Whose year was it?

Posted at 3:39 PM on December 31, 2008 by Bob Collins (9 Comments)
Filed under: The Quiz

Over the next few hours, as in the last few days, we are likely to be told -- again -- that 2008 is a year to forget. I recognize the news has been bad -- the news is always bad -- and many people are hurting. But whose year are we talking about? If I say to you, "2008," what do you think of? The election? The recount? The economy?

Those may be events in our lives, but are they our lives? Are they our years? I have a hard time saying "2008 was a bad year" to someone who, for example, watched their kid walk across a stage to get his or her high school diploma this year? Or the person whose biopsy showed the tumor was benign.

But we don't do news stories about high school graduations or medical test results for people who aren't from Hollywood. And yet, that's the way we live our lives. Personally. Individually. Quietly. It stands to reason that it's not up to people like us to review and define 2008; it's up to you.

As the old question goes: How was it for you?

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Comments (9)

Regarding Question 2. "Laying of employees?" That sounds like it would cost a company a few bucks in losses.

Posted by Patrick | December 31, 2008 4:43 PM

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I have a hard time saying good riddance to 2008 because it's the year that is engraved inside my wedding ring. My fiance and I had a wonderful wedding full of great friends and family in mid-October, right at the height of the economic meltdown.

It was a bittersweet day for sure, but the coming together of two families was something wonderful that only happens once in a lifetime. I wish we could share some of the happiness of that day with the rest of the world.

Posted by Jen | December 31, 2008 4:53 PM

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Fixed. We had to let the News Cut proofreader go. Proper punctuation and good grammar is just so pre-meltdown.

Posted by Bob Collins | December 31, 2008 5:07 PM

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women should be woman in question about what didn't happen in 2008. proofreading services purely voluntary. scored 9 out of 15..
so glad school is not a necessary part of my life now.

Posted by Minn whaler | December 31, 2008 5:24 PM

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Hey Bob I got 2 out of 15 and live in Maine!!!

Posted by Cheryl Collins | December 31, 2008 5:28 PM

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12. Thanks to the hints.

Posted by DN | December 31, 2008 5:39 PM

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I don't want to forget 2008 because I graduated college this year, my first niece was born, several of my good friends got married, and I finally have a job. Just because the economy's gone downhill doesn't mean I want to forget all the wonderful things that happened.

Posted by Alanna in MI | January 2, 2009 10:51 AM

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The results aren't in English...what do they mean?

0-3: Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit
4-8: Chuc Mung Tan Nien
9-12: Godt Nyttar
13-15: Gelukkige nuwe jaar

Posted by Tonya | January 2, 2009 3:44 PM

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All of the results say "Happy New Year" in a different language.

Posted by Bob Collins | January 2, 2009 5:56 PM

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