38 questions at the end of 2011.

So! Once again, even though I feel like I just filled this out for 2010, I'm back here at the tail end of 2011 to answer the annual 38. You can find my answers for 2010 here and 2009 here.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?

Traveled to and saw Ft. Lauderdale, Utah, Austin. Spent a day at Disneyland, rode in a race car, did a headstand(!) at yoga, traveled around Ohio with my Mom and got the "my newlywed parents existence and early days of Kelli tour".

I felt like I traveled more this year than ever before, even if they were places I'd already been.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Goals I had for 2011:

WRITE MORE.

Well...I made some progress with this. I'm my own worst critic, so I tossed a lot of what I wrote...but I was writing. Err, most of the time. That's the first step.

Start riding horses again.

I wanted to start riding horses again in 2011, which I sort of did. I put a toe in the ring, took two lessons up in New Hampshire over the summer, before realizing I needed to find a barn closer to Boston. So…we’ll call that ½ way complete. More riding in 2012, for sure.

To be the kind of person the world needs.

Gosh, I hope I did this. I tried. I definitely tried.

For 2012? I'm pretty much looking to do more of the same as I was last year, so those resolutions continue. And, an addition. To make time. We only get 24 hours in a day. But I really want to work at using those 24 hours wisely - of being aware when to slow down and take it all in...and when to hurry up and trek along at a steady clip. If I figure it all out, I'll let you know.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Absolutely. Honestly, so many good friends have been birthin’ beautiful, healthy babies as of late, I have a hard time keeping track of which ones arrived in which years! 2010 was totally the year of little boys…while 2011 seems to be the year of the baby girls. With the exception of my wonderful friend Brynn, who had a baby boy in September, it was all pink. Two dear friends, Hilde and Emily had little girls just a week apart from one another, a co-worker had a little girl at the end of August, and my friend Lisa had girl #2 as well. Phew. 5 in 2011. I swear, I’m losing track!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

One of my close friends lost her sister to cancer in May of this year. It had been a very long, very difficult, and beyond heartbreaking struggle. I think of Kim often and pray for my friend and her family that are left behind.

5. What countries did you visit?

Las Vegas can feel like another planet, let alone country. How about California? Do two trips out there in one year count? Nothing international for me, unfortunately.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

I don't really feel I lacked for much in 2011, thankfully. I'll keep going with the time theme. I feel I will always be asking for more time.

I would like to get my bonus this year. Our company didn't get them last year, which made for a tighter budget.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory and why?

We knew Stephen would return from Afghanistan sometime in May, so that month was etched on my brain for the first five months of the year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

This is going to sound terribly cheesy but here goes. After a few blind date non-starters at the beginning of 2011, and a quick little month of dating a bartender that ended just as quickly as it began, I wrote off dating. It felt like a waste of my time and energy…particularly when there were so many other things I was interested in and wanted to pursue and think about. I wanted to put my time and energy into things I felt really invested in and I was fed-up and exhausted by the dating game. So, I just stopped thinking about it. I was too busy to be bothered. Which, probably won’t serve me very well when/if I’m still single years from now, but whatever. I decided that if a guy could keep up with me, awesome. I’d love to meet him. If not? Move out of the way, sir, I have things to do, people to see, and places to go, thank you very much.

Deciding that and following through with it? Was the greatest relief of the year for me and a reawakening into what a fun little life I worked at carving out for myself.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Probably spreading myself too thin, running too fast – both literally and metaphorically – to too many places without enough time to soak it all in.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Beyond the minor cold, thankfully no.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Probably my new MacBook

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

I’m not sure this is exactly a good sign of the times. But as I sit here thinking about this question, what comes to mind the most are the moments when a total stranger went out of their way to be helpful or kind – the clerk at the pet food store who carried my bags out to my car for me, the woman at the airport who gave me directions about where to meet a friend, the cab driver who didn’t mind waiting when I was running a few minutes behind - even told me to take my time, the post office employee who happily helped me mail package after package during the holidays.

We should all be just a little bit nicer to one another all of the time, don’t you think?

In keeping with my theme of being years late to new shows, I discovered HBO's Band of Brothers at the time last year, which means I learned about the smart, intelligent, Major Dick Winter’s just days before his death. I am 60 years too late, too late to write a letter thanking him for his service. But I admire, appreciate, and am humbled by him all the same, no question.

And, of course, my brother’s, the Marine’s who serve under him, and all those volunteering and serving in all branches of the military.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Absolutely Jerry Sandusky and the entire Penn State scandal. It still appalls, enrages, and disgusts me.

In the wake of the Penn State disaster, this seems like (and is) small potatoes but, the whole Red Sox collapse and subsequent fall-out really upset me. I hate that Terry Francona became the scapegoat for the whole fried chicken/beer in the clubhouse/ and all the rest of it debacle. How quickly everyone forgot, that ol’ Tito was the manager who got us TWO – yes, TWO World Series titles in three years after an 86 year drought.

