2008 in 37 Q&A

As seen on Stingoo's blog. I read it there and I decided that in a while or so (longer, the better) I will like going back to this post and reading my answers. I will then invite the friends that I know have blog, to do the same. I think it's a nice honesty exercise. So here we go, for 2008:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Started to live by my own, in a new country.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I always make New Year's resolutions (I even made a Rosh hashana resolution) but I always loose them somewhere so I don't remember if i kept them or not. Too bad. And yes, I will make another one also. Should I write on it, among other, "Not to loose this resolution" ? Maybe...

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
YES! My sister! To the amazing baby Eytan! The smallest baby I've ever held in my arms! And the most advertised baby ever! (people that visited my room know why)

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Unfortunately, yes. My grandmother passed away this February. She didn't get to see her third great grandson. I miss her, and even more, my heart breaks when I think how much my grandfather misses her.

5. What countries did you visit?
Israel, Hungary, Czech Republic, Israel again, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and now, Austriaaaaaa!

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Butterflies in the stomach, but ones that will last and be worthed.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 6th - my grandma died
July 4th - my sister gave birth and I was dancing in Prague (damn it!)
October 19th - I moved to Vienna and my life changed
And unfortunately, a certain Friday noon, by the pool...


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
By far, deciding on leaving everything back in Romania and jumping in this new adventure called "studying in Vienna".

9. What was your biggest failure?
The fact that I still didn't learn from my own mistakes...

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Beside heart little scratches?
Not anything seriously (and, as I don't have medical insurance yet, please not!)

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Clothes and Universita for Eytan (whoever doesn't know what that is, means that he didn't have a small baby around). That and the ticket to come to the LBS assessment interview.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My mother's for everything she does.
My sister for giving birth naturally! I respect her tremendously!
Mine! For daring to take such a big decision as moving abroad alone!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Sometimes mine, sometimes the behavior of the people that dissapointed me.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Flight tickets, laptop and food (last one, since in Vienna - this is one of the best reasons for living with parents:) )

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Having a nephew, moving abroad, meeting great new people.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
"Halevai"...

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? fatter (I wonder how will I answer next year to this:) )
c) richer or poorer? moneywise - poorer, experiencewise - richer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Spend more time with my mom and grandfather, Swimming, Sports, Dancing (yes, even more!), learn more salsa, Blogging (;) )

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Google-ing, facebook-ing, mailing, all in all, Internet, loosing time in a terrible way.

20. How will you be spending Christmas? What about Hanuka? (My add, of course)
Home with Dad, Grandpa and Woody. As for Hanuka, first days here, starting on ice skating with people from LBS, lighting my candles on the Hanukia mom sent from Israel, and then, the rest, at home with friends. Can't wait!

21. What was your favorite TV program?
Amazing Race 12 and 13, of course.

22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't really hate. Let's just say i dislike some persons more than i did last year, or some persons that I didn't know last year.

22a (My add). Do you like anyone now that you didn't like this time last year?
YES! So many of my new friends that I made, be it here, in Austria, or in all my travelings (Summer U people!!!!).

23. What was the best book you read?
UPPSSSS..I feel sooo stupid...I know a book that I would love if i read it: "The Kite runner". Does this count?

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I don't listen too much to music. But I need to say that I liked Straigt no Chaser the first time I heard them and that David Broza and Shlomo Artzi are always wonderful to listen to. But all in all, music needs to be danced!

25. What did you want and get?
To change my life, my work place, my environment.

26. What did you want and not get?
Some people's feelings.

27. What was your favorite film of this year?
"The kite runner". By far!

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Danced all day & night long in Machol Hungaria, Israeli dance camp. 150 people sang Happy Birthday to me, the teachers carried me on their shoulders and I had with me some of my best friends. 25

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having mom near me all the time, being able to control and impose myself over my feelings, eating better food (since in Austria). :)

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
As confortable as possible. And sometimes even sexy can go:)

31. What kept you sane?
Talking to mom, having friends (even far away but feeling them close) to whine to.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Sarit Hadad, the famous Israeli singer, as I saw/met her in person, and organizing the Israel 60 event in Bucharest, in which she performed, was one of my great achievements.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?
Basescu, the President of Romania, but sure not MY president

34. Who did you miss?
Come on, this is what I am writing over and over on my blog. My mom, my sister, Eytan, my dad, my aunt, my friends back home, my new friends not in Austria, Woody.

35. Who was the best new person you met?
Well..can't rank them and they're so many. You know yourself and if I haven't, I'll soon tell you, you are among them! But for sure, this was one of the year with the highest amount of "best new persons".

