I know, I suck, I still owe this LJ a London recap. Maybe someday.


1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
2004: Uhm...I bought a house and won championships in a few competitve team sports where I played a key role (kickball and flag football).
2005: Had my heart significantly broken. Lived by myself with no roommates/family. Had a huge gambling win.
2006: Fell totally, completely in love. Lived with someone who was not considered a "roommate." Won a poker tournament of at least 180 people.
2007: Got engaged to the love of my life. Went to London. Spent a day in the Phillies dugout, press box, and lockerroom.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
2004: Some of them, and yes.
2005: I don't even remember any of them, so probably not...and probably, but I won't remember what they were.
2006: Don't really remember any of them. If it was losing weight, well, I think I did end this year a little lower than I started it.
2007: Not a big resolution guy. I guess my resolution this year is to lose about 10-15 pounds before my wedding. And then keep it off through December.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
2004: Uhm...hmm...one of my coworkers who I'm fairly close with had a little girl. I think that was it.
2005: So many this year! The two closest to me would be Jason+Robin=Wriley, and Andy+Jen=C.J. Lots of other coworkers have given birth or are pregnant as well.
2006: A few of my coworkers did, most notably Kevin, and Susan adopted another baby. My next-door neighbors Mike and Tara had their first, a little girl. I guess not that many births this year, I expect next year will be a lot more.
2007: A few friends and coworkers. My former coworker Brian who I remain friends with adopted his second baby girl. And my cousin Steph is pregnant with a little girl and due early next year.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
2004: Ace :-( :-( :-(
2005: Fortunately, no. *knock on wood* />2006: My Poppy. He was a good man. I miss him.
2007: Nobody this year. I still miss Poppy and Ace.

5. What countries did you visit?
2004: Just new parts of the good 'ole U.S. of A. (Vegas, San Diego, Nashville)
2005: None, but I went to Phillies Spring Training for the first time.
2006: More USA, didn't leave the country. Spring Training, 3(!) trips to Phoenix, Vegas, San Diego, and Chicago ... I think that was all the significant trips for the year.
2007: Finally something other than the USA--went to England! In the US, I had a lot of wedding/celebration related travel to New England, plus Spring Training again, and our family San Fran trip.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
2004: Superbowl or World Series appearance for the Eagles/Phillies
2005: Wow actually got one of last year's. I'll go for a Phillies playoff appearance this time? Maybe a Flyers Stanley Cup? Oh, and uhm, how about a relationship that lasts longer than my last one too. Thanks Santa.
2006: Let's ditto 2004 to start. And, well, more importantly, I think I'd like to have a fiancee sometime next year (and I even have a girl all picked out for that already)! On a lesser note, I'd like to cash in a poker tournament for a prize worth at least 5k.
2007: This time, more specific--Phillies playoff playoff appearance that I actually get to see in person. I'd also like to be married, by, oh, say, mid-October.

7. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
2004: Hmm. February 24, when Ace died. October 22nd, my first date with Hilary.
2005: April 24th, Hilary and I broke up.
2006: February 10th, my first date with Laurie. November 13th, my Poppy died.
2007: March 9th, the day I got engaged to the best woman on the planet.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
2004: Meeting Hilary
2005: Paying off my car? This wasn't a big year on achievement.
2006: Everything about my amazing relationship with Laurie. A very, very distant second place would be my growth as a poker player, I guess.
2007: Getting engaged to the perfect woman for me is first, and everything else is a distant second. Even winning the No Crying In Baseball roto league along with Brody is a distant 2nd. And the Kickball 2008 fantasy football league.

