1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before? I finally solved that damn Cracker Barrel Triangle Puzzle game. It was probably a fluke, but after 20+ years of trying, I'll take it.
2.Did you keep your New Years' Resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't make any resolutions at this time last year. I knew I wouldn't keep them, so why bother? Same for this year.
3.Did anyone close to you give birth? No.
4.Did anyone close to you die? Unfortunately, yes. My Great-Uncle Skeet and my Grandma Boyer passed away within a week of each other in August. My Great-Aunt Alice died in October. My cousin Terry passed away on Christmas Eve. And our pug, Mushi Mu, had to be euthanized in May.
5.What countries did you visit? Are you kidding? Missouri was the farthest I traveled this year.
6.What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013? Happiness. Organization. Physical energy. Financial stability. Significant weight loss. Less credit card debt.
7.What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory? January 6 (NHL lockout ended). May 20 (Mushi died). August 10 (Grandma Boyer died). October 12 (Blues vs. Rangers game). November 17 (the Pekin/Washington tornados). December 21 (adopted Backes).
8.What was your biggest accomplishment? Continuing to learn basic sign language. I still have a long way to go, but I love it. And I'm becoming a Smart Board whiz.
9.What was your biggest failure? Giving in to depression, self-doubt, anxiety, and other negative feelings. Wasting time. Getting addicted to that damn Candy Crush Saga.
10.Did you suffer any illness or injury? Other than my constant battle with anemia, there was nothing major. Just a bladder infection in January, some female issues in the spring, and a bad head cold in June.
11.What was the best thing you bought? An Apple iPad and a Vitamix blender. I am addicted to smoothies.
12.Whose behavior merited celebration? Pope Francis. Anyone who volunteered their time or donated money to help victims of the devastating Central Illinois tornados. Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Texas).
13.Whose behavior made you appalled? Congress. Teahadists. Douchebags playing the "Knockout" game. Rob "Crackhead" Ford. Anthony "Look At My" Weiner. Kanye West. Rush Limbaugh. I would go on, but the list would never end.
14.Where did most of your money go? The gas tank. Credit card bills. Groceries.
15.What did you get really, really, really excited about? The NHL lockout ending. Adopting a new dog.
16.What song will always remind you of 2013? "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke. "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk. "Best Day Of My Life" by American Authors. "The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?)" by Ylvis.
17.Compared to this time last year, are you: i. happier or sadder? sadder /ii. thinner or fatter? fatter /iii. richer or poorer? poorer ( due to having a car payment again).
18.What do you wish you'd done more of? Saved money. Controlled my eating. Exercised. Stood up for myself.
19.What do you wish you'd done less of? Sleep. Worry excessively. Overeat. Analyze other peoples' words or actions. Jump to conclusions.
20.Did anyone close to you get married in 2013? My cousin Amanda and her husband Miguel were married on October 19th.
21.How many one night stands? Gross.
22.What was your favorite TV program? Arrested Development. The Big Bang Theory. Super Fun Night. Bob's Burgers. Game of Thrones. Call The Midwife. Bates Motel. The Millers. Duck Dynasty. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. True Blood. American Horror Story. The Walking Dead. Doctor Who. Mad Men. Real Time With Bill Maher. Moonshiners. Finding Bigfoot. Porter Ridge. 2 Broke Girls. The Goldbergs. Wilfred. Yeah, I watch A LOT of tv.
23.Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate at this time last year? Hate is a strong word, so let's just say that there are certain people in my life right now whom I'm not pleased with... and leave it at that.
24.What was the best book that you read? Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen; Inferno by Dan Brown; Joyland by Stephen King; Tell The Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt; A Game Of Thrones and A Clash Of Kings by George R.R. Martin; The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood; Olive Kitteredge by Elizabeth Strout; Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich; Speaking From Among The Bones by Alan Bradley; The Red Tent by Anita Diamant; The Beggar King by Oliver Potzsch.
25.What was your greatest musical discovery? Bastille. I can't get enough of "Pompeii".
26.What did you want and get? The NHL lockout ending. An iPad. A Vitamix. Another dog.
27.What did you want and not get? A Powerball win. The St.Louis Blues making it past the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. A decent Chicago Cubs team. A trip to Disney World...oh hell, a trip ANYWHERE would've been nice.
28.What was your favorite film of this year? The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug; Twelve Years A Slave; Thor: The Dark World; We're The Millers; Bad Grandpa; The Hunger Games: Catching Fire; The Heat; Despicable Me 2; Star Trek: Into Darkness
29.What did you do on your birthday? Went to work. Thrillsville.
30.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? No deaths. It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year as far as loss was concerned. In addition to the losses mentioned in #4, my best friend Kelly lost her uncle in a February car accident, my friend/co-worker Marie lost her sister in April and then her sister-in-law in May, my cousin Melissa had to have her dog put down in June, my good friend Jen lost her beloved Greyhound in November, and my friend Christy lost her dad on Christmas Day.
31.How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013? Comfy and casual. Anything that covered my fat ass.
32.What kept you sane? My mother. My best friends (Kelly, Larry, and Jen). Chocolate. Caffeine. Blues hockey. Fangirling. Books. Movies. Cute kitty videos on YouTube.
33.What celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Tom Hiddleston, Richard Armitage, and Benedict Cumberbatch. Also known as The Holy Trinity of British Hotness.
34.What political issue stirred you the most? I'm not even going to get started on how disgusted I am by a certain party and its politicians who are hell-bent on blocking the President on every single issue. No, he's not perfect and has made mistakes like every other Chief Executive before him, but could you at least act like adults and try to work things out without shutting the government down? And to the male politicians who think it's their right to police women's medical concerns, stay out of our vaginas and put the shut to the up. Thank you.
35.Who do you miss? My grandmother. My grandfathers. Uncle Jerald. Andy. Mushi Mu.
36.Who was the best new person you met? Although I haven't met the following people in person yet, I would have to say Char, Helen, Louise, Angela, the St. Louis Blues Gals, and my 17 Hiddlesisters. God bless Pinterest and Facebook for bringing these friendships into my life! Oh, and I can't forget Ashley N. at work. She shares my love of cupcakes and Sheldon Cooper :)
37.Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

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

Don't let them in, don't let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know

"Let It Go"