2008 in Review

1. Where did you begin 2008?

At home, sound asleep, fighting con-ick.



2. What was your status by Valentines Day?

Same as the last 13 years. Happily married.



3. Were you in school anytime this year?

No. Would have liked to though.



4. Did you have to go to the hospital?

No, a rare year for me! I like that!



5. Did you have any encounters with the police?

Yes, several! They were very curious about my smart car.



6. Where did you go on vacation?

Disneyworld for 8 days!



7. What did you purchase that was over £100?

2 cars! (My smart, which I sold, and the Elantra to replace it!) Does $1300 in car maintenance on the old Elantra count?



8. Did you know anybody who got married?

No.



9. Did you know anybody who passed away?

Yes.



10. Did you move anywhere?

No. Soon, but not until 2009.



11. What sporting events did you attend?

None that come immediately to mind.


12. What concerts/shows did you go to?

Brad Sherwood and Colin Mochrie, Curtains, MacBeth (Patrick Stewart!). I'm sure I'm forgetting at least one...

13. Describe your birthday.

Spent gaming with friends and then a quiet dinner and a movie with Brian.



14. What is the ONE thing you thought you would not do, but did, in 2008?

Make it to the annual microscopy conference. Finally it was approved!

 For 2009 I'm hoping to buy an SEM...

15. What have been your favourite moments?

Hanging out with friends and relaxing. Brian's birthday weekend with Ruth and Dave (and Michelle for BBQ) in particular come to mind.



16. Any new additions to your family?

Nope, but two new nephews late in 2007...



17. What was your best month?

September. And also the worst in some ways...



18. Who has been your best drinking buddy?

I think I'd have to drink to have a drinking buddy, wouldn't I? I'm not opposed to drinking per se, I just have a choice between alcohol and my arthritis drugs. I prefer to walk...



19. Made new friends?

Yes. Michelle in particular!



20. Favourite Night out?

MacBeth



21. Other than home, where did you spend most of your time?

Stuck in my lab at work, I guess.



22. Have you lost any friends this year?

One online friend, but it was expected.

 Cancer sucks!

23. Change your hairstyle?

Nope, growing it out to donate it again next spring.



24. Have any car accidents?

No!!



25. How old did you turn this year?

34 last week!



26. Do you have a New Years resolution?

No, I don't generally make them.



27. Do anything embarrassing?

Do you really think I'd admit it here?



28. Buy anything from eBay?

Several things. Nothing truly fabulous, mostly things I didn't want to get ripped off for to buy locally. (Cables etc.)



29. Get married or divorced?

No, Brian hasn't totally lost all ability to tolerate me yet.



30. Get hit on?

Yes, strangely enough. Even with Brian standing beside me...



31. Been snowboarding?

Never.



32. Did you get sick this year?

Yes, a number of times. And threw my back out in March for two weeks off work. Not how I wanted to spend two weeks off...



33. Are you happy to see 2008 go?

Not really. It's been a pretty good year overall, even with some problems. 



34. Been naughty or nice?

Again, do you really think I'll answer this here?



35. What are you looking forward to most in 2009?

Moving away from these damned squirrels!

Sexy Geek!

Your result for The Are you a SEXY geek test...

The Hip Nerd

53% Sexy!

You are one of those rare geeks that has style! You march to the beat of your own drummer, You enjoy the geeky things in life, but you can mingle in any crowd. As the geek. You definitely love your sci-fi and computers, probably a bit TOO much, but you also know when to put it on the shelf. Supermodels may be out of your league, but you have enough style to date. And you can always download the supermodels later when you get home.

Take The Are you a SEXY geek test at HelloQuizzy

Funny, I expected Tosh...

Which Torchwood Character Are You? Your Result: Gwen Cooper   You most resemble the team's second-in-command and ex-police officer. Empathetic and stubborn, you tend to grab the bull by its horns and have difficulty admitting when you're wrong, though you always mean well. You are inconsistent in your relationships, wanting stability but also craving drama, and sometimes end up putting yourself first.
Ianto Jones
Toshiko Sato
Captain Jack Harkness
Owen Harper
Which Torchwood Character Are You? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Tagged by Kay

Kay tagged me a while ago, but I just haven't felt like blogging. And this one required some thought. I'm trying very hard to just survive this election. I'll be so very, very glad when it's over. And even happier in 8 years when I can finally have a say in the direction of the country I've lived in for 8 years already!

But, on to the tagging. I've done it before, but it's been a while!

