2003 Survey Thingie:

1. What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before?
Got an Honorable Mention in the Writers of the Future contest
Lost 50 pounds
Got sister-in-laws
Became Elder's Quorum President
Became multi-unit manager
Traveled for Business

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next
year?
I kept half of mine from last year, and have three for this year.
1. Write every day
2. Exercise every day
3. Read scripture every day

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, although one lost an unborn baby

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, on Christmas day. He'd been given two weeks to live three months ago.

5. What countries did you visit?
Countries? My goodness, none.

6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003?
Been professionally published.

7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The day I found out my daughter had a life-threatening tumor in her leg.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Losing 50 pounds.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Gaining 30 of those back.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
This laptop

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Emma's. She's the sweetest little girl in the whole world, despite all the nonsense the doctors and us put her through.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Howard Dean.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Loma Linda Medical Center

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The wardrobe makeovers my wife and I gave each other for Christmas.

16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
Beer for my Horses. I'm not big into country, but I didn't hear much music this year.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Same
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner, by 20 pounds
iii. richer or poorer? Richer, in monthly income, poorer, in how much debt I have

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Writing/exercising

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Reading and replying to long surveys.

20. How did you spend your holiday?
Christmas: At home, with my girls and my brother-in-law
New Years: At home, with my girls, and with everybody sick.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
My stores.

22. Did you fall in love in 2003?
I was still firmly fallen the entire year.

23. How many one-night stands?
Does it count as a one-night stand if you're married to her?

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Probably Good Eats on the food network. Also discovered What Not To Wear and Trading Spaces.

No, wait--I just remembered MythBusters. Man, that's good TV. The fact that those guys get paid to do that show--they're my new heros.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes. Thoroughly.

26. What was the best book you read?
Bonds That Make Us Free by Terry C Warner

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I haven't had much time for music this year.

28. What did you want and get?
A wardrobe makeover

29. What did you want and not get?
Books.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Return of the King. Second place? Bruce Almighty

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I honestly don't remember. My brothers all pretty much ignored it, the kids and I hung out at home.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I'd have stayed on the diet/exercise program and/or written every day.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?
Done and over with, thank heavens. Welcome to 2004 fashion concept.

34. What kept you sane?
My wife and girls

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I preferred Eowyn over Arwen. Jamie Lee Curtis, who I've never cared for at all, managed to make me laugh in Freaky Friday, so I finally brought myself to like her (The fact that she had the class to deliver the Crypt Keeper line shows she's got class). The girl from Pirates was cute. But to go so far as to say I "fancied" anybody would be a bit of a stretch.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The movement to pretend Sept 11th never happened, and that the world would leave us alone if we would just leave them alone.

37. Who did you miss?
My friend Jarrod, who I never see any more. Jarrod Shields is God.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
My new boss. That's not just kissing up (I'm sure she'll never see this). She just rocks.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003:
If you want it, do it. Keep doing it until it happens. There's no such thing as failure--just not having reached your goal yet. You can't fail, only stop. As long as you haven't stopped trying, you haven't failed.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Every town, has its ups and downs.
Sometimes ups, outnumber the downs,
but not in Nottingham.
I'm inclined to believe,
if we weren't so down,
we'd up and leave.
We'd up and fly if we had wings for flyin'.
Can't you see the tear we're cryin'?
Can't there be some happiness for me?
Not in Nottingham."

(Things did get better. Just like in the movie.)