It's time to fill in the blanks on the last 12 months

From Mary Schmich's column in the Chicago Tribune

Admit it. Your life in the past year really wasn't centered on George Bush, Jessica Simpson and the miracle of podcasting, was it?
 
Politics, celebrities and commerce may fill all those year-in-reviews that clog the media in December's closing days, but the publicized world is just a fraction of what lingers in the average person's memory. This year and in most years, we're more likely to be marked by things that never make it into newsprint...
 
In the spirit of annual accounting, I advocate finding a few minutes for your own personal year-in-review.
 
I'm going to make it easy. Check out the form below... copy it and share your responses. I guarantee that if you fill in the blanks, you'll realize some things about your 2005 you had only half registered before.
 
When you consciously review your year, you may notice how little you noticed it as it whizzed past. To review is to re-view. To rewind, pause, look again. And in looking again, to see more clearly.
 
You may be astonished by how much happened. And how much didn't. By how much has changed. And how much hasn't. You may laugh or sigh to notice that your life remains its usual jumble of contradictions.

PERSONAL YEAR IN REVIEW

In 2005, I gained --------------------------------.

I lost -------------------------------------------.

I stopped ----------------------------------------.

I started ----------------------------------------.

I was hugely satisfied by ------------------------.

And frustrated by --------------------------------.

I am so embarrassed that I -----------------------.

Once again, I ------------------------------------.

Once again, I did not ----------------------------.

The biggest physical difference between me last December and this December is -----------------------.

The biggest psychological difference between me last December and this

December is --------------------------------------.

I loved spending time ----------------------------.

Why did I spend even two minutes -----------------?

I should have spent more time --------------------.

I regret buying ----------------------------------.

I will never regret buying --------- even though with that money I could have bought -------------------------.

I ----------------------------------- way too much.

I didn't ---------------------------------- enough.

----------------------------------- drove me crazy.

Was --------------- crazier than ever last year? Or was it me?

The most relaxing place I went was ---------------.

I feel so ----------------- when I write that down.

Why did I go to ----------------------------------?

The best thing I did for someone else was --------.

The best thing I did for myself was --------------.

The best thing someone did for me was ------------.

The one thing I'd like to do again, but do it better, is -------------------.

My answers:

 

In 2005, I gained a bit more confidence.

I lost a pair of treasured earrings from Hawaii.

I stopped making plans to move in 2006.

I started adapting my surroundings to better suit my living arrangement.

I was hugely satisfied by finally reaching my goal of spending time in Hawaii.

And frustrated by American politics.

I am so embarrassed that I cannot type well.

Once again, I was habitually late.

Once again, I did not make it on time.

The biggest physical difference between me last December and this December is I look a year older.

The biggest psychological difference between me last December and this

December is --I seem to be growing more conservative in my views on life.

I loved spending time with my family/friends and alone, too.

Why did I spend even two minutes worrying about aging?

I should have spent more time reading books or listening to music.

I regret buying a router I didn't need and can't return.

I will never regret buying a laptop even though with that money I could have bought a trip to somewhere tropical.

I wasted time way too much.

I didn't say I love you enough.

Many things drove me crazy.

Was the world crazier than ever last year? Or was it me?

The most relaxing place I went was Hawaii.

I feel so happy when I write that down.

Why did I go to such great lengths trying to please certain others?

The best thing I did for someone else was take over half the weekly shopping from my spouse.

The best thing I did for myself was swim/yoga.

The best thing someone did for me was love me.

The one thing I'd like to do again, but do it better, is go to Hawaii.