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Retrospective 2007 Click Here To Comment!

I’ve been stalling a bit on this, hesitating. Hesitant. I just took care of that last night, ritually burning my hesitation and second guessing of self, so here goes with a look back at 2007. I do have to thank Kaivalya for giving me a structure to put to this, to get me started …

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
Most recently, zip-lining through the canopy of the tropical forest in Mexico. Earlier in the year, I took a leave of absence from my teaching position to work in a smaller organization – something I’d certainly never done before.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Sort of. According to this post, my three resolutions were:

– Go to the gym 3x a week

– Less e, more me.

– Remember to consider the source.

If one reads the first one as “get in better shape / improve health”, then I have certainly achieved that this year, although I’m dragging my heels a bit on weighing in after the holidays! I believe I’m also doing much more phone and in person contact than I did the previous year and it has certainly made my life richer. Present circumstances aside, I’m much better at “considering the source” than I once was, but stuff does still get to me that shouldn’t.

Will I make more? Hm. This year, I plan to:

– continue to work towards my optimal weight target and, as I get there, work on conditioning the healthy body I’ve been blessed with.

– work on self-confidence. Seriously. Present circumstances have dealt me a serious blow in this area and I need to work on getting my mojo back, so to speak.

“Present circumstances” refers to the fact that my job shift, while positive in many respects, is not working out. The last time I felt like this involved eight months of trying to leave a complex and mildly abusive relationship. Walking around most days with a knot in my stomach. So … step one is getting outta there … and step two is healing the damage. Once this all unfolds, I’ll see more clearly the positives that have come out of this. And they are there – I can sort of see them through the murk. Stay tuned …

– more music in my life … more reading … move towards a simpler existance

3. Did someone close to you give birth?
Yes – welcome Arden Collins to the world!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. (Knock on wood.)

5. What countries did you visit?
US – Hawaii in March … US – Chicago in October … Mexico in December … my attitude towards visiting the States has changed so much in the last 18 months.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A sense of personal stability, confidence.

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

“Etched” seems a strong word … memorable? Will that do?

January 27/28 – Beth’s Recitals

January 30 – Blind date that led to a relatively short-lived but intense relationship that took up a chunk of 2007

March – Hawaii

June 29 – Start of weight loss project (forecasted end date, sometime in May 2008)

November 16/17 – Fundy Boy Christmas

November 19 – the day my boss totally crossed the line and the beginning of the end

December 23-30 – Mexico!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Losing almost 40 lbs.

Having the chutzpah to step out of security into the void.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not correctly reading the situation I was walking into in the new workplace.

Not adequately protecting myself emotionally from said situation.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope and I am profoundly grateful for this. In 2006, I had some lovely close-ups of my reproductive system taken – all clear. In 2007, I had my lower GI series done … and then re-done. So very done with that … all clear … perhaps this is the year of the mammogram. Yikes.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I want to say my new car, but truth be told I’m not as happy with it as I wished I were. I foresee another change. I think my new camera that I bought before I went to Hawaii. It is smallish, waterproof to 10 ft, shockproof and takes really terrific shots. Oh – and my new bike brought, and will bring, great joy! What a way to feel like a little kid again! I’m also fond of the new rug and new cupboards in the kitchen hall.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I have a friend who, after the horrid political fallout from a non-profit organization I was once part of, wound up on the other side of the, shall we say, chasm. To her credit, after over a year of no contact, she reached out to me and asked if we could meet up. She apologized, asked me about my side of things, gave me her side, and apologized again. I’m guessing that 2008 may bring her back into the fold. It took some guts for her to do this, and some humility. I want to honour that here. It meant a lot to me.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
My boss’.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The shinny tournament last January. 🙂

Hawaii

Chicago

Mexico

Briefly, I was excited about the new relationship that quickly tanked.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Sunday Morning by Maroon 5

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Wow – that is complicated. Happier in some ways … more angst ridden in others.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner!!
iii. richer or poorer? Richer, I suppose, but anticipating taking a hit in the pocketbook soon. HOWEVER, I feel absolutely and undoubtedly blessed in 2007 with fantastic friends. This has been the year of me finally coming to understand and trust that I have a rich and strong support system here. This rocks, and makes me feel very rich indeed.

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

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Wasting time on my computer.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent with friends on the beach in Mexico!

22. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Hm. No. Hindsight isn’t always 20/20 tho …

23. Any one-night stands?
No.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Don’t watch much TV, but I’m starting on DVDs of Six Feet Under, House, 24 and Grey’s Anatomy. They are being mailed to me in sequence, so I suspect I’ll get through them by the end of 2008.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is an ugly word. Are there two people who have plummeted in terms of my opinion of them? Yes.

26. What was the best book you read?
On Beauty – Zadie Smith. Also enjoyed Dame Helen Mirren’s autobiography, the little tart …

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Maroon 5

28. What did you want and get?
new car / bike / camera

29. What did you want and not get?
a new relationship

30. Favorite film of this year?
Gone Baby Gone

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I am 44. Spent the weekend with my extended chosen family in Ottawa – great fun. Then I went to Chicago.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
a satisfying / rich new relationship

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Starting to lean towards more shapely clothes.

34. What kept you sane?
My friends, gods and goddesses bless’em!

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No one comes to mind.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Still trying to process the reality of the loss of Benezir Bhutto. What a tragedy.

37. Who do you miss?
Martina – she moved away!!

My mom.

Warren.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
My ex’s daughter.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.

Wow … so many … it would have to do with listening to oneself and for paying attention to the red flags earlier. Both at work and in relationships.

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