Thanks to @sundry for this survey, which I feel like I’ve taken before, but a cursory search of my site didn’t find anything. Warning: this will be super pregnancy-centric because, well, that’s the biggest change in my life this year. So if you’re sick of hearing about it (and how could you not be?), feel free to skip. Or copy and paste and type in your own answers!

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

I wish I could say got pregnant, but it’s actually more like stayed pregnant. Turned 37. Hmm, I guess it hasn’t been a very adventurous year.

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

I didn’t make any last year and I don’t really plan to this year. I’m more of a “try to do my best each day” kind of gal, so I guess that will continue to be my resolution.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Mary missed this one by a few days!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My sister-in-law’s father died in February, and having been through it with my mom four years earlier, I really felt for them and miss his presence at my nephews’ birthday parties etc. My brother had to put his dog to sleep a few weeks ago, and she was like a family member. It’s been a tough year for them.

5. What countries did you visit?

None, although I did make it to New York City twice, and that’s practically another country in terms of how different it is from where I live.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

Healthy babies. A less cluttered house.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Feb 25th: Fourth anniversary of my mom’s death and Erin’s dad’s funeral. Sucky day all around.

June 17: I’m pregnant and it’s twins. Holy crap.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I don’t feel like pregnancy is really an achievement, so I’m going to say the fact that I celebrated ten consecutive years recapping and moderating for TWoP, and also that I continued to try to improve and refine my teaching techniques. Especially since I teach the same class over and over, it’s easy to get burned out or fall back on what you’ve done in the past, whether it worked or not, but I really try to change things up every semester, and I’m proud of that.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I wish I’d been a better friend at times. I get lazy sometimes and I think I could be a better friend to people who have been nothing but supportive to me.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I think I had a cold or two, but this was probably my healthiest year in a long time.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

New carpeting upstairs. It’s changed how I feel about the whole second floor of our house.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My husband’s, for sure. Especially now that I’m physically unable to do a lot of things, he has stepped up his game without me asking, and with no complaining. I hope it bodes well for our future parenting efforts.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Many reality stars. I liked it better when my reality stars were contained within their shows, but now they’re all over the blogs and the TV and the news. Blech.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Other than bills, definitely home improvements. We did more to our house this year than in the previous six years we lived here.

15. What did you get really excited about?

Babies, obviously. Watching my nephews grow up and take on new challenges and grow into really interesting and fun little kids.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

“All Will Be Well” by the Gabe Dixon Band. It’s my go-to destress song when I feel overwhelmed. I didn’t have to listen to it as often in 2009 as in previous years, but it still works for me when I need it.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

– happier or sadder? Happier, definitely, although I wasn’t UNhappy last year.
– thinner or fatter? More pregnant? That’s not really fatter, though.
– richer or poorer? Probably about the same, and considering how much we spent on home improvements, I think that’s pretty good.

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

I can’t really think of anything. I’m pretty happy with how I spent my time this year, other than maybe spending more time with friends.

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

Procrastinate. Isn’t that always the way?

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Driving back to Syracuse, and then hanging out with Jim’s family. They rented out a residence at a nearby convent and it was the least stressful, most fun Christmas we’ve had with them in years, just because there are a lot of them and we usually end up hanging out at Jim’s parents’ house, which we are definitely outgrowing. Looking forward to doing that every year!

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Not really. I guess I should say I fell in love with my unborn children but it doesn’t seem quite real yet, so I’m not going to lie. And I fell in love with the idea of my unborn children way before 2009.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Oof, this is a tough one, because I actually watched a lot less TV this year. Friday Night Lights or Lost, I guess? There aren’t any other shows producing new episodes that I get excited about anymore. I don’t know if I’m getting old or if TV is getting worse.

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

Waste of energy.

24. What was the best book you read?

“Beautiful Boy” by David Sheff. “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett. Various Chuck Klosterman books, although I didn’t love the newest one. That’s off the top of my head without actually going and looking at my bookshelf.

I5. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I’m old, so I don’t really discover new music anymore. I have been digging the Susanna Hoffs/Matthew Sweet cover albums.

26. What did you want and get?

A positive pregnancy test. Continued flexible employment. Healthy immediate family.

27. What did you want and not get?

An easy solution to my grandmother’s aging and the issues that come along with that. A cash windfall from a mysterious benefactor.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

I barely watch movies. I would say “I Love You, Man”, but only for the DVD extras including the deleted scenes, which literally had me running to the bathroom so I wouldn’t pee my pants because I was laughing so hard.

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

I turned 37 and I think we went out to dinner because Jim had to leave for Florida the next day for work.

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

Obviously, to see more movies.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

Hand-me-down maternity clothes. Elastic panels. Whatever works.

32. What kept you sane?

My husband, my animals, and my family.

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

Paul Rudd.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Sacrifice. The idea that everybody wants (some) services but no one wants to pay more, and that isn’t feasible in the long term.