9. What was your biggest failure?
2004: Hmm. I had a pretty good year. I guess the biggest "failure" would be not emotionally moving on from Lindy sooner.
2005: I guess I'd have to say both how things ended with Hilary and the fact that I really haven't gotten serious about trying to meet someone else since then.
2006: This is a hard question this year. I haven't really had many big failures this year. I'm disappointed I haven't done a better job staying in touch with some of my friends, but if that's my biggest failure this year, then I think it's been a good year.
2007: Not a lot of big failures this past year, again.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
2004: Nuttin serious.
2005: Again, nothing serious. I did have a very persistent and annoying groin strain that lasted for a few months.
2006: I was beat up a lot during flag football season, including a nasty injury to my right knee, but nothing serious.
2007: Just more flag football related injuries and a right knee injury that actually sidelined me for a game and a half in softball.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
2004: My house
2005: My TV and sound system setup
2006: The paint which now covers many of the walls of my house upstairs, because it really feels more like a home than it ever did before. Some of the things I bought for Laurie like the tickets to see Lion King were also great. I haven't really made any huge purchases this year.
2007: Probably the MacBook Pro that Laurie and I got a few weeks ago, or maybe the plane tickets to London.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
2004: What a weird question. I'll go with my cousins Pam and Rachel, who had their Bat Mitzvahs, and Jesse who got married and provided us all with an awesome vacation!
2005: Let's see. I'll go with Lou, as his bachelor party weekend was probably the most fun I had this year. Steph and Derek's wedding weekend was awesome too. And Turner's wedding! And Camiolo moving away? :-)
2006: Still a weird question a few years later. I'll continue going with the weddings...Dave and Jessica, Nate and Marcie, and Craig and Jen all had great weddings. Hope I didn't forget any.
2007: Lots of great weddings again this year, but I'll have to go with Brody and Jenn this year as the #1!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
2004: Me, at roughly 12:01 AM on Jan 1 2004 when I was puking over a railing at the Bellagio!
2005: Hilary breaking up with me? George W. Bush?
2006: T.O., but that's pretty standard by now. Still George Bush too. Just 2 more years of that clown.
2007: George Bush. Almost done now.

14. Where did most of your money go?
2004: My house
2005: House, TV+sound system, new laptop
2006: House, Laurie
2007: House, Laurie, MacBook Pro, London. Not too many wedding related expenses yet.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
2004: Hilary :-) :-) :-)
2005: Eagles Superbowl game, Hilary at least until April, my brother working at MLB.com, winning $1200 in that poker tournament
2006: Laurie! :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) (And also poker successes, Phillies pennant race and Ryan Howard's homers, and lots of other things)
2007: Laurie, Phillies playoff appearance, Brody's wedding, London

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
2004: Hmm...August in Bethany and My Immortal and Sullivan Street, which make me think about how I felt after Acey died.
2005: Rain 2005 by Breaking Benjamin. There's a particular line in there that sort of sums up how I've felt about Hilary and dating in general, which I guess is the most significant thing that happened to me this year. "Is it you I want / or just the notion of / a heart to wrap around / so I can find my way around?"
2006: Probably "As Time Goes By" from the Casablanca soundtrack, since that is "our song" more or less. We have a lot of "our songs" though. So there will be a LOT of songs that remind me of how wonderful this year has been. "Overjoyed" by Waking Ashland, "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts (yes, I kinda like alt-country now), "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol, etc.
2007: Along with "As Time Goes By" again, I'd also put Dashboard Confessional's "Stolen" on there for this year.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. thinner or fatter?
2004:uhm, guess a little bit fatter, but getting my treadmill in 2 days to start remedying that situation in 2005!
2005: bout the same
2006: thinner, and hoping to continue that trend in 2007
2007: slightly fatter than last year, and I'd like to lose ~10 pounds before my wedding.

