FELONIOUS MONK

Dylan Wilbanks will only be pleased that I lifted this year-end survey from his site.
1. What did you do in 2003 that you’d never done before? I went to Detroit. Sadly, that’s about it.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn’t make any, so I guess I didn’t. I hereby resolve to make as many resolutions this year as I did last year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yup–I’ve got a niece!
4. Did anyone close to you die? I’m a pastor–it’s rare that a month goes by when somebody close to me doesn’t die.
5. What countries did you visit? Detroit. Gary, IN.
6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003? Nothing–my needs are pretty well fulfilled. But, since contentment and shiftlessness share a lot of DNA, I’d like to have the chance to go back to school. I don’t know what for–I don’t care what for–I just need to get back into a learning mode again, because my brain is getting atrophied.
7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? It’s hard to say if there’s any one particular date that stands out, so let me just say September 28, which was our first anniversary.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? My church’s attendance increased by 53%, while we underspent our budget by 24%.
9. What was your biggest failure? Not getting better at the areas of my job where I know I’m weak.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing worth mentioning.
11. What was the best thing you bought? A 4-cup Black and Decker coffee maker.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My stepdaughter’s–she can finally sleep in her own bed, all night long, every night.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Mike Price’s, but you could probably guess that.
14. Where did most of your money go? Good question–I’d start looking here.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? I don’t get three “really”s excited about anything. Meeting my niece for the first time was very cool, though.
16. What song will always remind you of 2003? badgerbadgerbadger MUSHROOM MUSHROOM

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
1. happier or sadder? No.
2. thinner or fatter? Thinner by 50 pounds, thank you very much!
3. richer or poorer? Richer, thank God.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Blogging, especially in October and November. COME BACK BLOGROLLERS! I’M SAWRY!
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Listening to The Jim Rome Show, but he’s the only sports talk on around here in the midday.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? Working. And today, I mopped the ceiling in our kitchen. No, I am not making that up.
21. {appears to be missing}
22. Did you fall in love in 2003? Why? I never fell out of it in the first place.
23. How many one-night stands? Bah. With my flat feet, I can’t even stand for an hour!
24. What was your favorite TV program? I don’t watch TV. My favorite radio show was still The Tony Kornheiser Show.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Nope.
26. What was the best book you read? Fiction, it was Empire Falls by Richard Russo. Nonfiction, A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Can.
28. What did you want and get? Better church attendance.
29. What did you want and not get? Nothing. Sorry, but it’s true.
30. What was your favorite film of this year? Well, I only saw one, so it’s gotta be “Bruce Almighty.”
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? We went to Green Bay, stayed in a nice hotel suite, ate horrible food, and drove home in the first snowstorm of the year. I was 32, by the way, and I still am.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? For Al Franken and Sean Hannity to get into a steel-cage death match . . . and for it to end in a draw.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003? The same as always: Everything at Eddie Bauer goes with everything else at Eddie Bauer.
34. What kept you sane? My wife, my kid, and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I have a horrible Alyson Hannigan fetish, and my wife is well aware of it.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? The absolute lack of a farm policy, from either major political party.
37. Who did you miss? My dad. Don’t ask me this question again next year, because my answer won’t change.
38. Who was the best new person you met? A colleague who has a job I’d like to have someday . . . but not anytime soon.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003: No matter what, it’s always a good time not to go to Disney World.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: You can’t get what you want till you know what you want.–Joe Jackson