Worst: Mum dying on November 2nd, after fighting her way out of a coma.
Best: Just keeping my head above before, during and after.
** Sublight ** cancer sucks. 
It’s on my worst too.
Worst: finding out that my father had a recurrence of cancer. We still don’t know if the radiation worked. Having my boss force me to go back to work at the earliest possible moment after maternity leave and then fire me because I couldn’t work the hours she wanted.
Best: watching my daughter’s first beautiful and astonishing year and realizing that I really * could * experience love at first sight. Watching my husband, parents and nieces and nephews cuddle and play with her. Getting another better paying job that allows me to partially telecommute. Adding a truly friendly kitty to our household.
All in all, it was truly a very good year.
Best: My trip to Europe, 2 stops in England (Stafford and London), 2 stops in Germany (Munich and Ulm) and a week in Amsterdam (2 motorcycle swap meet/shows and 3 motorcycle museums in 16 days).
Worst: Coming home from Europe and being “released” from my job, 6 months of unemployment.
Worst (2): The tragic fire at the National Motorcycle museum in Birmingham, England (many irreplacable bikes were lost).
unclviny
July 19th: The day after I turned 24 and my husband turned 25 (we both have July 18th as a birthday), we went and climbed Mt. Fuji! We didn’t get to the top because it was just too strenuous for me, but it was an amazing experience and a must-see of anyone who spends time in Japan.
December 15th: The day after my husband comes back from a 2 week long trip to the states for job training, he tells me he plans to divorce me. One of the many problems he has with me is that I prevented him from getting to the top of Mt. Fuji! (he could have done it. I offered to do what a lot of people who give up do and wait at one of the stations while he climbed it the rest of the way.)
2001 was an insane year for me. 2002 started out so promising and then just sucked. 2003 may well b the worst year of my life, though I’m afraid 2004’s prospects look not so good.
Best: Seeing my daughter get married (for the second time) to the guy she should have married the first time.
Worst: Having her new in-laws hit me up for money.
Best: After many years of being lonely and sleep walking through life having a very special woman awaken me. Falling very deeply in love with this woman.
Worst: Being unsure and confused, not dealing well with my fears and concerns surrounding this new relationship. Pushing too hard and driving her away.
worst: My best friend’s mental illness (PTSD) flaring up, resulting in him becoming homeless, attempting suicide, and later getting arrested and going to jail for something that wasn’t his fault, and me having to talk to the police, find him a lawyer, deal with his ex-wife etc.
best: Being able to find and afford a good lawyer, finding and moving into an awesome new apartment, and eventually managing to bail him out and get him moved in with me just in time for Christmas.
worst: Having to watch helplessly as my wife of twenty years sinks into a near-vegetative state accompanied by periods of dementia, being told that there is no cure and the dementia will only get worse, and knowing that eventually I may have to make the decision to stop her feeding and let her go.
best: Finding out that I have the strength to deal with this (which I never would have suspected) and knowing that I have friends both IRL and on-line who I can count on for support when I need it.
Something that would have been a high for this year has just over the last 24 hours dropped down in the ratings. But …
Best: A continuing series of moments of deep pride that a book on local history I’d compiled was published by my historical society, and is now nearly sold out, with folks buying it for Father’s Day and Christmas presents for their loved ones, both in NZ and Australia. It was a rush job ('cause I was determined to see it out in the world by my 40th birthday this last August), not the best looking publication (rough as guts in places), but people like it. 
Worst: Again, another tale of cancer. A good friend of mine is on the rough rollercoaster ride of hope and despair. I remember walking home from her place, 11 pm on a dark winter’s night, bleak despair in my soul.
Worst: Watching my father die.
Best: Well, theres nothing that seems to good in comparison to that, is there?
The worst of aught three: too many deaths, too many funerals. Back in January I buried my step-father, and just two weeks ago I buried one of my best friends.
The best of aught three: I got a new puppy. Life goes on. ciao
Worst: Being served with notification that we were being sued for one million dollars as a result of a car accident, after my insurance company had supposedly settled for the policy limits. But, compared with other posters “worsts”, it’s not the end of the world. It’s only money.
Best: Finally finishing my Bachelors degree (I’m 33) with a 4.0 GPA
Best of the year: visiting the island of Komodo to see the famed dragons, and seeing the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon and Ayer’s Rock, and climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge and seeing an opera in Sydney Opera House and walking the Golden Gate Bridge and lecturing at Caltech and spending some time with one of the single most attractive women in the world and participating in the anti-War rally in Hyde Park and making a fair bit of money.
Worst: the Iraq war, but nothing that happened directly to me personally.
Wow, this really made me think.
Best: Thanksgiving day. The hubby and I decided to blow off the parents and do our own thing. We ended up going out to dinner with his son. (The first time he’s ever had his son for any holiday in 17 years.) We had no electricity all day due to a car accident down the road. It had all the elements of a disaster, but we sitcom-ed it and turned it into the (honestly) best holiday we’ve ever had.
Worst: Tie. My parents divorced after 25 years. It was a very civil divorce, with no lawyers involved, and they’re still very good friends, but it is weird. And, burying my very good friend two weeks ago. I miss her every day.
Best: Deciding to celebrate my sixties by travelling as much as possible. I’ve spent the last eight months saving for and planning a trip to Paris in April. I was going to go alone since my husband doesn’t fly, but my sixteen year old granddaughter is going to be able to go with me. A lot of people of people have been working together to make this dream come true.
Worst: Being snubbed at a family wedding. I really had to think hard to come up with that. Life is good for me.
I’m sorry that some of you have had such rough times this year.
Wendyrules, good for you with you internet romance! I met my husband on my computer on a BBS (like a local internet) before the web came along. On Thursday we will have been married 18 years.
Ice Wolf, I’ve thought for a while that we are much alike. Your news is most encouraging to me! I’m thinking of doing something along those lines for my hometown – but in little essays.
Worst: Miscarriage
Best: My business is doing well, I love my house, my husband, my furry kids. Life is good.
Worst: Finding out my mom has cancer
Best: Having my son start school, and be doing so well, too.
Best: going to a school I love
Worst: knowing that this is probably the last year I will ever see my 96-year-old grandmother.
Best: Tie between spending my vacation in England and then having my honey come visit me here
Worst: Being upset because my parents didn’t call me on Christmas. I called them, but they weren’t home. My mom called the day after Christmas and told me that they’d gone Shreveport. My parents spent Christmas at the casinos and as if that isn’t bad enough, they twice drove through the town I live in without bothering to visit or call.
If that happened to me, that would’ve been probably been the best of 2003 for me. Except I would’ve done the Mormon girl. Either way, a small victory for atheists everywhere.