Here are the rules of the game.
• Link to the person who tagged you.
• Post the rules on your blog.
• Write six random things/unspectacular quirks about yourself.
• Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
• Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog.
• Let the tagger know when your entry is posted

1)I have 7 tattoos, and didn't know about any of them until 2 years later. And none of them are covered by clothes.*
2)I'm allergic to Portobello (and therefore Crimini) mushrooms.
3)I eat candies (like Smarties** or M&M's) in pairs of the same colour. Compulsively.
4)I get a nasty, nasty reaction to the flu immunization. But I get it every year anyways. Ouch. And can the fever please go away now?
5)I cannot simply sit and watch television or a movie. Lorna bet me once and I tried and tried, but I just couldn't do it. I *MUST* fidget. Cost me $20 because I couldn't make it through one movie. I think that's part of why I like to stitch so much. At least it's something productive!
6)I'm a giant Doctor Who fan. And Michelle's made me a scarf for my birthday. I can't wait to get it!

*Okay, I cheated and used that one again, but it's a good one!
**Smarties=chocolate candies, the Canadian/European ones, not the American ones. Although, now that I think about it, I try to eat them in pairs too.

I'm supposed to tag people, but I hate doing it. So if you'd like to, please consider yourself tagged, and leave me a comment so everyone can come read!

I'm really not one for those "you must do it" memes, but this one I support

Copy this sentence into your livejournal if you're in a heterosexual marriage, and you don't want it "protected" by the bigots who think that gay marriage hurts it somehow.

I know I loved life up north in Sudbury but...

I don't know about this. Not from what I've seen lately!

You Should Live in Alaska

If you don't want to live in Alaska, you might also consider: Massachusetts Vermont Connecticut Illinois Michigan

What State Should You Live In?

Political Meme doing the rounds

I think it's a pretty fair representation of my beliefs, but agree with IanArgent that there needed to be a neutral choice on some of the questions. Brian and I agree that we've found ourselves becoming more and more politically aware and active since we moved to the US eight years ago. And it'll be 8 more years before we can cast a vote to have any effect. But we can live in hope!

You are a Social Liberal (66% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (35% permissive) You are best described as a: Democrat Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also : The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

We're home safe and sound

But I'm sick as a dog. Had a fabulous time at Disney and will update when I can string coherent thoughts together. In the meantime, here's the quiz doing the rounds :)

Your result for The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test...

The Prioress

You scored 5% Cardinal, 72% Monk, 56% Lady, and 38% Knight!

You are a moral person and are also highly intellectual. You like your solitude but are also kind and helpful to those around you. Guided by a belief in the goodness of mankind you will likely be christened a saint after your life is over.

You scored high as both the Lady and the Monk. You can try again to get a more precise description of either the Monk or the lady, or you can be happy that you're an individual.

Take The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test at HelloQuizzy

Okay, so I had to play some more...

A xvart! A xvart! My kingdom for a xvart!

Which work of Shakespeare was the original quote from?

Get your own quotes:

Misery acquaints a xvart with strange bedfellows.

Which work of Shakespeare was the original quote from?

Get your own quotes:

Thou canst not say I did it: never shake
Thy gory xvart at me.

Which work of Shakespeare was the original quote from?

Get your own quotes:

ROFLMAO...

Oh beware, my lord, of jealousy!
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock
The xvart it feeds on.

Which work of Shakespeare was the original quote from?

Get your own quotes:

Courtesy of Kari...

I like her result better!

I'm much happier with this answer...

Stolen from Nikki's blog...

You Were a Horse

You can't be fenced in - you long to run free. You are good at overcoming obstacles and realizing your potential.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

She's really not happy with hers... :)

A quick word...

The trick is to answer all the questions with one word. I admit to cheating in two places. Stolen from Suz and Belinda's blogs, feel free to tag yourself.



1. Where is your Cellphone? Non-existant
2. Relationship? Awesome
3. Your Hair? Brown
4. Work? Boring
5. Your sister? Younger
6. Your favorite thing? Laughter
7. Your dream last night? Unknown
8. Your favorite drink? DietPepsi
9. Your dream car? Ferrari
10. The room you’re in? Cubicleland
11. Your shoes? No-nonsense
12. Your fears? Worry
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? Parent
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Gamers
15. What are you not good at? Controllessness
16. Muffin? Chocolate Chip
17. One of your wish list items? Books
18. Where you grew up? Toronto
19. Last thing you did? Reports
20. What are you wearing? Sweater
21. What aren’t you wearing? Perfume
22. Your pet? Percy!
23. Your computer? Mac
24. Your life? Happy
25. Your mood? Exhausted
26. Missing? Friends
27. What are you thinking about right now? Lunch
28. Your car? Xvart!
29. Your kitchen? Bakery
30. Your summer? Humid!
31. Your favorite color? Blue
32. Last time you laughed? Morning
33. Last time you cried? Sunday
34. School? Always!
35. Love? Critical

And Brian is:

You're the United Nations!

Most people think you're ineffective, but you are trying to
completely save the world from itself, so there's always going to be a long
way to go.  You're always the one trying to get friends to talk to each
other, enemies to talk to each other, anyone who can to just talk instead of
beating each other about the head and torso.  Sometimes it works and sometimes
it doesn't, and you get very schizophrenic as a result.  But your heart
is in the right place, and sometimes also in New York.


