peace out, 2010.

So here it is, the last day of 2010. I tried to think of a good way to recap the year, but since I am currently lacking creativity, I decided to go with the old standby...the Year-End Survey. In case we weren't friends last year at this time, you can check out my 2009 answers. But I must warn you: in a sad twist of fate, it seems that not much has changed in the last year. A lot of answers are eerily the same. Also? This thing is LONG! So...yeah. Beware.

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

Let’s see. I had an HSG. I was in potentially life-threatening car accident. I joined a gym and actually went regularly! And we’ll end on that positive note.

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

I don’t think I made any particular resolutions last year, but I will say that I did work out regularly all year long, which seems like the fulfillment of a very popular resolution! I also had made a sort of mental resolution to stop neglecting all of the other parts of my life in my baby-making obsession and I think I did make progress in that area. Despite the months of endless doctor’s appointments and tears and obsessing, I did manage to maintain a relatively healthy lifestyle, I consumed WAY less ice cream than in 2009, and I lessened my emotional load by sharing more with other people (and the world! via blogging more openly).

That was a long answer. Will I make more for 2011? I think I will try to continue on the same path. Staying healthy. Pursuing things other than just pregnancy.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Funny you should ask. It feels like EVERYONE close to me gave birth. I would list them all, but it could cause me to swirl into a deep and dark depression, so we’ll just move on instead! (This is me keeping myself positive, haha)

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit?

Only America. My passport expired in January and I haven’t renewed it yet. Not that I would have gone anywhere anyway, but that’s a convenient excuse. I did, however, visit the great states of Florida and North and South Carolina. Wow, I sound really lame.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

Well, the obvious. A baby. Also, wireless internet at my home.

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

August 19. If for no other reason than I had to quote the date to no less than 4,000 insurance people. That’s the only specific date that sticks out to me. Other than that it’s more general timeframes/events.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Working out consistently!! I am so proud of myself for sticking with it. It’s not even that I got in such great shape or lost any weight, cause I’m not sure I did. It’s just that I feel better about myself when I’m not being a sloth all the time.

Also, I consider it a great achievement that I’ve become addicted to basically every crappy, trashy reality TV show that there is. I feel like I’ve reached new lows, but at least they’re lows that allow me to connect with the rest of the women in my demographic.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I dunno. Maybe jealousy. I’ve found myself avoiding situations and places just because I know how jealous and left out I will feel once I’m there (and surrounded by moms and/or moms-to-be and all their babies and talk and such…) and I don’t know if that’s really a good coping mechanism.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Why yes, yes I did. And since I’m the world’s biggest whiner, I bet you already knew that!

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Hmm. I got a lot of good yardsale buys, like our china cabinet. I like our new car, although not the circumstances that forced us to buy it (it taints it)! I’m loving the new sweater I bought at Ann Taylor on Monday…

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

I would have to say Matt. He has been the best supporter and co-survivor of this infertility journey that I could have asked for. He has never once made me feel like I’m stupid, or neurotic, or going to hell for my lack of faith. He is my rock. And he buys good flowers.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Probably all the moms on Toddlers & Tiaras. They are RUINING their kids’ lives!

14. Where did most of your money go?

To doctors! And hospitals!! And we have nothing to show for it! How exciting!

15. What did you get really excited about?

I think the thing I was most excited about the whole year would have to be the manatees. And maybe that’s sad, but that’s my life. I will never forget how happy I was when we were with the manatees.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

Umm…no song. I don’t get into that sort of thing.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
(a) happier or sadder?
(b) thinner or fatter?
(c) richer or poorer?

(a) Maybe about the same. I feel sad when I think about how optimistic I was last year at this time. I think I am not nearly that optimistic this year. I’m a realist now. But I don’t necessarily think that makes me overall sadder. I don’t know. This is a tough one.

(b) About the same? Or maybe I would say “more in shape” if that were an option. I might weigh the same, but it’s more muscle than it was last year!

(c) Probably poorer? How sad is that. It would have been “richer” except for buying the stupid car and all the stupid medical bills.

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

Spending time with other people. We let ourselves get kind of isolated living out in the country and being fairly introverted. But it would probably be healthy to spend time with people other than ourselves sometimes.

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

Oh, you know. Crying. Lamenting. Being sad.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Christmas Day was with my family in Augusta.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?

I fell in love with couponing!! And lots of really lame TV shows!

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Ah, finally a question that doesn’t depress me. It would be too hard to pick just one. There was Lost, and I miss it now that it’s gone. Amazing Race and Biggest Loser…those are must-see-when-they-come-on level. Then the rest of these are “DVR every episode and watch as desired (which is often)” status: Real Housewives of New Jersey, Atlanta, and Beverly Hills; 16 & Pregnant; Teen Mom; Keeping Up with the Kardashians; House Hunters; Property Virgins; and as of this week, Toddlers & Tiaras. Good job T&T, you barely squeezed in to my 2010 lineup!!

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

Nope.

24. What was the best book you read?

I haven’t read much this year. Unless you count blogs. Then I’m an avid reader. Lately I’ve been reading The Great Typo Hunt: Two Friends Changing the World One Correction at a Time and it’s very enjoyable.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Oooh I discovered that all the awesome music I listened to in high school/early college was still saved on my computer somewhere. Those were some sweet tunes.

26. What did you want and get?

A garden. A beach vacation. A new fleece.

27. What did you want and not get?

A BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Um, I think I maybe saw three movies this year (including movies on TV and movies on DVD and movies in the $1 theater). Toy Story 3 was probably the best of them.

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

I turned 28 and we went to church, then lunch, then saw some snowflakes (that didn’t stick), then stayed home the rest of the night. It was very exciting.

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

Oh I don’t know, possibly seeing two pink lines…

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

I’ve been getting more into accessories. And for the last few months, definitely hopping on the leggings-with-tunics/dresses bandwagon. Because it’s the most comfortable thing to ever happen to fashion. Oh, I also started painting my nails. It makes me pretty happy.

32. What kept you sane?

Matt, some of my real-life friends, and the friendship and community of fellow pregnancy-challenged women I’ve managed to find on the internet. I don’t know how I’d make it without them.

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

Probably…all the women from Real Housewives. But only if by “fancy” you mean “are curiously puzzled by."

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

LOL! I think we all know that I am not stirred by political issues.

35. Who did you miss?

I miss life before infertility. I miss the days when I could just think/say “oh, when I have kids…” and not feel supremely stressed out by that phrase and whether I should actually be saying “if”.

Oh, it said “who”. Oh well. I stand by my original answer.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Well, I’m not sure if it counts if you’ve only “met” online, but I would have to say that “meeting” Amanda J. has been pretty great.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.

Well, it goes on. And somehow, inexplicably, God will show His goodness through it all.

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

How about…every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. It’s all I could think of.

So that's that. As a final PS-- how awesome is it that I have the exact same number of blogs for 2009 and 2010?? Pretty awesome, I know. I think that for 2011, I will try to beat that. Maybe I'll go for 90. 100? What do you think? How many times do you want to hear me whine next year?? Haha.

So, goodbye 2010. You were good, but you coulda been better. Looking forward to tomorrow, when I will plan to write lots of checks just so that I can write 1/1/11 on the top.

(PS again. This is a REALLY crucial story I'm about to write. But it has to do with dates that are like tomorrow's. I remember that on 3/3/2003 I signed a lease on my first apartment and paid a security deposit of $333.33. I mean, how cool is that?? That check was AWESOME.)