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Trust your feelings and intuition and don't give in to what you believe in too quickly. Don't be afraid of change. And also, something that I learned some years ago, but still valid: Time solves everything. Ups, three lessons already!

37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"It's the first day...of the rest of your life"

Later edit: Of course, among the wonderful persons I met this year, I couldn't forget to mention Sophie, my first niece ever, very very cute, with who I got to spend only a few days but I sure hope I will get to see her more often. So, Adina and Josh, we need to make this happen, ok?:)

really?? One month??...

...exactly, to the day! I have arrived in Vienna one month ago. One month ago I left Romania to settle in a new country, new place, new occupation, new people. And so far, I can say that the choice is wonderful. As i was telling you before, I enjoy a lot of things going on here, I am (still) enthusiastic (as the dean noticed today), i am still looking forward to meeting even more new people, especially outside of LBS, and i am considering traveling a lot.

One month in which i started managing myself, my own time and activities, my room which has become my home now. For sure there are a lot of things to still do, but hey, only a month:) I am already thinking about what i will be doing the 5 days i will be home in December and how fast i want February to come to go to Israel, to see mom, Sorana and most beautiful baby in the world, Eytan. Him i miss the most! And I am sure the feeling is totally mutual:) This is how he's looking at the camera, knowing that Doda Dana will see this picture.How can't you miss such a baby? But no worries, by february, he will be 7 months so he will be for sure able to have a conversation with me...in German even, as I need to practice it:)
Besides all my family, be it in Israel or Romania, I miss Woody so much...I even dreamed of him one night...sniff sniff...
Now...happier times! TODAY I had a celebration! In the honor of my first month here, I cooked my first real meal! In the community room...And it was heavenly delicious!mmmm....Chicken breast with mushrooms ...yummmmmmmmmyyyy...In the reality it was much better than it looks here. We were laughing that the LBS horrible food regime makes you cherish on an unbelievable scale the little pleasures in life...like the pancake the Indian-that-thinks-he-speaks-Romanian from the kitchen gave me today, specially and only for me :) (i know that from that moment on i have some new enemies:P).
And also...a very important event happened yesterday: I have received a package from mom and sis!!!! You have no idea how i rushed to the offices to take it and how all cocky I was walking back with it to my room! My rich relatives didn't forget the lost daughter that they sent in foreign land!:) Not to say that now I could start some sweets illegal traffic, but also I have Bamba, soup, choco. And a lot of printed pictures (that are already on my wall). And even a bamboo that i will take care of and will grow up to the sky:) I felt so excited yesterday...little things again:)
So now, i have almost finished decorating my room so expect by the end of this week pictures with my sweet home. People say it looks really nice and cosy and i really feel it this way too.

Now, I have moved to Olga's room cause she has windows to the "outside world" which means she can reach some outside wireless networks, (yes, but me, with my inside the campus windows have the advantage of being able to put food on the window. She is not allowed, as it "bothers the neighbours with an unpleasant view!!!?!") so I came here to download a torrent as I miss my Amazing Race sooo much. And with our LBS network downloading illegal torrents is not an option.

Tomorrow evening we are going to visit the Christmas Market. I understood there are different markets but we will go to the main one and will drink also some "vin fiert" (is it mild wine in english?). Anyway, I expect some quality time with colleagues, although they announced that it will be colder and colder, reaching on Sunday the wonderful -5 degrees Celsius air temperature!!!!
Guten nacht lekulam!:)

A dog for sure he's not...

...if, when he's laying down he looks like a lion (in miniature), he licks people's hands like a cat, coughs like a donkey (poor him, bad cough), barks like a woodpecker (from here the name), when he hears the words "wanna go OUT?" jumps like a goat, sings as a wolf in a full moon night (you can see him in the video), sits in 2 paws like a meerkat (suricata in Romanian), stubborn like a mule(or like a man, it's all the same), considers himself a Rotweiller, tricky like a fox, blind like an old men, greets you when you come home like a child, and when you cry gives you the "i am here for you" look that only the best friends do. So what is he? He's Woody and i'm so happy I have him, even if he wakes me up in the morning to take him out, even if he missed the class with "you should never bite the hand that is feeding you", even if I think the neighbors have a right to want to kick us out from the building because of his barking. He is part of my life for the last 12 years, was born in our house and is (unfortunately) the alpha male in the family.
I now present you: Woooodddyyy in his duet with my humble person! And even though you might think he does this because he hates my singing...you...might be right! Let's see who recognizes the song.