ii. richer or poorer?
2004: hmm. in terms of cash on hand, significantly poorer, but in terms of assets, significantly richer
2005: richer. w00t. managed to sock away a good chunk of cash while still buying the TV/stereo, a laptop, and not having a roommate anymore.
2006: richer, between my poker winnings and another year with a nice raise and bonus and having Torban and Laurie living with me for parts of the year (and having stock options that are actually worth money finally), it's been a nice year for me financially
2007: richer again. I wonder what the wedding will do to that next year.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
2004: Spent time with Hilary (perhaps met her a lot sooner than I did!)
2005: Moved on from Hilary better and put more focus on meeting someone new
2006: I really don't know...I mean, obviously, I wish I'd spent more time with my Poppy, but I was able to get in a few extra trips to Pittsburgh over the last year and called pretty often by my standards. My life was nicely balanced this year considering how much of it I spent with Laurie. I wouldn't have traded our time together for anything else, but I still got to play a bunch of poker, spend time with my friends, play and watch lots of sports, etc. It was a great year. Best year of my life.
2007: Not much, I was very happy with how I spent my time this last year. Might have been nice to spend a little more time visiting people I didn't see as much this year, like my brother and Jesse.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
2004: Work.
2005: Work. Moped.
2006: Work.
2007: Work, even though I like my job.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
2004: Failing to see Meet the Fockers but having a nice dinner at Hunan
2005: Either doing the usual family thing or possibly doing Atlantic City. Seeming more likely that it'll be another Shapiro Jewish Christmas this year, but hopefully this time we'll get to see a movie. Plus this year Christmas is also Hanukah!
2006: Well, this was a busy year for Christmas. On Dec 23, we did Hanukkah (plus Laurie's birthday) up in Allentown with my immediate family including latkes, briskey, and presents! Christmas Eve we did with Laurie's mom's extended family, who we've seen many times and it's always a good time. There were about 15-18 people. They do a dinner every year that includes homemade pierogies and many varieties of fish. The pierogies were amazing and I discovered I like flounder and kinda like scallops. On Christmas morning, we went to Laurie's mom's place to celebrate with just her sisters and mom, which was very nice. Then we went up to Allentown and saw Blood Diamond at the new Rave theatres in Center Valley followed by Dinner at Hunan and watching the Eagles game from the DVR (which only took about an hour and a half since we could skip commercials and halftime).
2007: Busy weekend again. Doing another Hanukkah+Laurie's birthday in Allentown this Sunday, XMas eve with Laurie's mom's extended family, XMas brunch at our house for direct family (including my side who are coming down), and then Jewish Xmas with the Richman's that night back in Allentown. Busy, busy weekend.

22. Did you fall in love in 2006?
2004: Uhm...boy...can I plead the 5th? How about...working on it?
2005: I'm pretty sure I did. It felt that way for a while back in February/March. Oh well.
2006: Absolutely, 100%, and it's made me realize that every time before in my life when I thought I was in love, I was wrong--or at least it wasn't a love as deep and fulfilling as what I have now.
2007: I fell deeper in love, and hope that continues for every year I live.

23. How many one-night stands?
2004: Not my style. 0.
2005: Still not my style. 0.
2006: Zilch.
2007: This question is no longer applicable.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
2004: I think the fact that this is question number 24 should answer the question.
2005: 24, the return of Family Guy, and the Daily Show.
2006: 24, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Heroes
2007: Lost, Heroes, Grey's Anatomy

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
2004: Yes. Roy Williams, the Cowboys player who broke T.O.
2005: Funny to read my answer from last year, as my new answer is now T.O.
2006: Not really. Maybe just that guy who sucked out on me with J2s.
2007: There are some people I work with that I am not so crazy about. I don't think I'd go as far as hate though.

