2008

I got this from Greetings from Kyiv (thank you!). I decided to pick and choose amongst the questions and just answer the ones I feel like answering. 🙂

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Saw the Pyramids; drove nearly 3000 kilometers across Ukraine and Moldova

2. What countries did you visit?
Egypt, Georgia, US, Moldova, Russia, Hungary

3. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A dual-SIM card cellular phone that works both on the European and the US system, with extremely useful applications like I had with my old Palm Pilot, that syncs with my Google calendar without requiring me to use Microsoft Outlook in any way, that allows me to easily download and listen to podcasts and audio books, with which I can use headphones not Bluetooth (hey, if brain surgeons won’t put cell phones and other wireless devices next to their heads, I’m not going to either). I have a MacBook at home and Windows PC at work, so I’d also like something that works easily on both platforms.

4. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Lots of great memories will stay with me, even if the exact date doesn’t. February – fantastic vacation with Igor in Egypt, I’ll never forget how awesome it was to see the pyramids. November – US presidential election. What an amazing event to witness.

5. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I’m really, really proud that the youth project I initiated is up and running at UNDP

6. What was your biggest failure?
There are some things I am incredibly not proud of; I’ll just leave it at that.

7. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Some pesky skin rash that just won’t go away. It’s getting really annoying, but thankfully nothing more serious.

8. What was the best thing you bought?
Wifi router and internet access at home. How did we live without this?

9. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The American voters – I just can’t express how proud I am of my fellow Americans

10. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Hypocrites, namely people who call themselves Christians yet spend a lot of time and energy judging and hating others

11. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, rent and rent

12. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Being an OSCE election observer in Georgia and my new job

13. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
Happier, fatter, financially comfortable

14. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Seen more of Ukraine

15. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Eating junk food

16. How did you spend Christmas?
Latin Christmas – worked, relaxed at home with Igor. Orthodox Christmas: we’ll be in Korosten with Igor’s family.

17. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I fall more and more in love with my wonderful husband

18. What was your favorite TV program?
Battlestar Galactica

19. What was the best book you read?
The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million

20. What did you want and get?
A new job

21. What did you want and not get?
A diet that allows me to eat anything I want and not gain any weight without ever exercising

22. What was your favorite film of this year?
Lots of good movies this year, but nothing overwhelmingly fabulous

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Celebrated at home with Igor and Dad. Turned 37.

24. Who did you miss?
Too many people to list

25. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
It all works out in the end