35. Who did you miss?

My mom, every day, but especially because I wish I could share my pregnancy with her.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Other than my students, who keep me on my toes, I don’t know if I met any new people this year.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

Get rid of the clutter. It will make you feel like a new person. Just throw it out or donate it or whatever, but get it out of your house and let it go. This applies to things, emotions, toxic people, etc.

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

“All will be well, even after all the promises you’ve broken to yourself. All will be well. You can ask me how, but only time will tell.” In other words, do the best you can, forgive yourself and move forward, and know that time heals all wounds.

Just gasped out loud when I read that <a href="http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2009/11/ken-ober-mtvs-remote-control-host-dies.html">Ken Ober died</a> at the age of 52. I used to love "Remote Control" and I always hoped he might make a comeback.

I just wanted to somehow mark the fact that I believe that ten years ago today, Tara, Sarah, and Dave launched Television Without Pity (which was then called Mighty Big TV). They had done Dawson’s Wrap for a year prior, and decided to branch out and cover more shows. I was fortunate enough that they asked me to write the Real World recaps (continuing what I’d been doing on the time on my own site during the Hawaii season), and I’ve been writing and moderating forums for the site continuously ever since.

I have gone on to write over 900 pieces for the site (including two that were published today) on a total of 50 different shows. The site has provided me with income when I was only working part time at my day job, and allowed me to go back to part time when I decided full time wasn’t letting me have the work/life balance I needed.

But besides all that, writing for the site has helped me make lifelong friends, and made me proud of the accomplishment of all of the people I’ve met through the site. A lot of my fellow recappers have gone on to write professionally in various industries, not to mention the millions of laughs they have brought me from reading their recaps.

Just about every entertainment site does recaps of television shows now, and there are many forums out there to discuss your favorite shows, but few have been doing it for ten solid years. I know Tara and Sarah and Dave went through some really lean times, and put a lot of their own blood, sweat, and tears (and money) into keeping the site going even when it looked like it wasn’t possible — remember the Internet bust years earlier this decade? While none of them are affiliated with the site anymore, and I know they will all go on to do bigger and better things, I hope that they all take pride in having created a site that has been hugely influential and provided entertainment to millions of readers over the years.

Wow. Who would’ve thought that my stupid musings about Colin and Amaya would lead to this?

Hey, guess what, long-neglected blog readers? Just in case you don't follow me on Twitter or Facebook, I figured I should break the news here. I'm pregnant! With twins! And due in late January 2010. So that happened.

"I'm sorry, my toenails look like lacquered corn chips."

Hey, remember when I started this site?

Yeah, that was ten years ago. Here’s my first ever journal entry, in which I talk about fascinating topics such as digital cameras, high school reunions, and Homicide. I don’t know why the formatting is screwed up and frankly, at this point, I don’t care.

Back then, I had a sidebar where I posted links I found entertaining or amusing, and commented on them. Later that year, I spun that off into its own page, which I called a weblog. Who knew?

Happy birthday, Fresh Hell. Like a lot of oldsters, no one really pays attention to you any more. But ah, the memories. (Note: in case you want to relive the magic, not all of my archives made it through the eight million different content management software iterations, so it jumps around a bit.)

According to Variety, the Friday Night Lights renewal is not quite a done deal yet, but should be announced today. But mostly I had to post so that I could include this FREAKING AWESOME photo of (I assume) Billy and Mandy’s wedding. I mean, spoiler alert, but it’s not like you didn’t know they were getting married and that Tyra and Rigs would be in it, and that it would be awesome. Love this show.

The New York Times ran an oral history on ER, something EW already did, and this one is just as short and kind of unsatisfying, although there was some information that was new to me, especially about some of the later (meaning only eight years ago instead of fourteen) additions like Maura Tierney and Linda Cardellini. Plus, I can’t not read an oral history. I just dig that format for some reason.

A couple of things that stuck out — John Stamos claimed that, by the time he joined the show, he had never seen an episode before. BULLSHIT. It was the number one show in the country for many seasons. It got a lot of press. He works in the industry. It’s syndicated for Christ’s sake. I believe that he wasn’t a regular viewer, but had never seen an episode? Stamos, please.

Second, Noah Wyle says that he thought Carter was a Shakespearean character, a nobleman slumming it up amongst the dirty common man. That explains so much about how he chose to be.

And third, Clooney, pay Benrubi the sawbuck you owe him. Dude could use the cash. Those Parker Lewis Can’t Lose residuals aren’t paying the rent (although my favorite Benrubi role was as teen Dan on Roseanne, just because it was PERFECT casting. Opposite Sara Rue as teen Roseanne. Why do I remember that? I don’t know.)

Why is Sandy from Survivor talking about her “eraser nipples” in People? And why did I just read it? And why am I about to throw up? Look, I’m all about loving your body at any age, but I don’t need the details!

Justin Long and Ginnifer Goodwin are apparently dating. Normally, I wouldn’t care, but Ed fans will realize that this means Warren and Diane are together again, at last. Although, now that I think about it, I was always kind of rooting for Diane and Mark. Anyway, I miss that show, or at least the first two seasons or so. It kind of lost its way after that.