Well, here we go!  One huge post to both catch up since I last posted, sum up the year, and look to the year ahead.  Go get yourself a cup of coffee, I’ll wait.

Ready?  Excellent.  I am typing this post up at work, on my very last day of work!  Everything in Branson closes down for the winter, and today is the last day my hotel is open until March, making it my last day of employment for at least two months.  On one hand, this is awesome, because I get two whole months off, which is a lot like having summer vacation as a kid, but without the sun and slip n’ slides, but it is also bad, because it means the pretty little pieces of paper with numbers on them stop coming every two weeks.  Luckily, since I have a callback date (as in they already know when I will be back), I can get the other pretty pieces of paper called unemployment checks, which are pretty much $5 and the government laughing at you, but I’ll take it.  $5 buys several cheesy bean and rice burritos (Thanks, Taco Bell, for bringing them back!)

I didn’t do a Year in Review post at the end of 2004, because there was too much that happened that I didn’t want to relive.  This year was much quieter, though, so here is the ever famous Year in Review:

In January: I started knitting, quit my job, and enrolled for college classes.  The latter two were not an effect of the first item.  At least I don’t think they were. 

In February:  I learned to make soap, started the whole school thing, spent a lot of time at home, ate a lot of ice cream, traded in my old car (Hedwig) and bought Apple.

In March: I watched a lot of BBC News, wrote a lot of papers, and sent the imaginary Benitez family to the wrong airport.

In April: We got our new bird, Rosie, and I planted a bunch of seeds, threw away one bed and stole another, got a new fridge, and went to World Fest.

In May: I posted nearly every day, lost a bunch of money and my favorite earring at a casino, my camera stopped working, I started working at the hotel, bought a new camera, finally got my Kenneth Cole shoes, only to discover they were too small, started playing Matrix Online, and Thurl Ravenscroft died.

In June: I got my computer upgraded, my nephew broke my car cd player, I found my Ralph Wiggum t-shirt, learned that I was dating Hank Azaria, and went to Simucon again.

In July: I got Harry Potter at midnight, and went to the Ripley’s Museum.  Apparently July was a slow month.  (I just typoed it as Julky, which I think should be the month’s new name)

In August: I did the Blogathon again, posted my 101 in 1001 list, exceeded my bandwidth limit for the first time ever (I am actually bordering on it again tonight!  Good thing it’s the end of the month!) and ordered my laptop.

In September: I lived with not internet at home for almost two whole weeks (Thank goodness for that laptop order!), I actually went on a date, a tree fell on my house, and we had a huge yard sale. 

In October: I got locked out of my house, worked a LOT of overtime, played some amusing Halloween pranks, and danced on a rooftop.

In November: I did NaNoWriMo again (Ended up with about 40,000 words), got my drum, and went to Florida, where I met Moroccans, was an extra, and danced with African drummers. 

In December: I came home from Florida, was sick for like a week, turned 24, started dancing with the troupe, had Christmas Eve dinner with 11 members of my family, and wrote this list. 

After I finished looking back over this year, I couldn’t help but to keep going back.  At this end of 2003, my dad was in the hospital, but still alive.  At the end of 2002, I was working as a courier, hating the weather.  (When looking at January of 2003, I found that “I have adopted Ian McKellen’s roar of general indignance into my daily life. I roar at traffic. I roar when the cable goes out.”  I can’t believe that I still use it three years later.  I love you, Ian McKellen!) At the end of 2001, I quit working at Dixie, and was working baking cookies, and was still dating Rich. What a difference a few years makes!

New Years is a great time to make predictions about what will happen in your future, so go play yourself a game of Mash.  http://www.dollarshort.org/mash/

“Your husband's name is James Marsters and you have 1 child. You're a photographer who drives to work every day in a pink a big truck.  It's truly a wonderful life when you consider the countless romantic nights you have spent with James Marsters in your house in Caribbean. “

And I didn’t even cheat!

I found the survey that I did at the end of last year, so now I’ll repost it, and put the new answers beneath the old.  (Yeah, just like everyone else is doing.)

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?:
took bellydance classes, started planning out ideas for a book, went to Virginia Beach

*In 2005, I took college classes, which was a first.  I also worked at a hotel, knitted, and um… there have to be other things, right?

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?:
I sucked at keeping this year's. Not sure about next year just yet, although I have less than 24 hours to come up with them if I do.

*I don’t think I ever came up with any last year.  I’ll post this year’s later on in this post.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?:
Nope

*Nope again!

4. Did anyone close to you die?:
Yep, my dad.
*Thankfully not this year!

5. What countries did you visit?:
Sadly, none.
*Unless you count the World Showcase at Epcot, none again.  Must change this!

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?:
A job that requires less driving. Maybe a new love. More adventure.

*Well, I got the job with less driving, at least!  And there was some adventure thrown in here and there.  For 2006, I’d have to go with love and adventure again.  And maybe a pony.

7. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?:
March 6th is when my dad died, so I'm sure that one will stick.

*None from this year, which is both good and bad.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?:
Surviving? Probably the big hunt for the new Casa Crystal, as well.

*I can’t really think of anything that stands out.

9. What was your biggest failure?:
I don't feel like I failed at anything.

*Same again.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?:
I'm still in one piece! Knock on wood! That's almost a little disappointing, because injuries usually have really good stories behind them, ya know? Maybe I need to go on a few of Susie's Trail Rides of Death this year. Given how far my horse behind is in training right now, I'm sure to come out of them with a few new scars ;)

*I was sick a few times, but other than that I’ve been pretty healthy!  Knock on wood again!

