One of the things that I enjoy doing at the end and/or start of every year is to look back on the past year for reflection and memory keeping. But, I’ve been lazy and didn’t start sharing my round-ups in this blog until the year 2006, when I wrote a month-by-month play of 2006 Personal Highlights. In 2007, I began 7 from 07, which I really liked. So, I thought I’d continue this idea again for the past year, 2008 – with its own twist.
8 Personal Special Moments in 2008:
1. My son turning 4, starting Early Learning Centre, piano, tennis, cricket, and basketball. Taking him to the cinema for the first time.
2. My daughter turning 1, reaching milestones like starting to walk and to talk (to run, dance and sing too!). Going to first swimming lessons.
3. In-Laws’ ’07-’08 Holiday visit with a trip to Robe, SA early in the year.
4. My mum and sis’ ’08-’09 Holiday visit.
5. Going to Kangaroo Island during a short family holiday.
6. Going to Victoria/Melbourne and seeing friends.
7. Taking up driving again (with my new car).
8. Developing new friendships!
8 Webby Highlights:
1. Attending BlogWorldExpo ’08. And meeting lots and lots of wonderful folks from my online life.
2. Starting 52WoC!
3. Organising 5 Adelaide Bloggers‘ Meet-ups (& meeting plenty of great local social web media folks).
4. b5media turning 3 years old and getting a second round of funding.
5. Interviews and media coverage (including a mention of Top 50 Blogs to read from The Advertiser [Adelaide], Top 50 Most Influential Female Bloggers (from NxE), etc).
6. Discovering a great community on Flickr – and getting 40+ of my photos on Explore within a matter of a few months when I was actively participating.
7. Moving JMMO to my own server.
8. Social web media boom (more activity and such on Twitter, Facebook, Plurk, etc).
8 Things I’ve Learned in 2008:
1. Sewing with my first machine.
3. Bake scones, banana cakes, and other recipes. Definitely improved cooking skills this year!
4. How to throw virtual parties!
5. Eat sushi and to make own sushi.
6. Attended a Children’s Writing Workshop series.
7. A new approach to mixed media work.
8. Deal with losses, pain, heartache, etc like I’ve never known before.
8 Low Moments in 2008:
1. The death of my dad…
2. Friendships and other relationships being severed and/or altered.
3. A family friend (dad’s friend) also passed away…
4. Nephew’s brain tumor/surgery.
5. The loss of my 1st Macbook.
6. Rejections in many forms.
7. Stress/Health-related matters.
8. Mum’s holiday accident (breaking arm/wrist in 3 places).
8 Favourite Books Read &/or Movies Watched in 2008:
1. The Renaissance Soul by Margaret Lobenstine (book)
2. How to be a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead by Ariel Gore (book)
3. The Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (book)
4. Kung Fu Panda (movie)
5. One-word movies that I watched on DVD: Juno, Enchanted & Amelie
6. Wall-e (movie)
7. Magic: Creating Stories That Fly by Gail Carson Levine (book)
8. Heroes: Series 1 (I know this is a TV series – but I watched them on DVD, so… 
)
Top 8 Blog Posts at ShaiCoggins.com from ’08:
1. Shepherd Boy (or How to Make a Shepherd Costume)
2. How to Wear a Scarf (and other matters)
3. 12 Things to Make and Do with Strawberries
4. Pakistani Chicken Curry Recipe
5. Fish Fillet with Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe
6. Notes to Self: On the Wisdom of Simply Being
7. 5 Quotes on How to Motivate People
8. Top 10 Holiday Gifts for Kids in 2008
8 New Things That I <3 from ’08:
2. My first car – Yvonne (and she’s pink!)
3. New home office/study set-up
6. Wii Fit
7. New photo equipment: Nikkor 55-200 (VR) (zoom lens), Sigma EX 30mm f1.4 (prime lens), and Nikkor micro 55mm f3.5 (macro lens).
8 Random Memories:
1. Getting the kids baptised in church.
2. Re-designing and re-formatting this blog.
3. Various community participation for the first time online: NaBloPoMo, Blog Action Day, NaNoWriMo, etc.
4. Fun family memories: beach trips, watching son in his first Christmas play/concert, strawberry picking, Zoo, circus, 1st Steamranger Train trip, etc.
5. Re-kindling some writing and reading
6. Watching the ’08 US Presidential Election
7. Various global issues: economic downturn, socio-political problems in different countries, etc.
8. Discovering some fun new apps like iMindMap, etc.
What about you? Would you like to share your own 8 on 8 from ’08?
Photo Source: Mattman (via Flickr)
Kari (3)
Mitch Mitchell (3)
eds (2)
Rachel Cotterill (2)
Anne (1)
bcylady (1)
Connie (1)
Jazzille (1)
macy (1)
Mel W (1)
Seems like twas a full year for you! Wish you all the best and more for 2009!
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I still want to learn how to sew. I use to do embroidery with my grandma when I was little. That woman could sew anything! My mom said when they were little (they didn’t have much money) that grandma would sew them clothes out of potato sacks. Now that I wish I could do!
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Gosh, my top 8 of 2008?
1. Our first proper family holiday to Qld in May, for a family wedding.
2. Felix’s 1st birthday and all the milestones that come with it.
3. Finally ‘getting’ knitting, so that now it is a joy not a challenge.
4. Meeting all the Weblogger folks and developing a circle of wonderful friends.
5. Going back to work and feeling like a valued member of society again.
6. Growing veggies in the garden again – I love watching things grow!
7. Finally making some headway with my mental health.
8. Losing weight and gaining fitness
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Sasha: Very full one indeed! And same to you.
Kari: What’s stopping you from trying to learn? I hope you get the chance to do so this year.
Melissa: Thanks for sharing all that. Sounds like ’08 was a good year for you. Hopefully, 2009 brings even more goodness.
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