Write Anyway

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Participated on a writer’s conference panel. Went to a naturopath. Made my health a top priority. Applied for a job in Australia.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t really make them… I just try to make every year better than the last.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My lovely friend Jenera.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope.

5. What countries did you visit?
I didn’t leave the country.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
More money… A house. A dog. Good health. Weight loss.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 5 – First wedding anniversary

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Hm. Probably being asked to be a speaker on Conflux panels.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I don’t consider it a massive failure, but I didn’t get the aforementioned job. I do consider the fact that 2008 went by so fast with me thinking about/doing work most of the time a failure.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing that I haven’t been dealing with most of my life.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Dungeon Siege II – PC Game. I know, I know, but it was more than just a game for me. I don’t really care to explain it all, though.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My husband, as always, puts up with a lot. Not to be ego-driven, but I reckon mine did on occasion as well. I took some big steps in 2008.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Just the way of the world – prejudice, blind hatred, intentional ignorance, close-mindedness…

14. Where did most of your money go?
Paying bills, as always.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The prospect of getting a house, a dog, starting a family, etc.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
When I Ruled the World - Coldplay

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:i. happier or sadder? ii. thinner or fatter? iii. richer or poorer?
1. A bit sadder because of the lessons I’ve had to learn, a lot just in this past month. 2. The same. 3. A tiny bit richer, as we’ve started and stuck to a savings plan.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Relaxing. Enjoying life. Doing things that make me happy.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Work.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
At home with my husband.

21. Who did you meet for the first time?
Nyyyyyyssssssaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes. With Nyssa. Kidding. No, I didn’t, but I stayed in love and I think that’s important.

23. What was your favourite TV program?
Two and a Half Men or NCIS during the first half of the year… I kind of stopped watching television again.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate? No. Dislike? Yes.

25. What was the best book you read?
Of the whole year? Eon by Greg Bear

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Pete Murray

27. What was your favourite film of this year?
Wall E

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was another year older and I had a very quiet birthday

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Paying off one (or all) of my student loans, winning the lottery

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Comfy

31. What kept you sane?
Writing, taking time to relax.

32. What political issue stirred you the most?
Entirely too many of them, as far as I’m concerned.

33. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
It’s way too easy to get caught up in work and paying bills, but it’s not as satisfying as taking time to live.

34. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
And so it goes, and so it goes…

Courtesy of Short Sweet Love Poems

Some people go by the saying that honesty is the best policy. So, they would rather reveal everything to their partner upfront, including details of their past relationships.

On the other hand, others prefer to keep mum believing that there is little point in delving about the past as what is more important is the present and the future.

Would you want your partner to know how many people you have slept with in the past? Or how you have cheated on someone you once dated, for example? So, talking about your past relationships to your current partner can indeed be a difficult issue.

On to Love Q #11:

How frank should you be with your partner when it comes to your past relationships? How much of the details should you reveal?

This can be a bit tricky depending on the relationship and the questions asked. Obviously, it’s not exactly comfortable to have your partner asking, “What did you like best about sex with so and so?” Then again, I see no reason to lie about how many people you’ve slept with. (As long as someone isn’t asking you about it on the first date.)

Overall, I’m more on the side of honesty is best, but that’s in part because my partner is honest with me when I have questions. We also both know that we can trust each other not to hold our past against each other.

Then again, if you’re with someone who is going to hold your past against you, then maybe you shouldn’t be with that person in the first place.

But yes, if the questions don’t get too ridiculous and don’t make you uncomfortable, there’s no reason to lie.

What do you think?

(PS. What do you think about this tag? Is it an appropriate writing prompt for this site?)

I’m in a tag kind of mood today, so I am putting up this author tag I found at Reading is My Superpower. Answer in the comments section or put a link there to the answers on your blog if you’d like to play along.

* Answer the questions as you see fit. Although they’re all phrased to ask about a singular author, feel free to respond with multiples, or even a list.
* Where possible & convenient (you don’t have to go as crazy as I did!), include a link here or there to an author’s website, your review of one of their books, or a review that inspired you to try the author(s), so your readers can get more information on anyone that sounds interesting.
* Tag five people and drop by their blogs to let them know you tagged them, or open-tag your readers.
* It would be nice if you included a link back to your tagger.

1. Who’s your all-time favorite author, and why?

I don’t have an ‘all-time’ favourite author, I don’t think. I have a few I grew up reading and have enjoyed. I suppose I leave the distinction to Robin McKinley, though. Her book, The Blue Sword, gave me the confidence to write my own books. Plus, even now, I can pick up that book any time and still enjoy it. I have read it dozens of times.

2. Who was your first favorite author, and why? Do you still consider him or her among your favorites?

My first favourite author would have to be Anne McCaffrey. She caught me up in the world of Pern at a very young age and I still enjoy reading her books. She is definitely still one of my favourites.

3. Who’s the most recent addition to your list of favorite authors, and why?

I’m reading Eon by Greg Bear and I have a feeling he will go on the list of my favourites. But for the most recent author well and truly on my favourites list? Orson Scott Card wrote the last book I got truly excited about.

4. If someone asked you who your favorite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth? Are there any you’d add on a moment of further reflection?

Orson Scott Card, Sandi Kahn Shelton, Robin McKinley, Sara Douglass, Tamora Pierce, Caridad Pineiro, Catherin Coultier, David (and Leigh) Eddings, Anne McCaffrey, Piers Anthony…

Need any more?