1. What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before?
Came up with an original idea and made it happen, start to finish, in its entirety. It's called Knappuccino's.   Also got cast in a "hot chick" role, as opposed to the matronly comic relief roles I used to.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I vowed to be true to myself, and I fell short a few times. But you live and learn. I have made more for 2004; not resolutions so much as goals.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My dear friend Liz gave birth to her first child; Mindy (my sister) to her third.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope.

5. What countries did you visit?
None, unfortunately.

6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003?
Honest, two-way, full-on, no doubts, no maybes love.

7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 8th, 2003: The best performance of Jesus Christ Superstar
May 10th, 2003: The first Knappuccino's Coffeehouse
June 21st, 2003: A magical trip to Baltimore
December 20th, 2003: When I had the balls to make a very unpleasant phone call to save what was left of my goddamned self-respect

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting Knappuccino's off the ground

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not being fair to YahooRob or Chris.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Had a muscular seizure attack at 2am so bad it should have put me in the emergency room, but I said no when Jeremy tried to take me. (I'm an idiot.) Jeremy came to my immediate rescue in the middle of the night without flinching and I owe him everything. I have never known excruciating pain like that in my life. I hope I never do again.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A portable DAT recorder and some beautiful stealth microphones.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I can't choose; way too many options. I am blessed with generous, talented, magical friends.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
A certain doctor's, and mine at times, I suppose.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Credit cards and food.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Knappuccino's, playing Mary Magdelene in an AMAZING production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and my barbershop quartet in The Music Man.

16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
"Very Best Years" by The Grays.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? - I think a little sadder, but just compared to this moment last year.
ii. thinner or fatter? - a little heavier (this is a very good thing; I was in a bad way last year).
iii. richer or poorer? - poorer, but it's okay.

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

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

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Curled in my old bed at my parents' house, shivering, coughing and crying, with a 101 degree fever, pneumonia and a broken heart. Merry f-ing Christmas.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Hmmm. My mom, I guess. (I'm not really a phone person.)

22. Did you fall in love in 2003?
I think so.

23. How many one-night stands?
One. My first and hopefully only one ever.

24. What's your favorite TV program?
Either Nigella Bites, or Most Extreme Challenge.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is a very strong word. But as of this very second, I'm really, really, really angry and sore.

26. What was the best book you read in 2003?
Bridget Jones' Diary, and a collection of Steve Martin plays.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Joe Trainor, Owsley, the Tallis Scholars.

28. What did you want and get?
Friends and a life I love in Delaware, a new job, a printer, a mapmaker.

29. What did you want and not get?
Happily ever after.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
It's a tie between Lost in Translation and About Schmidt.   (School of Rock was pretty fun, too.)

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 32. Was Maundy because it was Thursday. Went to Stanley's afterwards and got some drinks and greasy food with my friends.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More money, more requited feelings, more time to sleep, less shit from the people I work with who I don't report to anymore who find it fun to press my buttons

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?
Jeans, T-shirt and red hoodie sweater on comfy days; business casual on work days. Big shoes.

34. What kept you sane?
Jeremy. My mom. My bathtub. Massages. (not all at the same time.)

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Johnny Depp, Steven Page.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
(from Mike's answers) Scare-mongering.

37. Who did you miss?
Mark. Rob.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Chris Turner and Matt Casarino are tied for first. :-)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003:
Boys do make passes at girls who wear glasses. :-)

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

"I'm not Bitter" by Donut Time

I hope you remember every miserable day
that the reason I'm gone's 'cause you chased me away
Enjoy your life of downloading porn
I'm sure you'll meet your future wife that way
Don't tell me you're sad and wax all poetic
Well, okay, you're sad, like sad and pathetic
Gal schmal, don't wanna be your sisterly pal
I need another brother like a friggin' root canal

--or--

Coming Up Roses by Owsley

Morning comes and you're so lonely
And you feel like you're the only one alive
Since she left you blame yourself
For all the things she never felt
How could you be untrue to yourself
When nobody is watching
Your life isn't over the clock is still tocking

One day you will wake up and you'll
Be able to forget the sadness
Get into the gladness
Of love and it's way and you will not fight it
While everyone dozes, you're coming up roses

Drowning in a sea of sorrow
She won't be here for tomorrow's lullaby
'Round and 'round and 'round she goes
And where she stops nobody knows
But God above
It's starting to rain and you're running
For cover like she ran to the arms of another

One day you will wake up and you'll
Be able to forget the sadness
Get into the gladness
Of love and it's way and you will not fight it
While everyone dozes, you're coming up roses

You will learn to try again
When you get your second wind

How long is the road paved with good intentions
Forever waiting divine intervention
Of love and it's way and you will not fight it
While everyone dozes, you're coming up roses