn't quit my original company yet. That was good. Then that company changed the direction of their business model and let me go. That was very bad. Then I got my current job (great pay and full benefits). That was good.

We got to finish out second grade for E in Pennsylvania. That was good. He started third grade with the same kids as last year. That was good too. During the year he played soccer, football and hockey. That was good. We had to leave PA before he got to finish his football season. That was bad. We got to go to our nice Florida house. That was good. We got to play in the pool and play in the park and ride bikes around the trails. That was good. E got to ride his bike to school. That was good. We had to leave after only a month. That was bad. I was employed. That was very good.

So, we had to move 3 times last year. That was very bad. I was employed almost the whole year with just a bit over a month break between positions. That was very good.

That is why the year 2010 gets rated 'not-horrible.'

Thursday, December 30, 2010

2010 Wrap-Up

I am copying Linda over at All & Sundry. I took her list from last year and edited it a bit.

So here is my 2010 wrap-up:

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
There must be something but I guess it was so unremarkable that I can't remember it.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I'm not a big new year's resolution kind of person. This always seems to imply that if you want to fix something you need to wait for a special date to begin the process. That just seems dumb. If it needs fixing, then fix it!

With that being said, I want to lose some weight and get my hip fixed.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! My neice had her beautiful baby, Ava Danielle, in July.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank god.

5. What countries places did you visit?
We met B's brother, SIL & their kids at Hershey Park and had a very pleasant day there. We went to Washington, DC and got to be all touristy-like. We moved back to Florida and then came to Indiana. Really exciting. I had a few interview trips (Houston, TX, Iowa, North Carolina) nothing special.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A bicycle; a hip replacement so I can say goodbye to constant pain.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

  • March 8th – horrible car accident
  • November 8th – started new job
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I got a new job with great pay and great benefits.

9. What was your biggest failure?
This really isn't my failure...but the work-at-home job didn't work out unfortunately (the contract I was going to work on didn't get won by the company). I also didn't get a permanent offer from the company I was working for (they didn't want to pay me what I was worth, twits!).

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Other than the chronic hip pain, no. I broke my elbow just at the end of 2009 so that doesn't count. E broke his ankle in May. I got bad seatbelt contusions and B broke his finger in our horrible car accident in March (we soooo could have been killed then).

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmmm...this is difficult. I am cheap and don't spend a lot of money...well, we bought a new car (see above for why we needed a new car).

12. Where did most of your money go?
Stupid mortgage on a house we can't live in.

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The job that fell through. It would have been perfect...great pay, great benefits, work from our house...*sigh*

14. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Song?

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

a) happier or sadder? Happier
b) thinner or fatter?
About the same...maybe a tiny bit thinner (maybe only in my mind).
c) richer or poorer? Just a bit richer
16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Relaxing. Doing fun family things.

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Quarrelling with B.

18. How did you spend Christmas?
Quiet Christmas at home.

19. What was your favorite TV program?
Eh...don't really watch TV... I've been watching Lost on Netflix

20. What was the best book you read?
I have really read a lot this year but there is nothing really memorable. I just finished Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster...I love her books.

21. What was your favorite film of this year?
That would presuppose that I went to see current films.

22. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Nothing. I am 35...no, wait...I am 50-something. I am old.

23. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
To be able to actually live in one of the houses that we own or to sell the house in Idaho (I can almost physically feel this as a weight around my neck).

24. Who did you miss?
I miss my family. We will be travelling back to Seattle in March for my nephew's wedding. I am looking forward to seeing everyone then.