I took a couple of hours and I reread all my Donnaville entries posted in 2008. Those of you who stick with me, God bless you! You guys are amazing. About 1/2 way through I was pretty much ready to find the silly biatch who writes such drivel and kick her in the head. 🙂

I wanted to find a couple of things– my best entry for 2008 and my “zeitgeist” (if you can use the word in this manner). I also wanted to look at my past resolutions and see how well I resolved. Sifting through my entries, nothing picked me up and shook me around. I found an entry or two that I thought, yeah, this is kinda good but then as soon as I clicked away, I totally forgot which one it was! I should have taken notes! The one entry that does stand out for me is the one in which I described Kimbo Slice punching his opponent in the cauliflower ear that subsequently exploded showering the ring with pieces of ear flesh. Yeah, that was a good entry. I liked how I described the cauliflower ear as looking like a testicle. I also like how I quickly transitioned to writing about the Brideshead Revisited remake. Kimbo Slice and Sebastian Flyte! A match made in heaven! Re-read the entry here: Ear Debris, What a Flyte.

(I know, the talent I have with Photoshop is astounding. I would give lessons but I am afraid that this knowledge in the wrong hands might be dangerous)

So how did I do with my New Year’s Resolutions?

2008 Resolutions – by Donna on January 1st, 2008

1. Simplify my home/life. Declutter. Love what I own and respect it. Live simply, stop over-consuming.
I am still working toward this goal. Probably about 6 months into it, I started dropping my clothes back on the floor at night. I don’t shop like I used to and I am getting better at making better decisions about items but I am still working towards gaining a more minimalistic outlook.

2. Get my finances in order. Get a true portfolio together. Invest!
I moved my money out of Wachovia and into a bank that actually paid interest on my savings. I rolled my 401K over but I need to invest in some index funds but I haven’t made any big moves because the economy is scaring me. I did buy some inverse ETFs and Gold and Silver but they didn’t come through as I expected. I am getting closer.

3. Stop taking my job so seriously. Live. Enjoy. Spend time with friends and family.
Grrrrrrrrrr. I don’t think I met this goal while I was working but now that I am in between jobs, I am rocking it.

4. Figure out my goal – what am I aiming for? Why am I here and am I accomplishing it?
It’s funny. Looking back over the last year, a conversation I had with Erin sticks out. We talked about the pressure to reproduce and what our goals are in life. I remember saying to her, “Why am I here, Erin? What is my purpose? I really doubt God put me on this earth to sell software!” I have not yet figured out my goal, however I do seem to know what I don’t want and what I am definitely not here to do. It shouldn’t be hard reversing it to figure out what it is I am here to do.

And what about my Zeitgeist for 2008? I dunno. I rallied behind Dr Paul and I tried to keep Rosemont from going co-ed. I worried about the bailouts and I cursed Obama and McCain. I think rather than worrying about the past I am just going to work on making 2009 a better year.

I enjoyed reading this Web page although I wish the author hadn’t brought up Lincoln’s and JFK’s assassinations.

I look back at this past year and I realize that my biggest accomplishment was also my biggest failure. When the year started, I wrote down a dollar amount on my mental chalkboard. Looking at the YTD gross of my last paycheck, I achieved it. But what did I achieve? I traded my time for money. I spent the year working my ass off. And when the year was done, my company laid me off. I can’t stop thinking about all the time and energy I invested into my territory. Time that was mine. And how that territory, because of my work, will continue to yield $$$ for my employers but not for me. I made the money I wanted to make and yet I feel robbed. Robbed of my time and investment. I sold myself short.

This is eating at me because I need to find a new revenue stream but all I know is working for other people. Padding their pockets. Trading my time for money. There has to be a way to earn a living without having to sell my soul. The problem is I have no clue. I don’t even know where to look. And there’s this part of me that thinks that I should just be a good girl and get a job and earn money and forgetaboutit. I am going to try to figure this out and hopefully next year I can write about how I found a way to make money that makes me happy and allows me to live a good, happy decent life.

I recommend you read this: Tom’s Twelve Laws of Life

Everything stated rings true to my own experience — I have a feeling I will be reading and re-reading this list quite a bit.

I’ve been going to bed late for me. Typically I pass out right around 10pm. The last week or so, I’ve been going to bed after 12 and not waking up until 9ish. My alarm goes off at 7 but I’ve gotten pretty good at ignoring it.

Today is Christmas Eve and Pookie and I will spend the evening with my parents and sister having a wonderful Carpatho-Rusyn/Italian-inspired meal. My belief is it’s a mixed salad for the first generation or two and then it becomes a melting pot. I gotta get over to my parents’ place so I can help mom make the pierogies, mushroom soup, futchkies (bobalky), Aglio e Olio and smelts. Christmas will be spent with Pookie’s family. This will be my first time away from my parents on Christmas. I’m not overly bothered because I always felt Christmas Eve was the more exciting celebration and Christmas day always seemed like a downer. Regardless, I will do the best I can to behave myself and not embarrass Pookie or soil my family name.

Now let’s get down to business. What dress do you think I should wear to Pookie’s Family’s Christmas supper?

I’m leaning more toward the gray sweater dress because I think the other one is just a tad too sexy.

I’ve written about some of the weird things my sister says. Vomitose, enterjoyment, dramastically are some of her words. Today she came up with a new one:

“Donna, I told her I needed to go to the library, like AESOP!”

I spent most of the day at my parents’ house. Lisa came home a little after 5 and asked if I’d like to go to the mall with her and get a Christmas present for mom. After shopping, we came home and made dinner. I had a glass of wine and then another and then another. Mom came back from work and said, “Gosh Donna, you still here? Are you planning on moving back with us?”
“I haven’t been here the entire time, Lisa and I went to Macy’s.”
“Why did you go to Macy’s?”
“Because we had to buy you a Christmas present.”
“What did you get me.”
“A coat”
“What color”
“Black.”
At that point I could feel Lisa’s eyes boring through me like a laser.
“I think I just made an awful mistake….”
“No sh*t, Sherlock” said Lisa.
I shouldn’t have had the second and third glasses of wine. Oops.