end of year meme (abridged)

I can't remember what questions I cut last year, but I'm just copying from there again.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Went on a cruise, visited some new places, took a couple of tap classes

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did pretty well with The Plan, but I think I've been getting a bit complacent. I need to start again with renewed enthusiasm.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
C'land, several South Pacific island nations.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Motivation and self-esteem, as ever. But also to figure out what I would really enjoy doing with my life, since it apparently isn't biomedical research.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I just read back over my blog for the past year to see if that would jog my memory, but I still can't think of any big achievement. I did win Ravelympic gold for the C'landian team.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not getting further with my research, as usual.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets, maybe some presents

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The last two times I've done this, I've said mine, but I think I slacked off a bit this year, although I did do better at some things. I think I was more happy with US voters' behaviour.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mine, unfortunately.

14. Where did most of your money go?
The cruise and other travels.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Travelling home and other places.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I really didn't listen to much music this year.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) happier b) I think I was thinner before the cruise and holiday, now I might be back to the same c) richer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Talking to friends, working.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Procrastinating, feeling bad about myself.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 28. I had dinner with a housemate, then met up with one of my favourite bloggers, then had cake with housemates.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?It's kind of demoralising how similar my answers are to previous years'. Not procrastinating so much or being so anxious and seeing my favourite person more.

33. What kept you sane?
I don't think I used my blog so much for this, which is a pity. My favourite person was great, though.

36. Who did you miss?
My favourite person and my family and friends at home.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
I'm not sure if I first met this person in 2008, but I'm glad I'm better friends with a friend of a housemate now.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
I'm not sure what I actually learnt, but the lesson I'd like to take away from it is not to waste my life refreshing google reader.