2007 In A Nutshell

I've seen this meme going around on several blogs lately, most recently over at Sundry Mourning. So without any further ado, I present you with my year in a nutshell. 

1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? Started a blog, went to Cannon Beach, began playing around with photography
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't make any, and won't make any for 2008.  I have some goals for 2008, but not resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No.
4. Did anyone close to you die? My grandmother.
5. What countries did you visit? None.  I didn't travel any farther than Cannon Beach, OR this year.
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? A new job, more financial security, more joy in my daily life.
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Feb. 12: I fell and seriously injured my shoulder.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Spending several months in physical therapy resolving my shoulder injury, and sticking to it even when I thought I couldn't do it.
9. What was your biggest failure? I wanted to be debt-free by the end of this year, but it wasn't in the cards.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Yes, the lingering shoulder injury that lasted most of the year.
11. What was the best thing you bought? The ipod shuffle I bought for my honey's birthday was a huge hit.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My honey, who quit a soul-sucking job, and helped me in a million ways when I got hurt.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My boss. And a friend who stopped talking to me without explanation just when I needed a friend the most.  
14. Where did most of your money go? Bills!
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My honey's new job, because she is so much happier than she was before.  And our long weekend in Cannon Beach a few months ago.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007? That damn "Hey There, Delilah" song!  Also, "Turpentine" by Brandi Carlile
17. Compared to this time last year are you: a) happier or sadder?  b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?  About the same across the board.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Had fun!
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Worrying!  Also I wish I had spent much less of the year in pain.
20. How did you spend Christmas? My honey's family members started calling us from the east coast at 5:00 am.  We spent the morning sleepily opening presents at home, then went over to my parents house for breakfast.  My dad got a Wii for Christmas, so we spent most of the day playing video games. 
21. Did you fall in love in 2007? No, although I often realized how in love I already was.
22. What was your favorite tv program? The Office, How I Met Your Mother, and Dexter. 
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No.
24. What was the best book you read? Eat, Pray, Love was a great read.  Especially because I felt trapped at home for several weeks at a time. 
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? I am a music junkie, so it shocks me to say that I didn't fall in love with any new-to-me artists this year.  However I did fall in love all over again with artists like Patty Griffin and Brandi Carlile.
26. What did you want and get? Improvement in my shoulder.
27. What did you want and not get? A new job. 
28. What was your favorite film of this year? Juno!
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I went to the movies with my honey.  I was 33.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A better employment situation.  Or winning the lottery! More joy in my daily life.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Bored.  I wore the hoodie/tank top combination a LOT. There aren't a lot of fashion options when you can only use one arm to dress yourself.
32. What kept you sane? My honey, and our adorable dog.  Visits to the dog park together watching him run and play.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I have no idea.  
34. What political issue stirred you the most? Most political issues had me feeling frustrated, and wishing that I could just take a nap until January 2009.  Just the other day I heard about some "family values" group in Arizona succeeding in postponing the domestic partnership law in Oregon.  That really pisses me off.  I do not understand how people think it is okay to deny basic human rights to others.  In the United States of America.  In 2007!
35. Who did you miss? The former friend who disappeared on me.
36. Who was the best new person you met? I liked my physical therapist, although I wish I had a much more exciting answer!
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.  That life has a way of throwing curve balls at us just when we think we have things figured out.  Technically I suppose I re-learned that this year.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. I'm trying to tell you something bout my life/ Maybe give me insight between black and white/ And the best thing you've ever done for me/ Is to help me take my life less seriously/ It's only life after all (Indigo Girls, "Closer To Fine")

I feel like I had primarily a boring, stressful 2007 and I'm hoping for a more joyful, less stressful 2008.  How about you?  What are you hoping for in the coming year?