40 questions about 2004

Here is another end-of-year meme that comes via Liz Lawley of mamamusings (who got it from Molly). A lot has happened, much of it revolving around our first child (pictures) - many references below. I tend not to write about these things in the course of normal blogging. I might ask questions like, "which Simpons episode best describes your year" or something to that effect.

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
   Became a father. My first independent consulting work. Was the subject of an interview for a to-be-published book.
2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
   I don't usually make resolutions. I'd much prefer constant improvement over time.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
   My wife. My brother's wife. Two of my college roommate's wives.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
   My second cat, Big Boy, died of old age / cancer / arthritis. (Josie died a couple years ago.)
5. What countries did you visit?
   Just the USA this year. Maybe Spain next year.
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
   More clients for my work. The right balance of time between family, play and work. More miles on the bicycles.
7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory?
   May 18th - The Boy.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
   Leaving Pfizer and starting my own consultancy. Personally, getting a new advisor.
9. What was your biggest failure?
   Not so much a failure as a disappointment: to not have gotten further with my first client. Big lesson on how corporate politics work. (Oh, and they would love to have me back, so it definitely wasn't a failure.)
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
    No. Yay. Maybe not enough mountain biking.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
    The Burley d'Lite trailer for The Boy.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
    My wife, who balances parenting, work and fun and makes it seem easy, even when she is exhausted.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
    RK, who can't stop drinking to save his life. The client who was really nice, but had little project management acumen.
14. Where did most of your money go?
    The Boy. And your usual mortgage payments. (Don't have Quicken in front of me.)
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
    The Boy. Leaving Pfizer. My first consulting proposal, which didn't happen.
16. What song/album will always remind you of 2004?
    Fountains of Wayne's Welcome Interstate Managers.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
• happier or sadder? happier
• thinner or fatter? about the same
• richer or poorer? richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
    Cycling. Reading.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
    Talking to myself, instead of my advisor.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
    In Cleveland with three generations of Vinsons.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
    My wife, my advisor and RK.
22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
    I was in love with The Boy immediately?
23. How many one night stands in this last year?
    None. I never stuck around long enough for a one-night stand (Magnetic Fields lyric).
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
    Angel. The Simpsons.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
    No. The advisor has been quite helpful in this regard.
26. What was the best book(s) you read?
    Much less reading this year. I haven't even kept my list up to date. Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich was fun. The best children's book has been Bark George by Jules Feiffer.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    Philadelphia Chickens - a children's album by Sandra Boynton that came out several years ago, but we like so much that we continue listening.
28. What did you want and get?
    That first consulting gig.
29. What did you want and not get?
    Twins.
30. What were your favourite films of this year?
    With The Boy, it's been difficult to see movies. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was good.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
    I turned 38, no longer a fun number like 37. We went out to Tweet, a Frenchy place, where the owner played with The Boy while we ate.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
    I don't know. I am pretty darned satisfied this year. Maybe a solid feeling that this consulting thing will last.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
    Fluevog. But then it's been that way for at least 15 years.
34. What kept you sane?
    Prayer and an advisor.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
    The Boy makes these things unimportant. I wish John Waters would do something interesting again.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
    Iraq.
37. Who did you miss?
    Family. We live too far from our respective families.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
    (Don't say The Boy.) Tate Vasseur, the business lead at my first gig.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004.
    Powerlessness - again.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
    Old man take a look at your life, I'm a lot like you were. (ugh - but The Boy looks a heck of a lot like me, so this is funny)