11. What was the best thing you bought?:
My house! Although I didn't pay for it personally, so maybe that doesn't count. I am fond of my snazzy new video camera, and Anya the X-Box, both of which were major purchases this year.

*My laptop and Apple!

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?:
You. You deserve a cookie.

*You again!

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?:
Various family members.
*Like most others, I have to point a finger towards that guy in the big white house on Pennsylvania Avenue.

14. Where did most of your money go?:
Gas, bills, more gas, more bills, evil Bank of America overdrafts.
*Florida trip, car payments, bills.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?:
I get really, really, really excited about everything. Shut up. Mostly, the new house and vacations, and probably various dvd's.

*Still the same as above.  Mostly my vacation, I think.

16. What songs will always remind you of 2004?:
Can't think of any!
*Same!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i) Happier or sadder - Well, given that my dad had just had a stroke at this time last year, probably happier.

*Probably about the same as last year.

ii) Thinner or fatter - Fatter. I was just getting over the flu at this time last year, so I was all malnourished. Also, there were Krispy Kremes this year.

*About the same, again.

iii) Richer or Poorer - So very poor.
*Somewhat richer, but not for long.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?:
Traveling, riding my horse, writing
*Add dancing to that, and it’s the same!

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?:
worrying
*Worrying, again!

20. How will you be spending Christmas?:
We had a pretty quiet Christmas at home this year.
*This year there were 12 people in my house for Christmas Eve, and then I worked on Christmas afternoon. 

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?:
Nope. More love in 2005!
*Nope.  More love in 2006, for real this time!

23. How many one night stands?:
None.
*None, again! 

24. What were your favourite TV programmes?
I watched so little TV this year. Mostly travel channel stuff.
*Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, Grey’s Anatomy.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?:
Nah
*Nope.

26. What was the best book you read?:
Ooh, there was much reading this year. Unfortunatly, I was lazy and didn't update my reading list page, so I have no idea which books I read this year and which were last year.

*No one book is standing out, yet again.  I really will restart my reading list for 06!

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?:
not so much a discovery, but I'm addicted to bellydance music now.

*Coltaire K!

28. What did you want and get?:
The fact that I tend to get what I want has been getting me in trouble.

*HAH!  The above statement is yet again true.  My laptop and new camera both answer this question, though.

29. What did you want and not get?:
A million dollars, James Marsters, my own island, and more time.
*Same as above!

30. What was your favourite film of this year?:
Again, I can't remember what was this year! Was Eternal Sunshine this year? We'll say it was. Maybe this year's resolution should be to pay more attention!

*Probably the new Harry Potter.  I didn’t get out to the theater much!

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?:
I was in Florida at Disney World, turning 23.

*Nothing exciting this year, even went to work!  24, obviousy.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?:
No deaths.
*After last year’s answer, I can’t think of anything that fits here.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?:
Jeans, flip-flops, and t-shirts. About halfway through, comfy dance class pants got added to the mix.

*Mostly “Whatever I wore to work”.

34. What kept you sane?:
I'm not quite sure that I am escaping this year with sanity still intact.

*Tallulah.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?:
James Marsters, my dear, you can propose any day now.

*Ooh, let’s see.  We’ll make it a tie between James, Ewan McGregor, and Hugh Jackman.  Ooh, did I just say tied up between… oh, no, I didn’t.  Darn.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?:
John Kerry, I pine for you.
*Probably how little we as Americans pay attention to what’s going on in the rest of the world is what keeps me the most pissed off. 

37. Who did you miss?:
My dad
*Same.

38. Who was the best new person you met?:
I met surprisingly few new people this year. Brittany, maybe?

*Not a ton of new people this year, either!  Probably Helen, since she eats Mexican food with me.  I was awfully fond of a curly-haired boy, too.
 

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
I learned a lot- mostly that I have a lot to learn.
*Perspective makes a huge difference.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: This has been such a topsy-turvy year, chaotic and confusing, so I don't think I can sum it up at all.

*I am glad that this year hasn’t been as much of a rollercoaster as last year, but I still can’t sum it all up in one line.

The funny thing is that even though I just spent hours writing about the end of the year, it still doesn’t feel like New Year’s Eve, or my last day of work.  It is now 10pm, so I have one hour of work left.  It hasn’t yet clicked that I won’t just show up tomorrow and do it all over again.  Instead, I’ll show up in 75 days.  That seems like SUCH a long time, but I’m sure that when that first day of work arrives, it will seem like I’ve had no time off at all. 

I feel like I should be doing something to commemorate this last day of being open, but no ideas have presented themselves.  I can’t believe that I didn’t at least bring my camera in.  

And now, we'll wrap this up with resolutions:

*Stay more abreast of what’s going on around the world.  BBC News at 5am is really handy for this.

*Do at least 40 of the things on my 101 in 1001 list, and 5 things from my Adventure List.

*I have a whole dance practice schedule written out, but instead of typing it up here, I'll just say practice on a regular basis, and continue to improve.

Happy New Year, all!  May 2006 be a great one!

(And now my host won't let me post this, because I have used 80% of my bandwidth, and that is, strangely enough, their cutoff point.  Plus it is now 3:30am, and thus a new month, but the server doesn't seem to know that yet.  Grr! )