Take the Country Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid

At least we make a good pair and match the descriptions :)

Okay, one more...

Since it came out right :)

You're Canada!

People make fun of you a lot, but they're stupid because you've
got a much better life than they do.  In fact, they're probably just jealous.
 You believe in crazy things like human rights and health care and not
dying in the streets, and you end up securing these rights for yourself and
others.  If it weren't for your weird affection for ice hockey, you'd be
the perfect person.


Take the Country Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid

Book Quiz

Sent by email... fingers crossed it'll work!

You're The Mists of Avalon!

by Marion Zimmer Bradley

You're obsessed with Camelot in all its forms, from Arthurian legend
to the Kennedy administration. Your favorite movie from childhood was "The Sword in
the Stone". But more than tales of wizardry and Cuban missiles, you've focused on
women. You know that they truly hold all the power. You always wished you could meet
Jackie Kennedy.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Edited to fix... I don't think emailing it was the problem, I think I must not have copy and pasted the whole thing...

Hufflepuff!

Sort me!

I can live with that :)

Friday Meme...

Your Score: Katharine Hepburn

You scored 9% grit, 28% wit, 57% flair, and 16% class!

You are the fabulously quirky and independent woman of character. You go your own way, follow your own drummer, take your own lead. You stand head and shoulders next to your partner, but you are perfectly willing and able to stand alone. Others might be more classically beautiful or conventionally woman-like, but you possess a more fundamental common sense and off-kilter charm, making interesting men fall at your feet. You can pick them up or leave them there as you see fit. You share the screen with the likes of Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant, thinking men who like strong women.

Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the
Classic Leading Man Test.

Link: The Classic Dames Test written by gidgetgoes on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

And of course, the class test...

Which I don't entirely agree with, but can't honestly disagree with most of it...
I'm not sure I like all of what that says of me!

Your Score: Arcane Trickster

37% Combativeness, 60% Sneakiness, 76% Intellect, 33% Spirituality

Brilliant and sneaky: You are an Arcane Trickster!


Score! You have a prestige class. A prestige class can only be taken after you've fulfilled certain requirements. This may mean that you're an exceptionally talented person, but it probably doesn't.


Arcane Tricksters combine arcane magic with rogue skills and sensibilities. They use their magic to confuse their opponents or to augment their more mundane, roguish skills. If you thought it was annoying keeping an eye that that rogue, the Arcane Trickster is probably picking your pocket from the other side of the room.


Both smart and sneaky, you're probably the type of person that loves planning practical jokes... either that or knocking over banks.

Link: The RPG Class Test written by MFlowers on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Interesting meme...

This is the first one that has come out about how I expected it to, and I can agree with it. I don't catch all the references in the write-up, but I found it interesting!

Your Score: Neutral-Good

66% Good, 40% Chaotic

Plane of Existence: Elysium, "Blessed Fields". Description: The plane of peace. Notable Inhabitants: Guardinals - noble immortal humanoids with bestial features.




Examples of Neutral-Goods (Ethically Neutral, Morally Good)




Cloud Strife (FFVII)

Boogenhagen (FFVII)

Mother Theresa

Ghandi

Sidhartha Gautama (the Buddha)

Gandalf

Bilbo & Frodo Baggins

Samwise Gamgee

Indiana Jones

The Dali Lama

Ben (O-Bi-Wan) Kenobi

Luke Skywalker

Harry Potter

Hermionie

Dumbledore




Often goes along with the laws and desires of the group as being the easiest course of action, but ethical considerations clearly have top priority. May pursue quite abstract goals. Often aloof and difficult to understand.




Will keep their word to others of good alignment

Would not attack an unarmed foe

Will not use poison

Will help those in need

May work with others

Indifferent to higher authority

Indifferent to organizations



Neutral Good "Pure Good"

"Benefactor"



A neutral good [person] will obey the law, or break it when he or she sees it will serve a greater good. He or she is not bound strongly to a social system or order. His or her need to help others and reduce their suffering may take precedence over all else. Neutral good [people] do good for goodness' sake, not because they are directed to by law or by whim.



This alignment desires good without bias for or against order.



Other Alignments and Tendencies (Tendenices are what you would more often sway towards; esp. for Neutrals):

0-39% Good, 0-39% Chaotic: Lawful-Evil

0-39% Good, 40-60% Chaotic: Neutral-Evil

0-39% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Evil

40-60% Good, 0-39% Chaotic: Lawful-Neutral

40-60% Good, 40-60% Chaotic: True Neutral

40-60% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Neutral

61-100% Good, 0-39% Chaotic: Lawful-Good

61-100% Good, 61-100% Chaotic: Chaotic-Good

Link: The Alignment Test written by xan81 on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test