26. What was the best book you read?
2004: Dark Tower 6 and 7.
2005: Memoirs of a Geisha
2006: Lisey's Story, I guess. Maybe Harrington on Hold 'Em, Vol 1/2.
2007: I guess any of the Jodi Picault books that I read. Laur introdued me to Jodi and I find her books very compelling. Nineteen Minutes was a very good read.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
2004: Ooh...uhm...good question! If we're talking about someone I've never heard of period before this year at all, then I guess I'd go with Epic Hero. But I think I'd rate Jimmy Eat World ahead of them, who I was certainly aware of before this year but became a much, much bigger fan of during 2004, including their older material and then seeing them in concert.
2005: I'm going to go with Jack's Mannequin/Something Corporate. This been a very busy year for me and music, and I will probably do a whole separate post with my top 5 or 10 favorite albums of 2005. Honorable mention to JamisonParker and Gratitute.
2006: I guess Cartel must have been a 2006 discovery, otherwise they'd have been mentioned last year. So, Cartel. Honorable mentioned to Waking Ashland, Boys Like Girls, Quietdrive, Snow Patrol, The Starting Line.
2007: My greatest musical discovery is that I actually kinda like modern alt-country music--Keith Urban, Rascall Flats, stuff like that. In terms of particular artists, that would mostly still be my normal type of music--All-Time Low isn't bad, Secondhand Serenade I like, Self Against City, The Summer Obsession. Sherwood came out with a great album but they aren't really a new discovery.

28. What did you want and get?
2004: The best girlfriend ever
2005: My HD TV, an Eagles Superbowl game, an iPod, Heather and Bryan coming to visit me in Philly, life without Camiolo
2006: The best girlfriend ever, completely making my 2004 statement ridiculous in the process because I just didn't have any idea how good it could be.
2007: Best fiancee ever

28. What did you want and not get?
2004: To see the Phillies play in the playoffs, another booth trophy
2005: Ditto last year, an Eagles championship, more out of my relationship with Hilary
2006: Phillies playoffs, Eagles playoffs, big poker score
2007: Actually to attend a Phillies game in person

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
2004: Crappy year for movies. I'm gonna go with The Incredibles
2005: Trying to remember what movies I liked this year. Batman Begins was really good. Wedding Crashers was hilarious. I have a feeling my answer to this may actually be a movie I see in the next 2 weeks, with King Kong, Memoirs of a Geisha, and the new Harry Potter movie all in theatres right now.
2006: I'm gonna go with Blood Diamond which I just saw yesterday. Great movie. Intense, but excellent.
2007: I dunno, I don't remember a lot of movies I saw this year. Transformers was pretty awesome, maybe that.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
2004: 25, and I had a miserable long day at work, kickball was cancelled, I was really pissed off, and Lindy saved the day by taking me out to dinner. that's the best thing she did for me the entire time i've known her.
2005: 26. On the night before my actual birthday, despite being sick, I had softball, came home, took some drugs, and went to the end of kickball and the bar for a while, which was real fun. Then on Friday, my actual birthday, I was stuck at work until 9 PM. My coworkers did take me out of lunch and paid for my dinner (though I had to go drive and get it, we ordered pizza around 7 PM). I went to the Phillies/Red Sox games on Saturday with my parents and Sunday with my friends, and the Phils lost them both in ugly fashion.
2006: 27, my first weekend birthday in a while. It was fairly low key. I think my parents met us for lunch at Mirna cafe and Laurie and I did dinner, I think at Outback. Laurie also made me a peanut butter chocolate cake, cause she's amazing. She got me a few things including a nice new bag for my softball gear that I needed badly.
2007: 28, Laurie and I spent the day together, had a very nice day, and she made me awesome chocolate peanut butter cupcakes and gave me a sweet video camera which I used to videotape parts of Brody's bachelor party.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
2004: Either the Phillies, Eagles, or Flyers not blowing it.
2005: Hilary not breaking up with me.
2006: Immeasurably? Nothing, it was too good of a year for that. But I would have really enjoyed it if the Phillies had made the playoffs or I'd won a huge poker tournament for thousands of dollars.
2007: Not immeasurably, but being able to attend a Phils playoff game in person would have been much better.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
2004: The same as usual?
2005: Mostly the same, but with nicer shoes and sweaters.
2006: Gradually phasing out old college stuff and replacing it with nicer stuff.
2007: Same as last year, I guess. Laurie is good at buying stuff that looks good on me.

