I noticed we did this last year, so I thought I’d ask the question again this year.
What was the best thing which happened to you in 2002?
What was the worst?
For me, the second one is easier to answer. The worst was getting laid off five months ago. The best thing was probably watching Operation Polycarp take off last week.
How about the rest of you?
Oh, and Happy New Year!
CJ
Hmmm… I don’t really have “best” or “worst” things. Just a few good, a few bad…
Good Things
I got engaged
I found out I’m going to be a mom
I found out last week I’ll have a son
I became better friends with several people here
Bad Things
One of those better friends died
Well, I guess he’d be pleased anyway, since that’s the only bad thing I can think of. I did promise him things would be better in 2002. 
Miss you, Scott.
Worst: We have some things in common, cjhoworth.
Best: Two interviews over Christmas week, one in Dallas, one in Houston. I suppose I’ll have to wait to see if that’s actually the best thing to happen this year, though.
Speaking of which, Dewey, did you ever set an interview up at my firm?
Best: My 12-year streak of having no sex ended.
Worst: The girl who made the above possible broke it off with me.
Best: Quit my job of the last eight years.
Worst: quit my job of the last eight years.
I have strongly mixed feelings about this move.
Worst: Laid off 6 months ago, also discovering my daughter has a learning disability
Best: realizing what a great wife, and what good friends I have
Worst: Spending 6 months in out-patient recovery program for a Vicodin addiction and sitting here, 5 months later, with the same problem.
Best: I didn’t lose my job. Oh, and I won a 20 oz. bottle or two of Mt. Dew.
TMI? Sorry, bad year. 
Best things:
Finally, after years of thinking if I wasn’t absolutely miserable that was being happy, I’ve got a handle on depression.
Retired. Don’t have the money really but we’ll get by.
Am almost done with the book I’d been promising myself I’d write one day for the past 25 years.
Worst things:
Happy new year to all of you.
Worst: It’s a tie between the following
[ul]
[li]Being laid off in February and being out of work for 6 months[/li][li]The fire in my building in May that forced me to move out of my home for over 4 months.[/li][/ul]
Best: UncleBeer
hmmm…
worst: watching my grandmother’s life slip away thanks to lung cancer (she’s still alive, but just barely)
best: oh, i can’t decide… either meeting a new friend and joining 2 new clubs 2nd semester of my freshman year of college, going to a writing worskhop over the summer, or my new cousin danny (he was adopted from russia earlier this year)
I keep calling, but your guy is always doing something.
I called again yesterday, and (through his secretary) he asked that I call back after the first of the year. I’m not sure if I’m being put off or not – if he’s not interested, it’d be pretty easy to just say “we’re not looking right now” and then I’d quit bugging him.
Any inquiry you can make would help. After all, you’ve got a free steak riding on this.
Best:
-daughter born healthy and happy, despite some iffy moments in the last month
-finished grad school
Worst:
-realizing that I must find a new job. Then realizing that this is the worst job market in the last decade or so. My exquisite timing comes though again
Worst:
Best:
Well, the worst is obviously losing my daughter to cancer.
But the best could be our family reunion at Yosemite. It could be the news or my wifes pregnancy. But the best isn’t those.
The best is our week of my daughter’s make-a-wish. Disney cruise and disney world. Even our first night in Florida at the Hyatt in Orlando.
There was a lot of good this year I will try not to forget.
Best: The birth of my little niece (my younger brother’s daughter)
A close second would be: Adopting a new cat
Worst: Having a falling-out with someone I thought was my friend and whom I trusted
I’d just like to take the time to express my condolences to everyone who has lost loved ones this year.
My lists:
Worst:
Washte being screwed out of her job in April. For legal reasons, I cannot say much more about that.
My father in law being diagnosed with lung cancer in May.
His passing away in September.
The loss of unborn twins about 4 weeks apart, my father in law passing away in between.
My mother in law having a heart attack in November, requiring a 5-way bypass.
Best:
The settlement that was reached with Washte’s ex-employer (which is why I can’t go into details) that meant she had enough money to return to the States and visit her father before he passed away.
My mother in law is now feeling much better and is looking forward to starting a new life.
Being able to speak to my father in law shortly before he died and telling him that I loved him.
His telling me that he loved me too and calling me “son”.
Being married to Washte.
Friendships that have been formed, here on the SDMB, with some wonderful people.
Best. Winning small claims lawsuit against step daughters former boyfriend. The phone call I got from him after sucking all of his money out of his checking account was a thing of beauty.
My SIL beating cervical cancer.
Seeing another SIL for the first time in 10 years.
No strike by my union but…see below.
Worst. Having my truck stolen. And the bastard basically got away with it.
My labor union got screwed big time by my employer.
My father and I had a falling out, probably won’t talk or see each other again. This was after not talking to each other for over 10 years. His wife died a few months ago and I was suppose to morn her death like she meant something to me. She was not my mother and she had done nothing for me in over 20 years. She was a miserly hag and she took great delight in being cruel to my father’s children from his first marriage. She gave my wife and I a 2 for 1 coupon cut out of a newspaper for a Christmas gift in 2001. Other than talk about his old cars and his empty promises of making everything up to me and my siblings, we had nothing in common.
Best: fizzy.
Worst: … you know, nothing really seems all that bad since I have someone to help me through it.
Worst: Breaking up with my fiance, deciding to take physics. I also tried a number of medications that didn’t work, that was no picnic.
Best: Breaking my wrist (gave me a really cool story) and figuring out what I want to do with my life (Film)