End Of Year Quiz (even though it's January)

I surf the web a lot. It's the thing I do to clear my head when I'm writing. I write for a while, then check Facebook, then write for a while, then read someone's blog, then write for a while, then actually get out of my chair and walk around. I find that when I come back to the work, even if it's only been a few minutes, I'm often able to see with fresh eyes.

So anyway, in surfing along, I found this end-of-the-year quiz and it seemed like a pretty good one as far as these things go. Fun. Distracting. Maybe even a little bit informing in a reflective kind of way. And totally self-indulgent, so I forgive you if you skip this particular entry. It's probably more for me than for you.

Thanks to "All & Sundry" for the questionnaire. (Apparently she lifted it from someone else originally, too. Such is the internet.)

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Got a manager. Wrote for four saxophones. Gave in to having a fake Christmas tree.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Not even remotely. In recent years I've tried just to make one resolution and to make it something totally reasonable. I think this year's resolution was to call my parents more regularly. And there was one stretch where I think I went about two months without calling my dad. So I didn't make one for this year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
REALLY close. Me. Also several girlfriends.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
I'm afraid to answer this question. But no.

5. What countries did you visit?
Denmark. Germany.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A production of one of my shows. Patience. A waistline.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The birthdate of my second daughter.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Having a baby. Sorry, I'm sensing a theme here.

9. What was your biggest failure?
The end of a collaboration, kind of breaking up with a partner and letting go of a piece. Also, sometimes I was really bad at returning phone calls. And note the above new year's resolution fail.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Hand infection that required surgery in October.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A new house. Also, Ugg boots. I love them. But I really love the house more.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Molly gets the big sister award of all time.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
People who trade (upload, download, re-sell) copyrighted sheet music and prevent the copyright holders from being able to sell their product. (See "Georgia's 2009 Soapbox.")

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

15. What did you get really excited about?
Family. Commissions. New projects on the horizon, new collaborators.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Single Ladies

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? happier, fuller
– thinner or fatter? fatter, but it's post-baby so I have an excuse for a few months at least
– richer or poorer? poorer. more mouths to feed, less work

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
exercise, cooking, sleeping, writing (always writing)

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Facebook, procrastinating, wishing for things instead of making them happen

20. How did you spend Christmas?
In NYC two weeks before, on Christmas day it was family and close friends at home. I cooked a rib roast.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I am constantly in love with my husband and newly in love with our baby.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Lost

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is too strong a word. I don't hate. I really don't. I'm disappointed. I'm annoyed. But I don't hate.

24. What was the best book you read?
Thornton Wilder, THE EIGHTH DAY

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Fauré Requiem. I didn't know it before.

26. What did you want and get?
A new house, a second child, good reviews for ALPHABET CITY CYCLE

27. What did you want and not get?
Back into my skinny clothes, a production of my show, a finished second album, Hawaii

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Up

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went to dinner with some of my best girlfriends in LA. And then my husband and I went away for the weekend.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More time with extended family, less barking dog

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Functional maternity

32. What kept you sane?
Jamie. Rita. Elizabeth. Susan. Ali. Bruce. Alastair. Kevin.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
My crushes tend to be on real people. I can count three that I had this year.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
It's the year of Health Care, isn't it? The recession has been going on for a while but this is the year it hit home. I wish I had unbelievable amounts of money so I could support the non-profits and charities that are struggling.

35. Who did you miss?
Always miss Grandpa Stuart. Miss friends in NY when I'm in LA, friends in LA when I'm in NY. Now I'm missing the Friskes, who moved across the country.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Bruce. Jean Owen. Cheri.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
Do not overpack. I hope I can remember it.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
All Things In Time.