14. Where did most of your money go?

The usual – rent, car/car insurance, credit cards, eating out too much

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

My brother’s safe return from Afghanistan.
Trips to visit family and friends
Weddings of my close friends and a chance to see favorite people I don't get to see often enough.
Dating someone I actually liked.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

Adele’s "Rolling in the Deep"

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) happier
b) um…fatter? (I blame the Christmas cookies…)
c) on paper, about the same…but I swear I feel broke all. the. time.

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

More writing. Allowed myself more lazy, quiet days and moments. I read a quote once that said "make some time for wasting." I wish I'd done just a tiny bit more of that.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Less procrastination with the writing, less self-criticism with the writing.

When I get tired or cranky, I’m short with people. I don’t mean it, and I always wish I could take it back as soon as I get snippy. Less of that would be good.

Running around like a mad woman a lot of the year (but that seems to be just how I do!)

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I spent Christmas with my Mom and her super-pup, Bailey down in Atlanta. We were able to Skype with my brother, who couldn’t make it home from California for the holidays. We skyped for just under 6 hours – opening all of our gifts “together” and chatting about the holiday. It made it feel like Stevie was right in the room with us. Christmas 2011 goes down as absolutely one of the nicest I can remember.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?

You know, I believe I did.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

The Wire (even though I’m like 8 years late…)

My brother got me totally hooked on The Walking Dead.

And DOWNTON ABBEY, OBVIOUSLY, because it’s the greatest show ever.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Nope.

24. What was the best book you read?

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCarthy. I read it in August and still find myself thinking about it on a regular basis. Same goes for A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. I’ve thought about Owen a lot since I closed that book.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Foster the People – in particular that catchy little tune they sing called “Pumped Up Kicks.”
The Mountain Goats
Miranda Lambert’s – The House that Built Me.

26. What did you want and get?

Last year, I wrote this - to find that special, significant other that doubles as one of my best friends.

A few months ago I met a very old friend for a beer, someone I hadn’t seen in fourteen years. Through a random and lovely set of circumstances – I’ll tell you all about it over a glass of wine some day – he’s become that significant other…and thus far, in these early stages of the dating maze, he seems pretty okay.

27. What did you want and not get?

Oh God, more time. More time to read, to travel, to write, to visit friends and family, to laze about, to just be.

I’d hoped to redecorate my living room, but – you guessed it – time got away from me on that one too.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

I am the WORST with remembering what films I saw, when. I just watched Crazy, Stupid, Love a few weeks ago and I loved it. Can that count? Of course, I adored The King’s Speech…and um, all those other films that I saw last winter (and swore I’d remember for this questionnaire) that were nominated for the Oscars. I had a zillion opinions about all those films at the time, but alas. Seriously, how does my brain not hold onto that stuff better?

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 32 this year and oh, I had a lovely birthday, complete with thoughtful gifts from family and friends, a lobster roll lunch with my friend Laura, flowers delivered from my old college-buddy Kate, and sweet well-wishes coming at me from all sides, all day long. After work that day, I went to get a manicure with one of my favorite ladies, Amy, and then went out for margaritas and Mexican food with a smallish group of very dear friends. It was perfect.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If I’d found the right spot to get back into horseback riding.

If Josh Ritter had asked me out when I met him in June. (Oh wait. They only ask for one thing. Whoops.)

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

Hi, my name is Kelli and I am addicted to nautical stripes, just as I was in 2010.

32. What kept you sane?

The same things that have always kept me sane. My family, my friends. Phone calls with my Mom. My cats snuggled up beside me on my couch. Books, movies, music, taking long hot showers to clear my head. Good television shows. A job that lets me use my brain in different ways most days.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Oh Lord, who ISN’T in love with Kate Middleton? I couldn’t hate her if I tried. I mean, she’s just so lovely. Here’s a secret. Some mornings, when I can’t decide what to wear to work? I step into my closet and think “WWKW?” (What Would Kate Wear?)

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

I’m not sure “stirred” would be the adjective I would choose but I’d say Osama Bin Laden’s death was the most surprising and shocking thing that occurred this year.

35. Who did you miss?

Any of my friends that have moved out of Boston – in particular my friends Brynn and Katherine – and all those friends and family members that I don’t get to see nearly enough in a year.

I often find – even at 32 – that I’m missing my Mom a lot. I hate that we have 3,000 miles between us.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I didn’t really meet her this year, but 2011 was the year I became quite close with my friend Hannah. In fact, we say our first “date” was just about a year ago, when we went out for a drink – which turned in to several drinks – the first Saturday in January. I have a lot of favorite friends, and she is one of them.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

I don’t know when it happened, exactly, but somewhere in the year there was a shift in my mentality…and I realized – clear as a bell – that I’ve got some of the BEST friends a girl could ever ask for and (here’s the clear as a bell part) I was tired of waiting around for “the right guy” to be and do my everything. I can think of a handful of strong, smart, women I could call at any hour of the night if I needed them and I know they’d be here, no questions asked. Thinking about that, knowing that with certainty, makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. And if they ever move far, far away I will kill them. The end.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

No, this is how it works
You peer inside yourself
You take the things you like
And try to love the things you took
And then you take that love you made
And stick it into some
Someone else's heart
Pumping someone else's blood
And walking arm in arm
You hope it don't get harmed
But even if it does
You'll just do it all again

-On the Radio – Regina Spektor