Wow. Really?

Jay got laid off today.

"So everybody get ready to raise your middle finger to 2008 and welcome 2009!" - Radio DJ on New Year's Eve

Okay, I am totally stealing this from Conway (sorry, hun, but I can't change your name after all these years... it's just weird), and it's a little late to be reviewing 2008, I suppose, but I like it and I'm doing it, so there.

The Year in Review...

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Quit my job with no intention of finding a new one

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I don't think so. I probably resolved to stop biting my nails, as I do every year, so I definitely did not keep that resolution. Here we go again for 2009!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Hmm... oh yeah! I did!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sadly, yes.

5. What countries did you visit?
The United States of America - it's beautiful!!

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
MONEY

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 13, 2008 - the birth of my daughter, Julianna Marie Joost.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Okay, giving birth has to be mentioned. Besides that, I'd say really truly becoming comfortable with my husband's ex-wife.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I still bite my nails

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Does pregnancy sickness count?

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Everything I bought at Disneyland collectively

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
No one in particular improved their behavior so much that it warranted celebration. I don't know that anyone I know really needs to improve their behavior, except maybe my three-year-old!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
At times, Jacob did bring me down, but he was dealing with becoming a big brother. He's doing MUCH better now.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills, moving, and rent.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My new baby, Jay's new job, being able to quit my job

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I'm Yours by Jason Mraz

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? sadder
ii. thinner or fatter? unfair. I was eight months pregnant at this time last year.
iii. richer or poorer? poorer

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

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
stressing over money

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We spent it with our families

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I have to ditto Conway; I stayed in love in 2008.

23. How many one-night stands?
Oh, come now.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Same show for the last fifteen years! ER!
I did discover House and Big Love this year, though, and they are excellent.
Jay and I also watched Six Feet Under on DVD and couldn't get enough.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
no.

26. What was the best book you read?
Two From Gallilee

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Jason Mraz

28. What did you want and get?
another baby

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I really don't watch many movies. I honestly cannot think of a favorite.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28 and I believe Jay and I went out for dinner and a movie... I don't remember what we saw, though.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More money. I don't mean that in a offhanded, silly, or crass way... it was a seriously difficult year financially.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Stay-At-Home-Mom

34. What kept you sane?
The smiles and laughter of my children. And my mom.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No one in particular.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The atrocity which is Prop 8.

37. Who did you miss?
Byron, Adam, and Leslie, just like every other year. :(

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Julianna Marie :) :) :)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
God will provide, somehow.

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

"Another day has almost come and gone
Can't imagine what else could go wrong
Sometimes I'd like to hide away somewhere and lock the door
Another battle lost but not the war

'Cause tomorrow's another day
And I'm thirsty anyway
So bring on the rain

It's almost like the hard times circle 'round
A couple drops and they all start coming down
Yeah, I might feel defeated and I might hang my head
I might be barely breathing but I'm not dead

'Cause tomorrow's another day
And I'm thirsty anyway
So bring on the rain"

Jo Dee Messina
Bring On The Rain

To Execute Faithfully... To Faithfully Execute... Oh, Damn It!

I enjoyed the inauguration today quite a bit. I felt sad watching Fmr. President George W. Bush leaving office, but not because I love him so much or anything. I am a supporter of his, but the reason I felt bad is because I know he feels bad. He has been the President during a very tumultuous time and because things aren't hunky-dorey at the end of his time in office, he is bid farewell with a smirk and the occasional rude gesture by the American citizens for whom he has worked so hard. I feel that he has gotten a bad rap and he knows it. But I digress. The inauguration was stirring and exciting, if short on real substance. The poem by Elizabeth Alexander was painful, although I think it might have actually been okay if I had read it on paper; she was just too choppy in her delivery, in my opinion. It was, all in all, an enjoyable event to watch. The Obamas are definitely a breath of fresh air in all their relatively youthful giddiness, and I'm happy to see two smiling little faces in the White House. We haven't had youngsters in that building for quite some time... has it really been since Kennedy?

So, here you go, America. You wanted him, you got him. Let's see what he can do.

To Boldly Go...

Okay, well, just an update on our job-seeking. I received interest from Wells Fargo but have not yet gotten an interview. I'm planning on calling to "check in" tomorrow. Jay was contacted by Geico last week and has taken a written test and had an interview, both of which went well. Thursday he has to go to Rancho Cordova for an assessment test which is a roleplay activity where he is supposed to talk to a "customer" who is making a "claim." I'm sure he'll do great! He has a good personality for these things.

Keep praying for us, please... this could be something huge for us if it works out!!

Lovin' That Hot Dog

I just hope that Barack Obama's entire Presidency isn't going to be about the fact that he's black. I recognize the significance of race and why this is VERY exciting and liberating for black Americans, but he's not just a black guy who won. He's going to be the President of the United States. I hope it doesn't take us too much longer to get over the fact that he's black. The more we focus on race, the longer race will be an issue for people. When we no longer discuss it or concern ourselves with it, real change can take place in people's hearts.

And by the way, there really ought to be a rule against taking pictures of people mid-bite. It just isn't nice.

If I arranged a reunion...

The following are people I would LOVE to see again, especially all at the same time. They don't all know each other, but this is my reunion, so that really has nothing to do with it.

Adam Nagao
Leslie Allen
Alex Lucas
Peter Weeks
Peter Kupfer
Gina Kupfer
Betsy Sagala
Tim Frank
Brian Schroeder
Ryan Reed
Katy Clay
Melissa Smith
Beth Reigel
Candace Smith
Byron DeMent (he counts because I barely ever see him now that he's a big time New Yorker)
Ginny Cashmore (I know she got married but I don't know her last name, sorry)
Linnea Boswell (see above)
Jenny Glinka
Rikki Engman (again with the married note)
Linda deGraaff
Elizabeth McDonald (yes, Dr. McDonald)

I hope I didn't callously forget someone who is important to me. I am not a person who makes many friends, and these people are gone from my life to one degree or the other and I wish I could just bring them all back for a little while. I'm feeling nostalgic tonight.

Love you all.

The job search is ON

I've applied at Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo (yuck!), and Golden 1. Jay has applied at Geico, Traveler's Insurance, and The Picture People. He has an outstanding application with AutoNation, but doesn't expect much to come of it.

I have spent day after day staring at Monster.com, HotJobs.com, and various other sites. I am SO tired of job hunting!!!

Wish us luck. :)