34. What kept you sane?
2004: Who ever said I was sane? I guess at the worst part of the year, in February after Ace died, my parents helped a lot. Especially my Mom.
2005: My friends and family after Hilary and I broke up. Bagel drinking away sorrows with me at Turner's wedding was nice. Camiolo moving away had to be good for my sanity too.
2006: Laurie especially after Poppy passed away. She was so strong for me those few days and I really needed it.
2007: I had a fairly sane year, I suppose, but Laurie is always gonna be #1 here. She was there whenever I needed to vent about frustrations at work or anything like that.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
2004: Uhm...hmm...didn't have a big celebrity crush this year...I guess Paris?
2005: Hmm. Jessica Alba. Fantastic Four was fantastic mostly for that reason.
2006: I dunno, not a big year for celebrity crushes for me, I was too preoccupied with the real thing to be drooling over girls I'll never see.
2007: We'll stick with Jessica Alba. Amen for consistency among celebrities hotties in a year where so many trainwrecked their lives. Hayden Panettiere stepped it up this year as well.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
2004: The postwar mess and the election. goddamn GWB.
2005: Same as last year.
2006: The election, the "poker ban," Iraq, freaking GWB.
2007: I'm already getting "stirred" about the election this year. Go Obama.

37. Who did you miss?
2004: Ace :-( :-( :-(
2005: Hilary after April. And still Acey.
2006: Poppy, and still Ace.
2007: Poppy, especially at the unveiling of his tombstone. That was hard. I still miss Ace too.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
2004: Hilary!!!!!
2005: I don't think I really met a lot of new people, but 2005 was a year of becoming closer friends with folks who were more acquaintances before. Most notably, my kickball crew, Cory, Chad, Cherri, Jeff, Renee, Lauren, Mike, Ken, and the other folks who join us occasionally. Also got to know Haley a lot better, which was great. Same goes for Derek, Jenn, and a lot of other partners of people I was already close with. If the question needs an actual answer, I guess I'd go with my new coworkers, who are a pleasure to work with.
2006: Gee, I don't know, this is a hard one. Maybe my new coworker Ilya. Hmm, I don't know...oh wait...yeah....LAURIE!!!!!
2007: Lot harder than last year. I don't really know. I haven't met a lot of new people outside of work, and while I like many of my coworkers, I would hesitate to put any of them on this list.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
2004: Winter doesn't always suck, and had reinforced the idea that taking chances/risks is a good thing
2005: Oh boy...uh...something about how having your heart broken sucks but you need to pick yourself up and move on? I dunno. Nothing earth-shattering, but having my first really serious relationship end last year calls to mind a lot of trite life lessons about that.
2006: It's good to date a bunch of different people and find out what you like and dislike about other people and relationships so you know when you find the right person that you aren't settling for whoever happened to come along when you were lonely.
2007: It's damn comforting to have someone to come home to every day who is 100% on your side.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
2004: "Life is a rollercoaster just gotta ride it." -Ronan Keating ... whole lot of peaks and valleys this year!
2005: "Lately I've been doing some thinking / I guess it's more like the last couple years / I never would guess all that it taught me / And I can't believe that it's brought me here / I'm happy that you know where you're going / I wish I could say of myself that was true / We both pursue something worth knowing / But I may not end with the same thing as you." - Sherwood, Something Worth Knowing ... just sort of describes my mindset for the year.
2006: "I'm overjoyed, yeah, overjoyed to be with you / Overcame doubt, overcame and fell for you / Cause I want to know you / I want to give you all I can / I want to know you / I want to someday understand / And its all for you / Yeah, who you going to be, who you going to be? / Always there through the rough times / And you're always there when no one else cares / No one else cares / Always around / I'm overjoyed, yeah, overjoyed to be with you" - Waking Ashland, Overjoyed
2007: "And from the ballroom floor / We are in celebration / One good stretch before our hibernation / Our dreams assured / And we all will sleep well, sleep well / Sleep well / You have stolen / You have stolen / You have stolen my heart" - Dashboard Confessional, Stolen